Stem cell decision sets off ethics debate in Mid-South

President Barack Obama's decision to lift the ban on funding human embryonic stem cell research has touched off a morality struggle between religious believers.

While some Mid-South religious leaders equate it to abortion, saying it ends innocent life, others say it is immoral not to do the research if it will ease suffering and possibly cure diseases.

Obama's executive order Monday removed restrictions on the controversial research put in place by the Bush administration and opened the door to fund it with federal tax dollars.

"It forces tens of millions of Americans who find this morally reprehensible to subsidize it," said Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention in Nashville.

Land, president of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission for SBC, said Obama "has declared open season on unborn babies."

The Roman Catholic Church has also criticized the president's decision.

"When it involves the killing of embryos, that's immoral to us," said Father John Geaney, spokesman for the Diocese of Memphis.

Ethical opposition to using embryo stem sells prompted President George W. Bush to place restrictions on it in 2001.

But there are many religious supporters of this research, including those who oppose abortion, said physician and United Methodist pastor Dr. Scott Morris.

Morris, director of the Church Health Center of Memphis, said it's incorrect to equate stem cell research with abortion.

Embryonic stem cells reproduce themselves, Morris said, noting: "One of them could potentially bring about enormous benefits."

Proponents say embryonic stem cell research could lead to better treatments for spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease and diabetes.

Stem cells can morph into any type of cells and researchers hope to harness them to grow replacement tissues.

Similar to Catholics, many Muslims, who consider life to begin when an egg is fertilized, also oppose this research if it results in the cell's destruction.

Many Jews, however, have long supported advancing this research if it could save the life of a living person, said Rabbi Micah Greenstein of Temple Israel.

"In Judaism, saving a human life is the highest mitzvah of all," he said.

His East Memphis temple has even held a fundraiser to help similar work being done in Israel.

Tending to patients daily who potentially could benefit from this research, Morris sees advancing this science completely in line with Christian values.

"We're here to promote life every chance we get. To me, that's what stem cells do," he said.

(Agencies)