X-Message-Number: 18608
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2002 03:49:10 -0800
From: "John Grigg" <>
Subject: Re: "Don't ban therapeutic cloning" letter,  PLUS a small rant!

Rudi Hoffman wrote:
Friends, the long awaited WAR has begun!  I am referring to the oft discussed 
tension between the forces of science, knowledge, technology, and rationality 
Vs the forces of mythology, renouncement, "God did not intend for man to do 
this," and the attitude that "I am not comfortable with the possible 
ramifications of this, so I am going to lobby to criminalize your even 
considering or researching possibilities."  
(end)


Does this mean I can't trust the Southern Baptist family which lives down the 
street?  Should I strike first just to be sure I win?  Seriously, I hope we can 
find viable scientific alternatives to using "very early stage potential human 
beings."  This would really calm the nerves of Evangelicals.  The research into 
using umbilical cord cells/adult human cells will hopefully bear fruit.


One thing is for sure, if the U.S. does not perfect this biotechnology, foreign 
powers will.  And their profits will be huge.  Wealthy Americans will be making 
pilgrimages to England, or any other nation which can offer advanced therapeutic
stem cell medicine to cure what ails them.

you continue:
The religious right has massive funding, television stations, and the 
tremendous blind faith of the religiously deluded. This is a society where it 
is considered a positive if you believe something just BECAUSE there is NO 
evidence of it!  This flawed but surprising effective epistemology has 
engendered societies ruled by religious zealots throughout most of recorded 
history.
(end)


The religious right organizations organized by Falwell and Robertson do have 
massive funding and pretty dang big numbers, too.  But some evangelical 
Christians do have "minds of their own."  Stereotyping and religion bashing is 
not the right way.  Maybe we can build bridges with the moderates that also 
exist.


There are religious organizations which realize the value of stem cell research.

http://lds.org/media2/newsrelease/0,5637,666-1-6035,00.html

you continue:
But back to the task at hand.  YOUR task.  If you value the possibility of 
therapeutic cloning research improving YOUR life in the next 3 or 5 or 10 
years.  Instead of the 15 or 20 or more which it could take if we allow the 
U. S. government to CRIMINALIZE RESEARCH!
(end)


Today I sent my letter off to the Alaska senator Ted Stevens.  He is one of the 
powerhouses in the U.S. senate.    

Just doing my part! : )

best wishes,

John


Check out Cupid School where you will learn from Matchmaker's
best and brightest. Good Luck!

http://ecard.matchmaker.com/cupid0202/cupid0202.html

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18608