What should science trump?
Via the the always great Bishop Thomas Olmsted.
Our president's rationale is that science should trump ideology. In other words, that ideology should not have the upper hand in making decisions about who pays for research; science should. We Americans, he says, should trust scientists more than we trust ideologues. But who is our president calling ideologues? Those whom he is calling "ideologues" include the following:
Pope Benedict XVI and all faithful Catholics around the world;
People of faith from all major religions who believe that human life, especially at its most innocent and vulnerable stage, needs to be protected, not killed for the sake of older human beings; and
All people of good will who oppose the killing of one group of human beings in order to benefit another group.
"Science should trump ideology" is a code phrase that means science should trump the Fifth Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill." It is contending that science should trump the right to life of a certain class of human beings, those who are at the embryonic stage of life. Science, according to our president, does not need to be at the service of the human person or subject to morality. How is this position not influenced by an ideology, which is the very thing our president claims he is seeking to avoid? Is this good for America? Is this what we Americans want our taxes to be used for?
The good bishop then goes on to describe the Catholic response
First, we must beg forgiveness for this horrendous sin of our nation. Like the Prophet Daniel, we need to say in all humility and shame (9:4fc), "Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments! We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws... Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day."
Second, we Catholics must join with others of good will and make our voices heard across our land, at the White House, on Capitol Hill, in our state Legislatures and in the media. We must not stand by idly while our neighbor's life is at stake. The dignity of a human person does not depend upon his or her age, developmental stage, or ability to function. Every human being has inherent dignity because God has created us with an eternal soul. No one has the right to extinguish this gift of life but God alone.
Third, we need to point out why such destructive research is especially pointless at this time when ethical means are available, such as the following:
Great advances are being made in reprogramming adult cells into embryonic-like stem cells (the journal Science hailed this as the scientific breakthrough of the year);
Adult and umbilical cord blood stem cells are increasingly being used to reverse serious illnesses and even help rebuild damaged organs.
Fourth, we must pray and fast for an end to this horrendous decision and an end to all attacks on innocent human life. Jesus told us that some evils can only be driven out by prayer and fasting. In this season of Lent, this gives us added reason to do penance in union with our prayers for the protection of all human life.
Fifth, we must not lose hope. False rhetoric such as "science must triumph over ideology" will not stand the test of time. Such counterfeit reasoning and slick cover-up of the truth will not have the last word. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly (Cf. Jn 10:10). In Him, who died to take away sin and rose to restore our life, we place our hope. This hope will never disappoint.
Dale Price mentions some related information:
Missed in all the conflagration over Obama funding destruction of embryonic human life (Think of it as a stimulus package for biotech corporations!™) is this malevolent tidbit:
He also ended funding for pluripotent stem cell research not involving human embryos. You know, the stuff that's making embryo-shredding obsolete.
Yeah, you're all about the science. Well, OK, crap science unshackled by ethics, but you can't make a failed revolution without scrambling a few kulaks.
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If this keeps up, King Barry will need to find non-Catholic sources of revenue. There will come a point when Catholics can not support this evil with our tax money.
And there aren't enough prisons to hold us all.
A great statement from the bishop.
What Obama calls "ideologues" are voices of the moral prophets who call society to a higher standard of respect for human life.
In Hitler's death camps, it was scientists experimenting on innocent victims who were making life and death decisions. "Science" is not above morality.
I guess we need to get back to doing research and development on the neutron bomb; after all, ethics and ideology should not trump science... (Is this what Obama and his minions support?)
I hate to be the prophet of bad news, considerng the treatment of the OT prophets,
but... there are enough prisons to hold us all, (unless all the empty "work camps" the gov. has built are really for the illegal immigrants or some vague future disaster.)
As well as... the ones who actually will speak up are probably small in number...
I agree. Science should trump ideology.
Science says that unborn babies are human beings. Obama's idiology (no misspelling!) says otherwise.
Science says embryos are human beings.
Obama's idiology (no misspelling!) says otherwise.
It is interesting to GOOGLE this phrase "ideology should not trump science" and relate it to the Pope's comments with regard to the Green Movement/Energy Crisis (based on the so-called threat of global warning). This Green Revolution is the third plank of President Obama's Manifesto (Universal Health Care, and Universal Education being 1 and 2). Back in 2007 Pope Benedict went on record saying:
"It is important for assessments in this regard [global warming] to be carried out prudently, in dialogue with experts and people of wisdom, uninhibited by ideological pressure to draw hasty conclusions, and above all with the aim of reaching agreement on a model of sustainable development capable of ensuring the well-being of all while respecting environmental balances. If the protection of the environment involves costs, they should be justly distributed, taking due account of the different levels of development of various countries and the need for solidarity with future generations."
"ideological pressure to draw hasty conclusions"
"ensuring the well-being of all"
these are the two phrases President Obama is twisting to render the Pope irrelevent to the discussion. He makes Catholic ideology the enemy and renders embryonic human life expendable.
Is President Obama taking on Pope Benedict directly? Bishop Olmstead chimed in by saying it is a direct attack on the Fifth Commandment. I tend to think Obama is attempting to trump the Vicar of Christ.