U.N. Delays Debate on Cloning

hedpe2003 writes "'The General Assembly on Tuesday ducked for a year a polarizing debate over human cloning that has set the Bush administration against some allies like Britain and much of the world's scientific community. All 191 United Nations members agree on a treaty to prohibit cloning human beings, but they are divided over whether to extend such a ban to stem cell and other research known as therapeutic cloning. Opponents say total prohibition would block research on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and other conditions. The White House says that enough stem cells from human embryos exist for research and that cloning an embryo for any reason is unethical. United States was happy to go along with the one-year consensus but would not alter its stance. 'We will continue to work for a total ban,' he said.' I was just wondering what everyone thought about this. To tell the truth, I didn't know that the US was pushing so hard to ban stem cell research all together."

If only

[ObviousGuy]

If only those embryos had even a couple synaptic responses that it could use to tap out in Morse code whether it agreed to be used in such research.

Re:My 2 cents.

[kj0rn]

I think America has a Christian problem. They rule your country, not some impartial, like, say, the scientists.

kjorn

cloning a human being is unethical

[polished look 2]

It seems to me that the United States is against the cloning of embryos for stem cell research and as such I applaud them; this helps maintain the sacredness of human life - life is re-created by an act of God through the union of man and woman, and not by a scientist in a lab.

the UN agrees on something? Impossible

[Anonymous Coward]

All 191 United Nations members agree on a treaty

You mean the Arab and Muslim states voted with Israel? Amazing. Maybe there is hope in the world.

Re:My 2 cents.

[Richard M. Nixon]

What reason would there be for mass-cloning?

A mad scientist wanting to create an evil army of Richard Nixon clones?

There might be someone out there crazy enough to do it just because they think the idea of a real-life Clone Wars would be cool.

But probably not clones of myself. There can be only one Nixon.

Re:science has a place but God is greater

[juhaz]

How about we let this hypothetical God decide about what he is willing to let us do.

Not pseuso-christian religious fanatics like you who so much like to spout nonsense in His name.

Personally talked to God about biotechnology, recently, have you? I'm sure Creator's just taking a little nap and forgot to throw fire and brimstone upon those EEEEEEEVIL scientists trying to stole His rightful place. He'll probably be back in few billion years or something.

church funding biotech then?

[midgley]

I take it donations to the US president's campaign from the odder churches have exceeded those from biotech companies thus far.

What about...

[Channard]

More of a comparison, who is more bigotted, the scientist or the Christian zelot? kjorn

Hey, what about the bigotted christian scientists, you insensitive clod?

An opinion on religion ...

[Savage-Rabbit]

The inhabitants of the earth are of two sorts: those with brains, but no religion, and those with religion, but no brains.

- Attibuted to the blind Syrian poet Abul'-Ala' al-Ma'arri (973-1057)

Re:wait wait wait...

[Jaysyn]

So Tyler wasn't making soap, he was cloning himself?

Jaysyn

Re:Another Christian viewpoint

[Walterk]

Actually, that is a pretty sound point of view. I myself have been thinking a lot about the very start of the universe, and find myself (perhaps through lack of knowledge) to be left with a small conundrum.

Energy cannot be created, everything is made out of some form of energy. Throughout the life of the universe, the total amount of energy will be the same. Where did the energy come from? Such an amount of energy had to come from somewhere. This is something which I haven't actually seen any explanation for.

While some scientists say that the life of the universe is growing and collapsing all the time, but that doesn't explain the very first beginning. Or perhaps this is my mortal view of time.

Re:Bingo!

[adrianbaugh]

I think it's too late. By using a reliable technique akin to Bible Code Reading I have discovered that Darth McBride is already secretly cloning obermensch!

Re:My 2 cents.

[ShavenYak]

I doubt that 98% of the world has demonstrated any amount of reasonability. Certainly not in America.

Well, since only 5% of the world lives in America, it would be pretty hard for 98% of the world to demonstrate reasonability in America. Let's hope they don't decide to visit to do so either - it might get a bit crowded.