Stem-Cell debate gains momentum

God has given us the knowledge to do something great. But with all

things great comes an amazing responsibility. We cannot destroy life, I
understand that debate and I agree with it, but this amendment and
other stem-cell research does not destroy life. It holds the potential
to helps those that are alive but sadly suffering from a disease or
ailment that we can cure if we put our minds, and our votes towards it.

In light of the Michael J. Fox ad for Missouri Senate Candidate
Claire McCaskill the Stem-Cell Research debate is gaining momentum.
Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh attacked Fox saying that he
is either acting or off his medication.
But if you know anything about Parkison’s disease, you would know that
it does not cause the victim to shake or move uncontrollably, instead
it causes the victim to get stiff and thus unable to move.

The latest is another ad this time coming from celebrities like
Particia Heaton (of Everybody Loves Raymond), Kurt Warner (former Super Bowl MVP for the St. Louis Rams), Jeff Suppan (St. Louis Cardinals pitcher) and the guy that played Jesus
Christ in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, Jim Caviezel. In the
first part of the ad Caviezel recites his Aramiac that he learned for the movie.

Actor Jim Caviezel opens the political ad with a brief
statement in Aramaic, the common tongue of biblical-era Palestine and
the language of Mel Gibson’s blockbuster movie, saying: “Le-bar nash
be-neshak.”
Bill Fulco, the Loyola Marymount professor who translated Mr. Gibson’s
script for “Passion” and coached the actors on the ancient language,
told The Washington Times yesterday the phrase means: “You betray the
Son of Man with a kiss,” a reference to Judas’ betraying Christ and a
phrase used in the Greek of Luke’s Gospel.
Cathy Cleaver Ruse, a spokeswoman for Missourians Against Human
Cloning, which produced the ad, said the group had Mr. Caviezel say the
Aramaic phrase in a contemporary setting but without subtitles “to make
the ad a little more intriguing.”
When presented with Mr. Fulco’s translation, which was confirmed by
several other Aramaic scholars, the group agreed to release the exact
translation exclusively to The Times.
“It means ‘You betray me with a kiss,’ which means Amendment Two is a
betrayal because it is deceptive,” Ms. Ruse said. “It promises one
thing and delivers another.”
Tom Schreiner, a professor of New Testament interpretation at the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said yesterday Mr. Caviezel is
implying the amendment may seem “loving and kind” to its supporters,
but when read closely, it is “actually a betrayal.”
Nathan Jastram, a biblical scholar from Concordia University in
Wisconsin, agreed, saying it implies “murder is being planned under the
guise of compassion.”

This is a nice little disguise by Caviezel and the group that paid
for the ad, Missourians Against Human Cloning, but the amendment does
not betray human life, in fact it bans human cloning but permits
embryonic cloning for research that has the potential to save lives and
alter the affects of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s disease and even
paraplegia.

God has given us the knowledge to do something great. But with all
things great comes an amazing responsibility. We cannot destroy life, I
understand that debate and I agree with it, but this amendment and
other stem-cell research does not destroy life. It holds the potential
to helps those that are alive but sadly suffering from a disease or
ailment that we can cure if we put our minds, and our votes towards it.