'Brave New World' My Ass
by Rebecca Gallant (a.k.a. The QM Web Goddess)

Cloning. Stem cell research.

You may as well just say "Booga Booga!" to a 4 year old after reading them Carrie as their bed time story than mention those words above to your average American politician.

Most of us in the industrialized world now realize that we are living in the age of science non-fiction. We have our wireless this and digital that. Hell, we're pretty much a nation of Dick Tracys and James Bonds! (Although I'm still waiting for my flying car, rocket jet back pack and transporter beam.)

We are also far down the road to bionic people. Artificial hearts that reside completely within the body. I'm sure lungs, kidneys and gall bladders are next. Japan has created a robot to assist nurses with the tiring work of 24 hour shifts. Just slap on the 'ol robo gear and you're the next Sigourney Weaver wiping off asses instead of wiping out Aliens.

Yay! Mankind rules! Hurray for us!

So why, for the love of Spock, are we complete weenies or rabid psychos about a stem or embryonic cell?

Because God said so. Yup. That's right. Except, He only told most Republicans, Christians and a select few gifted and enlightened individuals who apparently hear God on a daily basis.

And what did God say? Apparently He said that stem and embryonic cells are humans. Yup, that's right, humans. Us. Mankind. Remember? "Yay. Hurray for us..." etc.

Well, in my 32 years on this planet, I've noticed some slight differences between humans and stem/embryonic cells. Granted, I'm no scientist, but I've come to a few conclusions based on high school biology class, the Discovery Channel, watching the news and basic common sense.

Fun Human Factiods!

~ We are the dirtiest creatures on this planet. Cockroaches have less bacteria on or in them than us.
~ We are only creature capable of destroying the planet 100 times over. We're slowly destroying it anyway with polution.
~ We are the only creature in history known to willingly and knowingly cannibalize ourselves.

I could go on.

Ok, so we're not so great.

Another aspect I've noticed about humans are we are comprised of many, many things. Things like organs and appendages. We're basically a HUGE conglomeration of cells.

Futher still, there are emotions. They are a nonphysical thing that we all have within us. Even atheists believe in emotions. Could we then have a soul as well? I believe we do, but there's no definitive proof. I've never "seen" one (with my eyes, anyway).

OK, so humans are generally rather flawed and icky with squishy insides, have emotions and most likely a soul.

Um, could someone tell me if a stem or embryonic cell have any of these things? Ok, I'll buy that they're a little squishy on the inside. But squishiness does not a human make!

Listen up folks, human cells are teeny tiny pieces of humans. They are NOT the actual human his or herself!

This is not a Brave New World! We are a bunch of scaredy cat pagans who think bad ju-ju will befall us if we destroy or experiment on stem or embryonic cells! Cause God, many many centuries ago, in a book that's been so mistranslated and misused, said so.

So I say this to those that believe God said so: Maybe God made us so intelligent, that we could create an artificial human heart, communicate instantly around the world without wires, overcome deadly diseases and many other miracles of science to offset the the mean things we do to one another. Hmmmmmmmmmmm?

Oversimplified maybe, but we've taken a potential miracle and muddied it up with religion (again - just ask Galeleo).

Maybe I'll ask the stem cell what it thinks...

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