Missouri Bishops Appeal Stem-cell Title Ruling

From the St. Louis Review...(All emphasis is mine):

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri’s Catholic bishops last week appealed a Cole County Circuit Court judge’s ruling over the language that would appear on a proposed ballot issue protecting embryonic stem-cell research, which the Church condemns as immoral.

In their appeal, the bishops stated that the official ballot title "misleads and deceives the voters of the state of Missouri." The bishops added their support to an appeal filed by the plaintiffs, Missourians Against Human Cloning, which filed the suit on which Judge Byron Kinder ruled.

The ballot title, which is the only information on the proposal voters will see in the voting booth, includes a statement that the proposal bans human cloning.

But those opposing the measure have said the full text of the proposal allows a human cloning procedure known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).

Using this procedure scientists would create human embryos only to destroy them for biomedical research purposes. This type of research is commonly referred to as "therapeutic cloning."

In their appeal the bishops state: "Despite the fact that the proposed initiative authorizes cloning for biomedical research, the secretary of state’s official ballot title states that the proposed initiative will ‘ban human cloning.’ Consequently, a Missouri voter who wants to ban human cloning for all purposes will be deceived by the official ballot title, which makes no distinction between cloning for research and cloning for reproduction.

"Catholic Missouri voters could unwittingly vote for a ‘ban on human cloning or attempted cloning’ because such would be entirely consistent with the teachings of their faith. Only later would these voters discover that their votes did not support their respect for the sanctity of human life," according to the bishops’ appeal.

By state law the ballot title must accurately summarize the full proposal and not mislead voters.

The Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures is backing a proposed constitutional amendment to prevent the legislature from banning embryonic stem-cell research and work. They are petitioning to gain enough signatures to place the issue on the Nov. 7 election.

Church leaders have recommended Catholics decline to sign the nominating petition and vote against the measure if it goes to a vote.

Deception by the agents of evil and death...What is "St Jack" Danforth's position on deceiving the public? His blindness and the blindness of others does not permit them to see clearly.

As we can see, the consequence of sin is sin - Sin begets sin...It becomes a vicious cycle of slavery and spiritual and sometimes bodily death. These people deliberately, with full knowledge, attempt to deceive the public to back their nefarious schemes of human experimentation. Moral depravity infects them all. From the abyss of hell, they have summoned their leader to guide them. we must pray for their immortal souls!

We can pray that Judge Kinder's ruling wil be overturned and that Missouri voters will know exactly what they may be voting on.