Final Discussion

Stem cell research is a big controversial topic concerning peoples morals and advancements in science. Stem cells, which can be used to cure diseases, cloning, and many other much needed advancements in technology, come from human embryos. Many people who support it, such as scientists and individuals, consider the practice to be very reasonable, whereas many religious figures and people basing their lives strongly around spiritual morals think it verges on the lines of corrupting human morals and ethics. A lot of it is similar to issues on abortion, people don't want to it to be OK to kill what could be a potential human being.

Puritans and Rationalists had a similar argument. The Puritans believed that everybody was born sinful, and only the few who were "chosen" would be sent to heaven, allowing those who are elected to gain great power and interpret the will of god freely and denying these people or not following the belief system would be seen as sinful and would be condemned to hell. The Rationalists although, believed the world was open to interpretation, thinking that if there is a god, he had made this world for us to explore and advance rather than to repeat history in one set of ideas.

The rationalists today would probably be in favor of stem cell research because of their beliefs to advance in life and discover new techniques. Puritans today would probably be very against stem cell research thinking that you shouldn't try to be the creator, rather your supposed to live how god has already put it before you, and trying to create what god has supposedly created would deeply go against their beliefs and in their minds would probably anger god to great extremes.

"Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity," (History of Plymouth Plantation) Puritans believed that no matter what, if you confessed to god or begged for mercy, God would decide your ultimate fate, perhaps saving you, replacing the idea that humans had actually survived themselves. Although despite this, they have "a natural desire to do good", getting rid of the idea that you a predestined and you must earn your right to be saved.

The Puritans in a way were kind of hypocritical as are the stem cell research opposers. Much of the text from "Of Plymouth Plantation," shows that they were perfectly capable of having to discover new lands, meet new people and form a society, but they still had doubt that those desires were controlled by a natural need to survive physically and not morally. Squanto, a Native American, at one point was the reason for these men's survival, directing "them how to set their corn, where to take fish, and to procure other commodities, and was also their pilot to bring them to unknown places for their profit" (Plymouth Plantation). However, Puritans claimed that he was a special instrument from God sent to help them rather than being a person of survival and skill choosing to help.

Stem Cell opposers today carry somewhat of the same problem. Opposers for one think it's playing god, which is impossible and some opposers of it today probably think much like the puritans and that its not possible to do anything outside that will of god. Despite that, we already have made moral sacrifices that have benefited us today and has for sure benefited these opposers in one way or another much like the Puritans getting helped from the Natives but took it for granted by thinking it was help sent directly from God.

New studies shown by exhibit A , that the whole embryo does not have to be destroyed within the process of getting stem cells, "There is no rational reason left to oppose this research" as said by Dr. Robert Lanza. Not to menchon these cells could possibly be cloned(Clones Meets World)making even more research possibilities and possibly giving people who can't have kids the ability to have a baby thats related to them. Ethical issues should no longer be of much concern since the research is entirely pro-life.

The opposers possibly biggest leader, George Bush, has also caused some huge controversy over the idea of being pro-life and many people and this French Muppet from Exhibit C, can be qouted saying "Bush is Pro-life Til Birth," because of his carelessness towards the war and the troops that are dieing over there. Comics have also served a way to explain the controversy of Bush's opinions showing him in a tree-house with a sign "Embryo's Welcome" while a man in a wheelchair sits outside and Bush sadly explains "Some life stages are more sacred than others." So in a way, you could tell opposers that they are anti-life because they won't support the human being's already living and making this world today.

Men from the age of reason were able to realize that meaning could be found "everywhere in the natural world,"(Age of Reason) and that the world was not in fact controlled by some all powerful being that"morality is capable of demonstration," meaning that all you religious beliefs could be explained, as said by John Locke. "Know then thyself, presume not God to scan, the proper study of mankind is man."(Alexander Pope) This quote helps show more that Rationalists, apart from Puritans, believed they were able to help themselves rather than be in need of some God.