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5/8/2008
James Wigderson: A leap beyond faith
Let me first start by saying what an honor and a privilege it is to be blogging here once a week while Jo Egelhoff is off campaigning for the state assembly. Voters in the 57th Assembly District are lucky to have a candidate like Jo Egelhoff in what promises to be a very informed campaign. Of course, I’ll have to re-train my fingers to single-space after each period. When Jo gets the bill for the resulting carpal-tunnel syndrome, she may just change her mind about socialized medicine.
One of the issues that may be facing the state legislature is the future of embryonic stem cell research. Madison, of course, is at the very center of the embryonic stem cell research debate with much of the most advanced research being done at UW-Madison. During the last campaign for governor, Governor Doyle made embryonic stem cell research an issue by promising it will cure everything from diabetes to hickeys.
What is often lost in the debate is the distinction between types of stem cell research - embryonic and adult stem cells. Adult stem cell research does not involve the destruction of human life and has already yielded promising therapies. Embryonic stem cell research has not yet yielded any benefits and currently involves the harvesting of stem cells from human embryos, destroying human life in the process.
Advances were made recently that will allow scientists to take existing adult stem cells and turn them into embryonic stem cells without destroying human embryos in the process. The technology is coming, and in the interests of compassion and the defense of human life we must appeal to one of the least used human traits – patience. If there is any promise to embryonic stem cell research, we must wait to take advantage of the humane path science has now offered.
In the meantime, Wisconsin’s four Catholic bishops, Bishops Peter Christensen, Timothy Dolan, Jerome Listecki, and Robert Morlino, have given voice to the cause of life and have explained the position of the Catholic Church when it comes to stem cell research. Their pastoral letter, "Serving All and Sacrificing None," takes a look at the scientific issues and reconciles them to faith and the preservation of life.
This Catholic teaching is not an example of faith absent science, but rather faith supported by science. It is scientists who have demonstrated that the single cell, or zygote that results from fertilization, contains the complete genetic information necessary for the development of a unique human being. It is scientists who have shown us that human development is a continuous, uninterrupted process, from zygote, embryo, fetus, infant, child, to adult.
Faith builds on these scientific facts by acknowledging that our Creator endows our human nature with an innate dignity that does not depend on our size, beauty, intelligence, wealth, or any other attribute.
The pastoral letter, a booklet of questions and answers, and an accompanying video, are compelling in their arguments and should be of great interest to Catholics and non-Catholics alike. The challenge to the bishops will be if science, reason, and faith can overcome the propaganda, ideology, and false promises that have dominated the debate so far.
James Wigderson is a blogger at Wigderson Library & Pub, a weekly columnist for the Waukesha Freeman, and an available freelance writer.
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• Join the blaze orange army and say ‘Enough is Enough’
• The future of government-run health care
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• Why am I not surprised?
• Talk health reform with Feingold (Th), Petri (today)
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• Rahmlow: Why is Van Hollen dodging the Nebraska deal?
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| 2009 |
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• The Lawton-Bader files
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• Burri: Bailouts, Banks, Health Care, and the Mob
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• In the crow's nest of the Titanic, shouting 'Iceberg!'
• Is Rep. Nelson a political hack?
• Health care: The road ahead will be brutal
• Kagen's pandering again
• Birthers - good stuff for you
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• The trouble with health care is paying for it
• Two-parent families: The Gold Standard
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• Rep. Huebsch: Wisconsin is proof government health care isn’t the answer
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• What? Obama, the Peace Prize?
• TODAY - hearing on Campaign Finance Reform
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• CBO report is out - and the bill isn't even written yet?
• So, how much do YOU budget for health care?
• Burri: Copenhagen trip was amateurish
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• Important votes Tuesday, including Appleton Common Council
• Democrats are becoming supply siders??
• Further debunking Hillary myths
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• From Mark Gundrum: One of the greatest honors an American can experience
• 'Operation Chaos' working?
• Joe Martin the best candidate in Appleton's 8th
• State programs to cut? - Volume II
• Oh the naivete of youth
• Not just disingenuous - flat wrong
• Steve - you will be missed
• Make cuts only AFTER you're elected....
• Getting serious: What programs can we cut?
• Rep. Steve Kagen joining me on Jerry Bader Show today
• Rep. Van Roy: Dental Care Pilot Program
• Has Dave Obey turned the corner on earmarks?
• Speaker Huebsch: Governor turns down Federal Aid?
• Mark Rahmlow: "We're Broke."
• As taxpayers, how do we know if it's a Chevy or a Lexus?
• This is trash talk - about a veteran
• Frank Lasee: Take time to get the Compact right
• 'The Gableman Ad' - is it racist?
• Roth thankful, Kagen shaking money tree
• Gov. Doyle's office not enamored with Freedom of Information
• Governor Doyle will never do it
• Leadership on smoking ban? Not Hanna
• Rep. Van Roy speaks out about smear ads
• You're threatening me about potholes?
• Losing the Hastert seat is NOT a trend and NOT curtians for the GOP
• First suggestion for 'slashing' programs
• Big money-saver for municipalities
• More one time fixes. Nuts.
• Any chances???
• I'm doing the Jerry Bader Show, today, the 11th
• Representative Frank Lasee: Final Waltz of the Season
• Guest Blog: It's not the county's business to be in the nursing home business
• Yup, Hillary won Texas and Ohio
• Gableman/Butler race featured - and it isn't pretty
• Lies from Planned Parenthood and NARAL
• He who sacrifices liberty.....
• Duh.
• The Troha sentencing, Doyle and that $200K
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• How hard is it anyway, to shut down a government program?
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• Guest Blog: Governor Doyle, cancel your Ireland trip
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• Lots of ideas. No money.
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• Any way you slice it, Wisconsin government wants (further) in on health care
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• The PAC - too precious to fail. Day 3
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• Fox Cities PAC - too precious to fail
• New Transit Tax coming your way
• Rep. Petri has his finger in the dike - I guess
• AASD Retirement Costs Burdensome
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• New Year's resolutions from a parade snob
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