The UM-St. Louis Interfaith Campus Ministries met last Thursday in the SGA Chambers to share their attitudes and beliefs concerning stem cell research.
Interfaith Campus Ministries, St. Louis Hillel and Gesher, Campus Advance, International Students Inc., College Central, the Wesley Foundation and the Catholic Newman Center have sponsored "Conversations and Controversy: An Interfaith Dialogue" throughout the semester.
A group of panelists and guest speakers, who represent different religious affiliations and organizations within Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Islamic faiths have met the first Thursday of each month to discuss different topics, including sex, abortion, religion and stem cell research.
Stem cell research was the topic of the last lecture within the Conversations and Controversy Dialogue series.
Tracy Van De Riet, campus minister with the Catholic Newman Center, opened the series by introducing the panelists, Rabbi Avi Katz Orlow, Dr. M Waheed-Uz-Zaman Rana and Dr. Fred Sauer, who represented the Jewish, Islam and Catholic faiths, respectively.
Before beginning the discussion, the audience was given a brief overview on what exactly stem cells are, why they are important, their unique properties, the differences between embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells and how they are used in research advancements.
Sauer presented a slide show that described how stem cells are unspecialized cells that recreate themselves through cell division. The slide show focused on fertilization, the development of stem cells, cell division, cell differentiation with embryonic and adult stem cells and Somatic cell nuclear transfer, also known as cloning.
After the slide show, Van De Riet presented the panelists with a set of questions: What are your faith's underlying beliefs on stem cell research, are there any limits to using this technology or reasons not to use this technology within your religion? and are certain forms of stem cell research acceptable or not acceptable?
Each member gave different responses to the questions asked.
Rana said the problem with stem cells goes deeper than what was presented in the slide show. He said we have to see what the source of the stem cell is.
"If it is a donation from the embryo, that becomes a problem. It is a human-being and cannot be destroyed," he said. "Abortion is not allowed in Islam, except with saving a mother's life. Once a cell is planted, that is when the technology limitations come into play."
Orlow said that from a Jewish perspective, he believes that life is the highest value and is not equal to the potential value.
"We have a pile of fertilized eggs that are going to be pitched, can't we do research on them? They were produced to try and create life, so they should be used," he said.
Sauer's point had to do with how medical research is good and should be promoted, but should be used according to moral law. He said that research from adult stem cells might be acceptable, but embryonic cells should not be destroyed.
"It's never right to kill. The ends do not justify the means," Sauer said. "Technology is good as long as it is not used to destroy human lives. Every human being has the right to be accepted as a gift or as a person created by God, rather than being something manufactured as an object."
Tim Schmidt, junior, music, questioned Avi, "If embryos made for fertilization are being wasted, then how can we ensure that people are actually making them for children purposes rather than research purposes?"
Orlow said he is not advocating that people go out and make these cells, but if they are going to be thrown out anyway, they could be used for research.
The division between the church and state government was also discussed.
Rana said that more people need to find out and learn about stem cells before final decisions are made.
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