When does life begin? The Real Issue with Abortion.

So, I have an enthusiastic reader who posted some comments on his reasons for which he believes embryonic stem cell research is morally just fine and not blindly. I am not sure what Milt's background is, but he did not do his homework!! Tisk, tisk.

Let's break it down. I won't bore you with his slippery slope, missed the point attacks on what he assumed I think is sin. You didn't get it right, Milt, but that's not what's important. First, the important question is "When does life begin?" Can you answer me that Milt? When is a human being a human being?

I agree with embryonic research and it is not blindly! We can do this ethically and carefully. The reason we should is that is is likely the only way that we will be successful in curing and repairing the diseased and crippled bodies of 100's of thousands of good people who are alive now. A cluster of embryonic stem cells is not a human life at all, it only is the potential to be such.

So, let me give you a list of potential arguments--see, I'll even give you a head start by showing my cards.

1. Some would say life begins once the baby can breath on its own.

A. With that argument, I would advice individuals with breathing and respiratory problems to go into hiding. They might come after you soon.

2. Ok, no...It's when the baby can live on its own outside the mother's womb.

A. Ok, so individuals with physical disabilities that prevent them from feeding themselves, from walking, from living on their own--watch out, they are coming to get you all!!

I'm going to stop there, to see what sort of reaction I can get. What are other arguments you have heard? Share them with me! Let's get serious about talking about this. This is the core of what liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is all about it. It starts with the beginning of life.

But, Milt also demonstrated he has not kept up to date on the latest research with stem cell research. So, I am going to give Milt, and all of my readers, a challenge. Bring me the peer reviewed journal showing evidence of embryonic stem cell research that shows promise in treating anything! Real evidence! There is none Milt.

The age of regenerative medicine is upon us now, there is only so much that popping a pill into your mouth can do. The chemical reactions that can be effected by a pharmaceutical is never going to do what a pluripotent undifferentiated embryonic stem cell treatment could do: grow new cells that are exactly what the body needs - a replacement, a rebuilding, a reconstruction. Getting little kids up out of wheel chairs, getting juvenile diabetics off of insulin pumps, etc. And the argument about adult stem cells is only partially valid - they are not nearly are capable to differentiate, so we need all the research. Que viva el progreso!

No Milt. This is not progreso (progress)--this is taking us back to the dark ages, when human life did not matter, when science justified murder in the name of progress, and when utilitiarian ideas where king. Yet, while the left and pro-embryonic stem cell research people are fighting for their lost cause of , Adult stem cells continue to have success in actually treating a number of conditions!

Embryonic stem cell research is a lost cause, motivated by politics, money, and distorted worldview that refuses to see the evidence and the science right under their noses.

Allow me to quote from Dawn Vargo:

Embryonic stem cells are often touted as the most promising research option because they are a "blank slate" capable of differentiating (changing and specializing) into all the cells of the body. Less well known is that adult stem cells have the same ability to change into every kind of cell, tissue, and organ in the body. Yes, you read that correctly: one of the main reasons embryonic stem cells are flaunted as the gold standard in research is their ability to change into every cell type. Yet, adult stem cells have the same capacity.

In other words, adult stem cells can do everything embryonic stem cells can do:

Adult stem cells are flexible: Like embryonic ones, they can change into every cell type of the body. Researchers often refer to this ability to specialize into every cell type as pluripotency.Adult stem cells' flexibility show new potential to treat disease: Studies demonstrate that in addition to diseases already being treated with adult stem cells, the recently discovered and often ignored flexibility of adult stem cells offer additional possibilities to cure disease.

Contrary to the exclusive claims of embryonic stem cell proponents, the following compilation of research demonstrates the flexibility of adult stem cells to transform into a wide range of specialized cells -- just like embryonic ones.

Click here to read a sample of the proof in favor of Adult stem cell research. There is no justifiable reason to create new embryonic human life simply for theutilitariann sake of harvesting. This is insane! Where do you stop? It is a slippery slope humanity must not be allowed to down. Make note of the references provided. Look it up. Show me what proof you have in favor of embryonic stem cell research? Any proof!

Flexible Stem Cells
The following summaries document the ability of adult stem cells to develop into cells outside of their original cell family.1

Baby Teeth
• Baby teeth are a rich source of stem cells. Stem cells from dental pulp can differentiate into neural, fat, and tooth-forming cells.2

Blood
• Adult stem cells taken from the blood can differentiate into liver and nerve cells.3

• White blood cells taken from patients can roduce other types of stem cells; newly formed cells included red and white blood cells, nerve cells and heart muscle.4

Bone Marrow
• Bone
marrow stem cells can make significant amounts of new lung tissue.5

•
Bone marrow stem cells can change into epithelial cells when transplanted into
the lung.6

• Bone marrow stem cells can be put into various tissues and organs. This research could provide a model for future lung stem cell work.7

• Bone marrow stem cells from men were implanted into women. They found that the women had brain cells with the Y chromosome. This shows that bone marrow stem cells can turn into brain cells.8

• A specific type of cells
(multipotent adult progenitor cells – MAPCs) has been found in bone marrow. These can specialize into cells from all three germ layers. This study found that these cells can be isolated not only from bone marrow but also from brain and muscle tissue.9

• Stem cells from bone marrow have the capacity to develop into all cell types in the human body including those that make up the glands, digestive tract, hair, skin, nails, brain, nervous system, and muscle. 10

• Bone marrow stem cells can turn into nerve cells; contrary to previous belief, these bone marrow stem cells did not merely fuse with nerve cells, they changed into nerve cells without any cell fusion.11

•
Pluripotent (able to change into all cell types) bone marrow stem cells can change into insulin-secreting cells.12

There is more--a lot more! Go here and read it all. Make sure to note the references!