From the days of Galileo, to the modern age, there has been religious opposition to crucial developments in the field science. Now we're not saying that all religious people in today's world oppose science. That is certainly not the case. But there is a rather dangerous and vocal minority that opposes crucial advancements in the medical field. Medical progress is threatened today by prominent religious voices that speak out against important developments such as stem cell research and the development and implementation of vaccines. Read our information below.
THE CONSERVATIVE CAMPAIGN AGAINST STEM CELL RESEARCH
Embryonic stem cell research, which uses special cells found in three- to five-day-old human embryos to seek cures for a host of chronic diseases, has sparked a major moral and political debate in the United States. In the ten years since scientists at the University of Wisconsin announced that they had harvested potentially life-saving cells from surplus embryos donated by fertility clinics, the ethical dilemma presented by the studies has unleashed activists on both sides of the issue.
For many people, stem cell research offers the hope for cures for chronic and debilitating conditions, such as juvenile diabetes, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injuries and blindness. For scientists it represents the chance to discover the causes and cures for a variety of illnesses. Embryonic stem cells are special in the sense that they are "pluripotent." In other words, they have the ability to develop into any of the 220 types of cells in the human body. In addition to this versatility, embryonic stem cells are easier to grow in a laboratory than adult stem cells. (See The Science Behind Stem Cell Research.)
Many opponents, including religious leaders, have raised ethical questions about this activity. They claim that there are alternative ways to do this research. (See The Case Against Embryonic Stem Cell Research: An Interview with Yuval Levin.) However, proponents for the research have argued that there is no real substitute for the embryonic stem cells. (see The Case For Embryonic Stem Cell Research: An Interview with Jonathan Moreno).
Different religious groups hold different opinions on this research. (See Religious Groups’ Official Positions on Stem Cell Research.) For the Catholic Church (as well as some other Christian groups) life begins at conception, making stem cell research equivalent to homicide in their eyes. “Human embryos obtained in vitro are human beings and are subjects with rights; their dignity and right to life must be respected from the first moment of their existence,” the late Pope John Paul II wrote in his 1995 encyclical, The Gospel of Life. Some other religious groups have not taken an official position. And some Jewish and more liberal leaning Christian groups have actually vocalized support for the research.
While it is a slim majority of Americans that support stem cell research, the scary fact is that this support has been on the decline. (See Declining Majority of Americans Favor Embryonic Stem Cell Research.)
These beliefs do effect federal policy. For instance, in George Bush's time as President, he vetoed funding for stem cell research. In fact, it was the very first bill to receive his veto. (The Washington Post). However, Barack Obama, in his time as a Senator, voted for funding for the research. (Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005). Ironically, conservative icon Nancy Reagan has actually worked to promote advocacy for stem cell research. This is probably because she herself had to watch her husband (former president Ronald Reagan) succumb to the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s disease.
Currently there is no federal law in the United States banning stem cell research, but only restrictions on funding and use on the Congress's power to spend. In 2009, President Barack Obama removed certain restrictions on the federal funding of stem cell research by executive order. The latest action was in 2011, when the United States Supreme Court threw out a lawsuit that challenged the use of federal funds for embryonic stem cell research. (ABC News).
However, the religious opposition to this important research does put it at risk. It is important to be aware of these risks.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RELIGION, POLITICS AND STEM CELL RESEARCH
Stem Cell Research at the Crossroads of Religion and Politics (Pew Forum, 2008)
RELIGIOUS OPPOSITION TO VACCINES
Thanks to vaccines, many Americans will never have to suffer the plight of polio, measles, rotavirus, whooping cough, mumps, and typhoid. However, there are a few people who are beginning to speak out against vaccines for religious reasons. Thankfully, these voices are a minority. Yet given the fact that heard immunity is the best way to prevent old diseases from making a come back, the refusal of one parent to vaccinate their own child, can result in the deaths of many others.
Some of this resistance has come from the false claim that vaccines cause autism. However, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention this is a totally fallacious claim backed by zero scientific evidence. (CDC)
Yet the scientific reality hasn't stopped people from using religious reasons to skip vaccinating their children. Some conservative U.S. Christian groups oppose mandatory vaccination for diseases associated with sexual contact, arguing that these vaccines will encourage sexual activity. For example, the Family Research Council opposes mandatory use of vaccines against the human papillomavirus, writing, "Our primary concern is with the message that would be delivered to 9- to 12-year-olds with the administration of the vaccines. Care must be taken not to communicate that such an intervention makes all sex 'safe'." ("Moral majority take on GSK and Merck over cancer drugs") ("Pro-family, pro-vaccine—but keep it voluntary").
What is also alarming is that most states in the United states, with the exception of California, Mississippi and West Virginia, allow parents to opt out of their children's mandatory vaccines for religious reasons. ("National Vaccine Information Center"). The number of religious exemptions rose greatly in the late 1990s and early 2000s; for example, in Massachusetts, the rate of those seeking exemptions rose from 0.24% in 1996 to 0.60% in 2006.
So while it is a religious minority right now that is speaking out against this vital practice, it is a minority that is growing nevertheless. This is certainly a threat to public health and safety that must be monitored and discussed.
RELATED ARTICLES
Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism (CDC)
The GOP’s dangerous ‘debate’ on vaccines and autism (The Washington Post, 9-17-15)
Straight Talk about Vaccination (Scientific American, 9-1-11)