>I am flabbergasted this issue finds ANY space in >political debate let alone a central space. That too >in a developed country, that supposedly has universal, >secular adult education. I believe Western Europe >(another Christian region) has no such compunctions. >My cousin was in Israel involved in Stem Cell Research >- so I assume the Jews don't have much of an objection >either. India has no problems on this account so the >Hindus don't object too. The Arabs, I am not too sure, >are aware of stem cell research :-). So it is here, >the new bible belt, that such issues find any >credence.
These are my personal thoughts: Normally people will think that America is a seculiar country and that religion does not play much role in its politics. Probably that was what the forefathers dreamed of America. But it does not need much intelligence to see that America is moving more towards religious Fundamentalism in recent years than any other Euroean or Asian countries. Today, I think the Asian culture are more ready to accept science on its face value compared to the Americans. Thus topics like Sttem Cell Research, which should not have been issues at all in America, (one would think) are being made hot political issues in American politics. Similar are many cases like : Creation vs Evolution, Pro-life vs Pro-Choice and other topics. Indian and Chinese culture cannot even imagine that such issues can stand on its leg against science in modern days. But surprisingly that is exactly what is happening. Thus at present under the protection, patronage and blessings of the Bush (a religious fanatic himself) administration, the Right Wing conseravatists, the Christian Funadamentalists are winning and moving America towards religious fundamentalism which is comparable to the Islamic Fundamentalism in the Middle east. That is why we see inspite of all reasonigs against it, a 50% split of Americans for and aginst the Iraq war. Common Americans are completely unaware of this shift, but that is the fact. BTW, on a different subject, many probably donot know that the whole idea of Capitalism was born out of religious putitanism, the Christian fundamentalism. I think the rise of Western Capitalism itself is comparable to our rise of the business communities within the Jains and the Parsis in India. Any way these are the days of the jackels who are trying to take America hostage and take it back to the dark middle ages. America is leading the group. These are the people who think the western democracy and capitalism can be forced on people through the bullet. In these days, one need to watch which side he/she is. Rajen Barua ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rajib Das" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 6:12 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] > As far as I understand, and I am a layman, embryonic > stem cells are UNDIFFERENTIATED cells that are not > adult cells but can grow into any - in other words, > they are not yet a human being that can be killed. > Moreover, one source for most cells for research are > SURPLUS embryos donated with specific consent in > situations such as invitro fertilization when these > cells are felt no longer required. In other words, > these would, in any case, have been thrown away. > > Obviously it is felt that these embryonic stem cells > are important for discovering cures for many diseases > such as Parkinsons etc. > > A stem cell, as per fundamentalist Christians, is the > equivalent of an unborn baby. Since there are tonnes > of such types in the current administration (or it > finds tonnes of supporters), the administration has > the position that embryonic stem cell research should > be banned. Never mind the fact that the embryonic stem > cell is not yet an adult cell and that the supply > comes from sources where such cells would have been > destroyed anyway. > > I am flabbergasted this issue finds ANY space in > political debate let alone a central space. That too > in a developed country, that supposedly has universal, > secular adult education. I believe Western Europe > (another Christian region) has no such compunctions. > My cousin was in Israel involved in Stem Cell Research > - so I assume the Jews don't have much of an objection > either. India has no problems on this account so the > Hindus don't object too. The Arabs, I am not too sure, > are aware of stem cell research :-). So it is here, > the new bible belt, that such issues find any > credence. > > > > > > > > --- Tilok Hatimuria <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > O'Ram da: > > > > Aapuni thikei koise. Hema tu xosai poetic. Gotike > > cell-gila daam thoka bostu > > hoboi. > > > > > > >Also, should ethics even be an issue when > > >hESCs are drawn from frozen embryos? > > > > > > Yes, yes. Indeed ethics are of importance. Only > > problem is with the question > > of what is more ethical? Is it more ethical to > > declare war on a country not > > at war with us, on false pretenses, or is it more > > ethical to prohibit > > destruction of fertilized human embryos to harvest > > Hemar poetic cells? Is it > > more ethical to prevent playing God or saving lives > > with embryonic stem > > cells or is it more ethical to go kill innocent men, > > women and children > > along with all those that are branded 'terrorists' - > > never mind if they > > really are or not. Is it more ethical to gloat over > > shock-and-awe over > > destruction of the innocent with the guilty while > > expressing shock over > > Godless scientists working on embryonic stem cells? > > > > These are complicated issues. Hypocrisy of course is > > not something that one > > needs to bother with. Certainly not so, when with > > one neat label of > > "terrorists" we can cleanse our consciences of all > > guilt at snuffing out the > > innocent with the guilty, or those seen ming to be > > guilty. > > > > Looks like the label has really caught on. Even back > > in the old country, > > poets and policemen, generals and governors, goons > > and the gentry, all are > > getting into the red-hot business of terrorist > > labeling, defining and > > hunting business with a vengeance. > > > > Nothing like a good tide to wash-off all the dirt > > around us, isn't it? > > > > > > > > Yours truly, > > > > Tilok Daktor(in a bad mood) > > > > > > > > The debate on stem cells has become an important > > issue > > in the Presidential campaign , the last debate, and > > the passing away of Chris Reeves. > > > > While most of us have a basic understanding of SCs, > > and the Nat'l Institutes of Health in its website > > does > > answer most of the questions, one keeps wondering > > why > > the President is so opposed to something most > > scientists would agree its a good thing for a mirade > > of cures. > > > > My understanding is that human embryonic stem cells > > (hESC) are the way to go. It seems that adult stem > > cells ie. hematopoietic stem cells,(HSCs) are the > > only > > ones available for research and hESCs research > > potential is stunted. Is the President just > > pandering > > to the religious right? > > > > Maybe some netter (or genetist) with a better > > understanding can give us in layman terms what all > > this means. Also, should ethics even be an issue > > when > > hESCs are drawn from frozen embryos? > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Don't just search. Find. Check out the new MSN > > Search! > > > http://search.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200636ave/direct/01/ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Assam mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/listinfo/assam > > > > Mailing list FAQ: > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/assam/assam-faq.html > > To unsubscribe or change options: > > http://pikespeak.uccs.edu/mailman/options/assam > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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