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CECforLife
News Release International Office of
Communications – The Charismatic Episcopal Church FOR
RELEASE TO PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA: CONTACT:
The Rev. Canon Terry Gensemer,
The most rev.
Randolph Sly, Leaders of CEC For Life Offer Caution and Concern On the President’s Decision For Funding of Stem Cell Research Washington, DC – In response to the President’s decision on the funding of stem cell research and particularly embryonic stem cell research, the responses were issued by various members of CEC for Life, the official Pro-Life arm of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church. CEC for Life has been heavily involved in the fight to halt ESCR. Most recently, leaders of CEC for Life, as a part of a new ecumenical alliance, Common Good, held a “Liturgy at the Time of Death for the Pre-Born” in front of the Jones Institute, a medical research facility that recently claimed it was producing human embryos for research purposes. This was the first pro-life action offered at this facility. The following responses are the official statement from the ICCEC as a whole, but all faithfully reflect the commitment of the entire communion for the sanctity of human life. The
Rev. Canon Terry
Gensemer, Director of CEC For Life issued the following statement: “We stand
with the President on the denial of funding for any further Embryonic Stem Cell
Research (ESCR), however there is a moral and ethical dilemma concerning the use
of existing stem cell lines. The fact that these lines are in existence does not
escape the logic that they were derived from extremely immoral techniques.
Even though the President mentioned in his speech last night that the ends
do not justify the means it would seem that in this particular case the end has
justified the means. There may even be a violation of current law, which
prohibits federal funding for the destruction of human embryos. The best that
can be said is that there is a moratorium on government expenditures for the
destruction of present and future human embryonic life. It seems that this
decision promotes a culture of ’almost-life.’ “We applaud the President’s emphasis on funding of adult stem cell research, using bone marrow, cord blood, placentas, and other resources. I am Pro-Life and Pro-Research. I believe that such stem cell research can bear great fruit without the expense of a human being. “The main issue we now face is an ethical one. What do we say about experimentation on cells taken from those already destroyed by scientists? We have turned our heads from the actions of those who took life. We have sanitized death once more by dehumanizing these embryos who were destroyed. Since these children were already dead, their stem cells were claimed as fair game for the still-unknown promised land of new genetic miracles. By his actions, our president made the smallest concession he could possibly make, and for that, I am thankful. The action, however, is still without ethical merit. We are benefiting from an evil act, and, without proper guidance, this will still lead us down a slippery slope, moving deeper into the culture of death, where utilitarian principles continually dethrone humanity. We, as Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, must now stand together in a continual vigil for the integrity of life, family, freedom and human solidarity.” The Rt. Rev. Craig Bates, Bishop of the Northeastern Province and CEC For Life Board Member commented, “Give the pro-death camp an inch and they will figure out how to get a mile. We need to clearly keep this in mind as we proceed. Yet, at the same time, while we lament that the President did not shut the door completely, we need to rejoice that he did close the door to further stem cell research and that he formed a group to study and monitor the issue. The Church should support vigorously medical research which would eradicate many of the tragic and life threatening diseases suffered by so many people. The people of God would rejoice at the elimination of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Leukemia, and various muscular disorders. The Church should support and encourage her members to donate financial and other resources to research agencies in order to facilitate appropriate ethical research. And, the Church should support medical research and those involved in medical research. Medical research is an admirable profession. However, those involved in research are answerable to the laws of God.” “President Bush is
to be commended for his statements on: 1) " the sacredness of human life, 2) no
federal funds will be used for the derivation or use of stem-cell lines derived
from newly destroyed embryos; the creation of human embryos for research
purposes; or the cloning of human embryos for any purpose." These were
the words of The Rev. Fr. Jim Pinto, Pastor Christ Charismatic Episcopal Church,
Fairfield Alabama, President Pastors for Life Greater Birmingham, and Director
for The United For Life Committee. “His statement and policy regarding the
utility of already terminated/killed embryos for the research, future benefit
and pleasure of human kind (of course excluding those whose lives were
mercilessly killed and their parts used) is unacceptable and is an unprincipled
ethic of life. The Family Research Council has stated it well: "It is a basic
moral principle that one cannot benefit by the wrongdoing of others. In law,
this doctrine is known as the fruit of the poisonous tree. Courts have long held
that to allow government to benefit from a wrongful acts provides and unhealthy
incentive to persist in such acts. By permitting research on existing stem cell
lines obtained by past killing of embryos, Mr. Bush attempts to put a redemptive gloss on previous bad acts
and to distance himself from the immoral acts that resulted in the killing of
embryonic human beings." |