Stem Cell Ban Lifted – For Now

    Human Stem Cells

Good recent news is the sensible decision by a US Appeals Court overturning an injunction that barred the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from funding research using human embryonic stem cells.

Good as far as it goes, but it doesn’t put a stop to court action, which is based on a US law which prohibits federal funding for research in which embryos are destroyed.

Christianity has been somewhat tamed by the Enlightenment, but things like this show why it is still dangerous. Religious activists still think they should be able to impose their morality on everyone else, whatever harm it causes (and the potential of stem cells to improve the length and quality of the lives of people is immense). And unfortunately they still can. There is no objective reason why embryos should be considered to have human rights. They are blobs of non-sentient cells. The only “reason” for giving them such rights are mystical notions of souls (and, as I’ve noted before, the Bible itself doesn’t give a fetus rights, let alone an embryo).

The fans of Barack Obama in particular like to say he is pro-science and not in thrall to the Religious Right. Well, here’s his chance to prove it. There would be no case if not for immoral laws banning research into embryonic stem cells. So there is a very easy solution: repeal those laws. Even if they end up not having the numbers, my respect for Obama and his Democrats would go up if they would at least try.

But I’m not holding my breath.