Anyone who has read my posts for a while should be aware that I oppose embryonic stem cell research. My personal reasons are based on what I believe to be sanctity of life.
There have been strong strides in using skin cells, and even greater strides in using umbilical cord stem cells.
Monday’s CNN article regarding fat cells! Hey, now that’s huge news – fat is good!! OK, so it’s not so much that fat is good, but the news regarding this research is good:
"… millions of fat cells removed during liposuction can be easily and quickly turned into induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cells, more easily than the skin cells that researchers used when the first iPS cells were created in 2007.
"These iPS cells, like stem cells derived from embryos, can be turned into many different kinds of cells, and researchers believe they eventually could be used to regenerate tissue for organs and repair damage."
There was a rush to judgment that embryonic stem cells were the only way to go, and that those of us whose religious principles opposed the use of embryos were uneducated fanatics. Would it not have been less divisive to have listened to our concerns, supported thinking outside the box and worked together to find these alternatives?
This is a question of human rights – a secular question that should impact everyone. A society that easily discards human fetus is only a step away from discarding any non-productive member of their society. Monetary costs overwhelm caring for human life.
Whether the term is zygote, embryo, fetus, pre-born or unborn, when discussing humans, it is a life. The DNA is not the same as the woman carrying it in her womb. Its existence must begin with cells from a human woman and a human male. How they combine varies and the interest on the part of the host body varies, enough that some would discard this union of human cells with its unique DNA.
For Jews and Christians this union is the natural progression of God’s creation: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:24 KJV)
The combination of cells, the resulting flesh, is human. This human is at one of its most vulnerable stages of life. There may come a time when age has created a similar frailty, and that is a natural progression. Human rights should be afforded to all humans during such vulnerabilities.
Many laws around the world are designed to protect human life, elevating that to a right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” We should be seriously concerned when humans are denied that right to life at their beginning.
O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. (Micah 6:3 KJV)
God knows the answer to the question He asked. However, He calls upon them – and us – to give witness to what He has done, or is about to do. Judgment is the theme. And, a future.
How do we answer this question? What has God done unto us? Why have we become weary of Him?
My own answer is that God has blessed me greatly. Undeservedly, I know, for I come up short in so many ways. I am not weary of Him, though I do not understand all I hear and read of Him I never tire of hearing and learning more. He has never failed me, though I have failed Him and have received His forgiveness.
The six short chapters written about 700 bce have been quoted for centuries. Herod heard them from the priests and scribes (Matthew 2:5-6). Jesus spoke them to His disciples (Matthew 10:35-36). Long before that, Micah was quoted in Jeremiah 26:18.
Compare a few verses – the first from Solomon:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV)
The second from Micah:
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8 KJV)
The third from Christ, quoting Moses:
Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)
Do we heed these words, or do we listen to the voice that Eve heard, twisting the commandments with subtle questions that lead astray and separate from the love of God?
There is hope:
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 KJV)
Are you?
I’ve had this note since July and ran across it today. It still bothers me. A 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that Jesus’ name cannot be invoked in public prayer during City Council meeting most certainly squelches free speech for all religions.
This should hold true if a Muslim cleric opens the meeting and uses Allah in his prayer instead of the non-specific word ‘god.’ A Native American is also precluded from using the term Great Spirit. And think of how many gods’ names would be denied for a multitude of other religions.
According to the Court, they determined that "the practice of members of Town Council invoking name(s) specifically associated with the Christian faith violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment."
Unfortunately, their very words are close to violating the First Amendment, which states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” However, the Admendment refers only to Congress – not to the Judicial system, which should not (but has been known to) usurp Congress’ responsibility to pass laws.
The court names the Christian faith in its determination. Could their response have been better stated as "the practice of members of Town Council invoking name(s) associated with any specific faith violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment."
Without that distinction, isn’t their decision discriminatory against Christians?
What is the difference between the City Council meeting prayers and those in congress?
Why is the “name of Jesus” important to Christians?
Acts 2:38
Acts 3:6
Acts 4:10
Acts 4:18
Acts 5:40 (yep – things haven’t changed much in 2,000 years!)
Acts 8:12
Acts 9:27
Acts 16:18
Acts 26:9
1 Corinthians 1:2
Philippians 2:10
And that’s just the phrase, doesn’t include additional reasons for calling upon His name. Which I shall continue to do. The current prevalence of interpreting our constitution as a freedom from religion may change in coming years. For which I shall continue to pray.
According to T. J. Lynch, a victim of California’s Station fire:
"It's pretty surreal, pretty humbling, how your life is represented in these objects that you collect and then you have to whittle them down," he said, describing the difficulty of choosing what to bring with them.
We’ve seen such smoke, a half a mile from our home. Fortunately the wind was not in our direction, and a great many awesome firefighters ended its fury. We had to consider how to move our cattle, gather dogs, wonder about chickens – and that’s just living things, not the objects we had collected over the years, the ‘stuff’ that makes up our lives.
Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both. (Genesis 31:37 KJV)
Rachel took some stuff from her father when Jacob fled with his family. She must have felt it was worth it to take them, then sit upon them to hide her theft.
Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. (Genesis 45:20 KJV)
Joseph told his brothers not to be concerned about their own stuff – he had enough in Egypt to take care of all of them.
For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much. (Exodus 36:7 KJV)
Moses found out it was possible to have too much stuff!
Look around – what stuff do we need? What stuff do we want – and why? Is the stuff important to us, or to our children? Why have we accumulated this stuff? Where will it eventually go? Why do we need it now?
What would we take in case of fire? Why would we choose that? Because it would be expensive to replace? Because of the memories it invokes?
Christ speaks of a day when we need to abandon our stuff:
In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. (Luke 17:31 KJV)
Do we have the wrong stuff?
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. (Joshua 7:11 KJV)
Let’s take inventory of our stuff. Appreciate that which we’ve accumulated, but determine if we’ve taken of the accursed thing and put them among our own stuff. Let’s clear them out and determine what stuff is worth rescuing.
The author of this Newsweek article sees things a bit as I do. I thoroughly enjoy our church worship services. Sunday mornings children fourth grade and below join us for the first part of the service, then go to a Children’s Service of their own. While some may their attention span to wonder, for the most part they follow the service with singing (song books open) and bowing their heads in prayer.
Almost unbelievably, and I know you’ll doubt this, I’ve seen teenagers that may express dislike for the rules and regulations still embrace them and continue comfortably within the congregation. Just these last few years we’ve had a large percentage of our young people not only go off to college, the majority of them headed for Bible college or seminary. It is a blessing to see them at work in their Father’s business.
Jesus not only said: And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. (Mark 10:13-14)
He continued: Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. (Mark 10:15)
Matthew tells a bit more about this encounter: But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:6)
That one should be of concern to us all as we answer a child’s questions about God. If drowning with a millstone about one’s neck is better, I do not wish to discover the worst!
Thus I will speak of God to a child. Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation. (Joel 1:3)
I will tell children of the greatest commandments: Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40)
Get these two right, the rest will come. The Bible tells me so.
In court documents she’s called “Amanda.” Perhaps that’s what caught my eye – my granddaughter’s name.
In this Fox News article we find the court documents quoted:
"[E]ducation is by its nature an exploration and examination of new things," the court order read. "[A] child requires academic, social, cultural, and physical interaction with a variety of experiences, people, concepts, and surroundings in order to grow to an adult who can make intelligent decisions about how to achieve a productive and satisfying life."
Our Amanda was certainly exposed to a variety of experiences at public school – including but not limited to overcrowded classrooms, immodest clothing, drug use and teenage pregnancy. Her parents’ answer to high school problems was a nearby Christian school. Which, according to the above court quotes, would not have provided a productive and satisfying life any more than home schooling.
Our Amanda’s graduating class consisted of one Christian girl. Not too different from any home schooled student. Perhaps she would have been different had she remained in public schools. However, now being the wife of a church Youth Minister and the mother of another beautiful girl would appear to be quite productive and satisfying. It certainly is for parents, grandparents and great-grandparents!
The initial error in the court case would appear that two people could not agree. I would remind young people that marriage is a life-long decision. Marriage is designed to last. When it doesn’t, there are consequences. It is best, then, to seriously consider a couple of verses:
Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3 KJV)
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14 KJV)
Had the other Amanda’s parents adhered to these two verses, there would be no court case.
This is what -- and why -- we teach:
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 KJV)
As this was confirmed much later, so do we teach it today:
But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: … These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Titus 2:1,15 KJV)
In many countries, that cannot be done. In America, should we not have the freedom to do so?
But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison. (Genesis 39:21 KJV)
Showed him mercy? If I were Joseph, I would have wondered aloud about this particular verse: First of all, my father would have loved me best, showing his favor with a most beautiful coat of many colors. I would have been given dreams from God that promised me honor among my brothers. Sure, I would have been a bit arrogant about it – who wouldn’t. I was chosen for great things.
Look where that got him. A pit in Dothan and a prison in Egypt. Joseph’s abilities couldn’t be hidden, though. Sold to Potiphar, he quickly organized the household, gained great favor and garnered the attention of a scheming woman.
Prison would have been just as bad as the pit his brothers used. No rich coats, no honor just the interpretation of dreams from his previous life. Through it all Joseph still had the Lord with him.
Would we?
If we lost our family, would we keep the Lord with us? If our family turned against us, would we keep the Lord with us? If we were wrongly convicted? If there were injustice, guilt, fear, would we keep the Lord with us.
Were the truth to be told, most of us would not.
Instead, we rail against God and become angry. We compare our loss to Christ and cry out My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46b KJV)
In some cases, to achieve our own desires, we declare God non-existent and leave his mercies behind. In others, to ease our own pain, we declare Him uncaring and reject Him.
In still other cases, we still love and serve Him knowing full well … that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 KJV)
Without that belief, we might be Paul’s example of those who turn their backs on God’s mercy:
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (Romans 9:20 KJV)
We would do much better to follow Joseph’s example of excelling where he found himself. Where do we get the faith to do this?
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)
