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 STEM CELL RESEARCH  

Scientists in recent years have discovered the means to culture large numbers of cells called human stem cells. These are unspecialized cells that can grow to become any of the over two hundred different cell types that make up the human body.           

According to the National Institute of Health in the U.S.A, “Stem cells may hold the key to replacing cells lost in many devastating diseases.” Such diseases include: Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, heart disease, liver failure, cancer and a host of others. Since stem cell therapies have the promise of regenerating healthy new tissues, they come under the general designation “regenerative medicine”.           

The main controversy that has surrounded this science lies in the fact that many people including a number scientists feel that the exploitation of human stem cells particularly those derived from embryos or fetuses shows a disregard for the sanctity of human life. It is therefore important for us to have a look at the different kinds of human stem cells and get to know what the Bible might be saying as to their exploitation.           

Our concern is not the success of the science but the ethical consideration and the biblical perspective relating to the science.

1-Embryonic Stem Cell: Embryonic stem cells are human embryonic stem cells removed from the blastocyst and maintained in an undifferentiated state in cell culture line in the laboratory. This simply means embryonic stem cells can be cultured to produce unlimited identical copies of themselves.           

The simple reason why embryonic stem cell research is bad and evil is because the process of extracting the embryonic stem cell results in the destruction of the embryo. This is nothing but murder. Human life begins at conception and there is no nobility in trying to save a human life by destroying another. No human would want to know that the reason he or she never existed was because he was destroyed against his will in his embryonic state just to save some other person.            

No matter the large numbers of embryos that clinics or hospitals might be holding, they should be discarded (buried) in a respectful manner. Those embryos have souls that will go back to their creator at their death. Embryonic stem cell research is not only immoral but also sinful and should be discouraged.

2-Embryonic Germ Cell: The embryonic germ cell is derived from the gonadal ridge of the embryo or fetus. Like the embryonic stem cell, it is equally pluripotent. The biblical perspective on embryonic germ cell research is the same as that relating to embryonic stem cells. It is murder since the embryo is destroyed and an immoral exploitation of human life.

3-Adult Stem Cells: The adult stem cell is an unspecialized cell found in a specialized tissue such as bone marrow, blood and blood vessels, the spinal cord, the skin, the liver, the gastrointestinal tract, and the pancreas. Adult stem cells have been used successfully to treat a number of diseases. The major problem facing research in adult stem cells is that apart from those derived from the bone marrow which seems to give hope to be able to be able to give rise to the other cell types; those derived from other tissues don’t seem to have this flexibility. Again adult stem cells are rare and difficult to identify.           

Nonetheless, the exploitation of the adult stem cells does not involve the destruction of human life or embryos and consequently doesn’t pose any ethical dilemma. If any research should be conducted on human stem cells, it should be on the adult stem cells. The Bible does not oppose science or modern medicine except they violate God’s moral or spiritual laws.