The Pope on Euthanasia

First off, let me apologize for not posting for almost two weeks. I have discovered that trying to keep up with lesson plans and all of my writing projects isn't going as smoothly as I would have hoped. I hope to fix this problem soon.

Pope Benedict today spoke about the need to allow for a natural death. Euthanasia has been a huge issue in Europe and his comments were in direct rebuttal of the trend. MSNBC reports:

In his homily, the pope said the ill should pray to find "the grace to accept, without fear or bitterness, to leave this world at the hour chosen by God." The Vatican vehemently maintains that life must continue to its natural end.

Praying that his words provide encouragement for those suffering in their last days.

RU-486, McCain and Embryos, Pope Benedict on Embryos and Cloning

Today is a busy day.

First up, RU-486, the abortion drug manufactured by a Chinese pharmaceutical company. The manufacturer also makes cancer drugs for leukemia patients in China. Yesterday, the New York Times reported that the plant that makes the cancer drugs, only about a mile or so away from the plant that manufactures RU-486, has been producing tainted drugs. Hundreds of cancer patients have been paralyzed as a result.

You can read the story in the New York Times here.

For several years, I served as one of two National Right to Life spokespersons on this issue. I was at the FDA hearing that approved the drug. I talked and worked with Randall K. O'Bannon, Ph.D. who is the director of education and research at NRLC and an expert on RU-486. What we know about the approval process and the manufacturer makes me less and less inclined to trust the FDA on just about everything else they say. And normally I am a very trusting person.

On John McCain: Pro-lifers and social conservatives appreciate his votes on pro-life issues in many areas. However, one of his big trouble spots has been embryo-destroying stem cell research. According to an interview conducted by LifeNews.com, pro-life Senator Sam Brownback (R-Ks) said that he has been lobbying Senator McCain and his campaign on this very issue hoping to help them understand the importance of the issue and why pro-lifers are so vehement in our opposition to embryo-destroying stem cell research. At a Florida campaign stop, Mr. McCain more fully explained his position on the research as well as how he arrived at his position. However, it is still not in line with pro-lifers. It is my hope that he and his campaign continue to speak with Senator Brownback and come to understand more fully why this is such an important issue. I hope Senator McCain's position on the issue evolves.

Last, but certainly by no means least, Pope Benedict used strong words to decry the destruction of human embryos for research purposes as well as the use of cloning to make new life. Pope Benedict spoke before the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The Pope called for a ban on human cloning.

Pope Benedict added,

"When human beings in the weakest and most defenseless stage of their existence are selected, abandoned, killed or used as pure 'biological matter', how can it be denied that they are no longer being treated as 'someone' but as 'something', thus placing the very concept of human dignity in doubt?"

Amen.