Religious Prejudice

                        Pathetic Minds of Central New York

There is a Brazilian proverb that says: “If you don’t reason with your mind, you will breathe and speak from your behind.” These words came to my attention as I read an article entitled “God, Roads and Societies” in the “Utica Phoenix” from a writer who did not have the courage to sign her name. At a certain point she wrote: “..I had a family member pass away in October, and maybe, just maybe, stem cell research and the cloning of organs could have saved her life. But religion holds us back.”

Alice Teixeira is Brazil’s foremost and number one’s stem cell expert in the nation. She is a bio-chemist and geneticist who teaches at the Federal University of Sao Paulo. She is prominent in world circles on the subject of stem cell work. She was solicited by the Supreme Court of Brazil for professional advice when questions of stem cell legislation or decisions were to be taken. She is constantly on national TV talk shows whenever stem cell issues come up and debates people of the medical profession on the question. I was privileged to attend several of her lectures and took down many notes of what she said.

Dr. Alice began her lecture by telling us the story of how stem cell research began first in animals. She cited the cases of the sheep, the cat and the horse. In all the situations, the experiment was a flop. The sheep prematurely aged and died, the cloned cat was nothing like its original counterpart, but was nasty and rebellious (the other was gentle and meek) and the cloned horse did not run as fast as its original. This disappointed the rich feline owner who mourned the death of his cat and the horse racers who wanted to continue producing purebreds. The animal rights groups also protested the whole cloning process since it left behind a whole array of warped and maimed beasts.

Dr. Alice showed everyone some rare photos of cloned human cells and embryonic stem cell experimentation.  They were simply big blobs of confused and separated cells with no logical order to them. Lacking certain proteins and specific cell orientations, these embryonic cells were practically useless in giving any sort of positive results. Dead embryonic cells were useless in experimentation, but had to be living human beings.  The live human beings that were manipulated on were later discarded after dying from the experimentation.

Dr. Alice pointed out that there were various types of stem cells and their differentiation was determined by their speed of action and growth. Embryonic stem cells are three times faster than adult stem cells in order for the human being to develop quickly. To place one of these cells in an adult would result in tumors, disorganized growth and a fast aging process. The body’s immunological system also does not recognize it and combats it with antibodies. The stem cells of the mother’s umbilical cord, however, have given positive results in the cure of diseases and are in harmony with nature and morality. They have been successful in recuperating people from leukemia and cerebral palsy.  Adult stem cells have also been known to cure and treat 72 diseases already.

After the Catholic Church had condemned embryonic stem cell research, scientists decided to abandon the experiments and rather work with the umbilical cord and adult stem cells. Thanks to the Roman Catholic Church, many people were cured of their diseases through adult stem cells. When the Roman Catholic Church condemned socialism and capitalism, political and social thinkers began to apply the social doctrine of the Church to practical problems instead and brought prosperity and justice to their nations. When the Roman Catholic Church condemned contraception, doctors and scientists therefore turned to the Billings method, inspired in Humanae Vitae, and saved many marriages and women’s health and bodies. Our ignorant, unscientific and incompetent journalist apparently did not do her homework and came up with these very stupid and backward statements, showing a most lazy and dull mind in the matter.

Father Anthony Mellace