THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

Wayne D. Leeper

 

“If the sanctity of life is not preserved and  protected at every

level, it will not be preserved and protected at any

   This is a fact which cannot be denied.  It has already been proven in this nation since the Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion.

   In 1973 the right of a woman to have an abortion on demand became the law of the land in the United States.  The result of that law was to deny a human fetus it’s “Right to Life” as proclaimed by our Declaration of Independence and protected by the fourteenth amendment to our Constitution.  Since the legalization of abortion some forty-three million fetus have been destroyed.  This was followed by a calls for the legalization of doctor assisted suicides as well as euthanasia.  Several states are considering these request at the present time.

   Now comes another request from a majority of our Senators.  The request that the President authorize federal funds to be used for financing embryonic stem cell research.  Pandora’s box has been opened by legalizing abortion and we are seeing the natural progression of that line of thinking.

   This is put forth as a noble request that he reconsider his stand against federal funding for research which is hailed by many as having the potential to cure many human diseases.  The ability for stem cell research to accomplish these cures is yet to be proven but if it can in fact cure these diseases there is still a question which must be addressed.  Should our government legalize the taking of the life of one individual in order to improve the life of another? 

   In the interest of disclosure there are a couple of facts  I need to make known.  One is that I own shares of stock in a company that would be involved in stem cell research if federal funding were made available.  Today alone, as a result of the letter to the President, my stock went up over 18%.  If the request is approved the value of my stock could increase by as much as ten-fold.  That would amount to a considerable financial windfall for my wife and I.

   Second is the fact that for ten years my wife and I were the primary care providers for my mother as she progressed through the various stages of Alzheimer's disease.  Therefore, I can certainly empathize with any family dealing with this dreaded disease.

   That said, let us now return to the basic question.  Should it be legal in the United States for the life of one individual to be taken in order to improve the life of another individual?  If you believe the answer to that question is yes, and you are intellectually honest, you must deal with several other issues.

   First, is the embryo a human being in its earliest stage of development?  The very fact that these embryos are being developed in order that an infertile couple may have a child is proof positive that the embryo is indeed a living human in its earliest stage of development.  Therefore, its destruction is undeniably the taking of a human life.  For that reason alone all stem cell research should be illegal whether financed by the government or not.  If it is not outlawed consider the natural progression of that line of thought.

   There are many babies born with Down’s syndrome, mentally retarded, or physically handicapped.  These babies represent a drain on the emotions and finances of their families.  Therefore, there should be a law making it legal for these babies to be put to death and their healthy parts used to improve the lives of other babies.  If not, why not?

   Our cities are littered with derelicts, drug addicts, and alcoholics who are of no use to themselves or society.  We could certainly improve our streets and cities by rounding up these people, put them to death and transplant their usable body parts to improve the lives of other “deserving” persons.  If not, why not?

   We spend millions, if not billions, annually on individuals serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. We could save all this money plus improve the lives of many others by killing these people and transplanting their body parts into others.  If not, why not?

   There are numerous handicapped people who require special accommodations, such as wheel chair ramps and various other special facilities all of which add to the cost of doing business.  We could eliminate these also and use their body parts for prolonging and improving the lives of otherwise normal people.  If not, why not?

   We could install death camps similar to the ones in Germany under Hitler to eliminate any undesirable races and use these individuals for medical research or organ transplants.  If not, why not?

   Every person who has ever existed upon this earth with the exception of Adam and Eve started life as an embryo.  Who knows which of the greatest minds in the history of the world might have been destroyed if embryonic stem cell research had begun in the Garden of Eden.

   One final question for the fifty-eight Senators who signed that letter.  Which of you would vote yes if you were the embryo, the imperfect child, the derelict, or of the undesirable race to be destroyed for the benefit of someone else?  I repeat:

“If the sanctity of life is not preserved and  protected at every

level, it will not be preserved and protected at any level.

   Thank God that we have a President who has refused to open that Pandora’s box of horror.  We need to give him the support and prayers that he needs.

   May God bless him and may God bless the United States of America.