www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Michael J. Fox's commercial for stem cell research

Hello,

Here's another ad blurring the distinction between non-embryonic stem cell research and embryonic stem cell research. And did Missouri Senator Jim Talent want to "criminalize the science" (as Michael J. Fox states) or did he simply want to prevent the deliberate destruction of innocent embryonic human beings?

Michael J. Fox [youtube.com] video on YouTube.com.

Here's more about the running of the ad: Michael J. Fox appears in ads touting Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate [breitbart.com]

Irenaeus

This is the shameless exploitation of a dying man.

This ad serves no one but the candidate who sponsors it and I hope people will see through her dishonesty. Her opponent does not oppose stem cell research, he opposes one very controversial type of it. Does she really think people are so stupid that they don't see through this trick? She must not think much of the electorate.

Fox is surely a desperate man in a desperate circumstances, but I don't believe he was exploited or used. He has made it clear in the past that he believes stem cell research is good and he hasn't differentiated between adult or embryonic sources. But he ought not participate in half-truths to advance his agenda.

As far as I know, Mr. Fox is not a resident of Missouri and he should stay out of our politics!

I don't campaign for Senator Santorum or Mr. Casey do I?

Please pray, that you can do, for Amendment 2 to not pass in Missouri!

Dr. Eric,
Glory to Jesus Christ!

Also as far as I know Mr. Fox is not a resident of Maryland. However, that did not stop him from making a very similiar promotion for the Democratic candidate for Senate.

I agree the issues are too blurred. All we can do is pray for enlightenment.

Deacon El

Well, I have seen the ad and I respectfully disagree with some of the opinions being expressed about it.

Michael J. Fox is a brave guy who is fighting a debilitating disease. I don't see why we can't disagree with him, but, as with the late Christopher Reeve, still respect him for his courage and for speaking out on an issue that's obviously very important to him on a very personal level.

That is fair, Theist Gal, and you are to be commended for showing honest Christian charity to a person who is clearly suffering and in need of compassion. Unfortunately, the ad seems to be purposefully misleading people, which I can't really see as justified.

Personally, I think the ad is mixed. On the one hand, it graphically demonstrates just why stem cell research is needed and why the government should support it. On the other hand, it fails to distinguish between stem cells that come from children who were killed through abortion and stem cells from parts of the body (like bone marrow or the umbilical cord, etc.).

-- John

There is an article today that I found via Drudge on the topic. It is reasonably balanced:

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/10/25/D8KVP3RO1.html

I really feel for people like Mr. Fox, but in the end, we Catholics know where we must stand.

And, as the logic goes (for those who accept that embryos are human life), perhaps experimenting on Parkinson's Disease patients could lead to a cure for AIDS, but it would quite clearly be immoral to do so.

But, nevertheless, a hard cross to bear for Fox and his ilk. I hate to think of the graces that Mr. Fox could gain were he to, in classical Latin phraseology, "offer up" his suffering ad maiorem Dei gloriam, instead of trying to legalize murder. Lord knows it'd be hard to do, and hopefully if I were in the same position I would do exactly that, but such is the plight of sinful humanity.

And though I disagree with legalizing this type of research, regardless of the good that could arise from it, we could do worse than to offer a prayer for those struggling with Parkinson's and for the human lives taken in embyronic stem cell research.

Logos Teen