A Response to Archbishop Burke's July 4 article on Human Embryos

Archbishop Burke's article in Post has received a response:

Balance needed
in bioethics

In his July 4 commentary, Archbishop Raymond L. Burke articulated the reasoning behind the church's opposition to the use of cloned human embryos in stem-cell research. Although I agree with him that cloned human embryos deserve to be treated with some level of dignity, I can't unconditionally support his view of the embryo's "right to life."

I don't believe that the Scriptures (Christian or other) provide direct guidance regarding the status of artificially created and maintained life forms. The progress of biomedical research has taken our society to the point where it is no longer possible to utilize traditional sources of moral guidance.

To make matters worse, the pressure is rising to make a quick decision because of the mesmerizing potential of embryonic stem cells to cure devastating diseases. This dangling carrot of a potential utility has seduced many of our fellow Americans to suggest that the cloned human embryo has no claim to human dignity, and should be as disposable as the Petri dish they grow in.

As a researcher, when I work with human cancer cells, I have no qualms about destroying them during my experiment. I would hesitate to do this to a cloned human embryo.

Our generation is the first to face a seemingly insurmountable vacuum of moral certitude. Therefore, it is up to our generation to climb the Mount Zion of constructive, mindful, nationwide elaboration to develop sustainable moral standards to guide us through the dilemmas of bioethics.

The President's Council on Bioethics admirably called for a moratorium on the destruction of cloned human embryos, but much wider discussion is needed to make sure we do no harm while searching for cures. The inclusion of elected representatives (in the form of bipartisan congressional committees) would help to maintain a prudent balance of views.

Robert Kokenyesi
Kirkwood

This seemed to me to be the saddest commentary of all in this letter of Mr. Kokenyesi: "The progress of biomedical research has taken our society to the point where it is no longer possible to utilize traditional sources of moral guidance."

There are many who wish to discard objective truth, objective morality, for a "make it up as we go along" morality - a relativistic model which is devoid of common sense and rational thought.

Link here.