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Christianity Today, May, 2009 |

Throwing Inkwells

In Over His Pay Grade

When science is made 'apolitical' and 'unencumbered by religion,' it's usually to hyper-politicize and hyper-sacralize it.

Mollie Ziegler Hemingway | posted 3/23/2009 10:49AM

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Most religious adherents see religion and reason as complementary responses to the unknown. But many scientists want to push the former out of the picture entirely. Materialist scientists studying the evolution of religion say belief is an outgrowth of brain architecture that evolved either by evolutionary adaptation or neurological accident. Some brain chemists track imbalances that they say could account for the "ecstatic state" of Jesus, whatever that means. Evolutionary anthropologists claim that simple computer programs explain how religion evolved. Neuroscientists say that love is nothing more than a series of neurochemical events in specific brain areas.

As interesting as it is to watch some scientists attempt to explain away religion, it sure looks like many scientists are going out of their way to discredit those who would impose moral boundaries on their work.

Despite what Obama has said, whether to destroy human embryos for research isn't a scientific question—it's a moral question about how to treat nascent human life. It seems the current embryonic stem-cell policy is what happens when questions about when human life begins are above the President's pay grade.

Related Elsewhere:

Christianity Today has more coverage of embryonic stem-cell research. CT also covers political developments on its politics blog.

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May 2009, Vol. 53, No. 5

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I am Human

Posted: April 02, 2009 8:52 PM

Here's the deal. The question is simply: What does it mean to be human? As Christians, the starting place is the "imago dei" or that we are created in the image of God. And if we ask what this means, you could get any number of responses. We are creative. We are self-reflective. We can imagine the future. We can disobey our instincts. We can love. And whatever we conclude, we then have to ask: What if we have lost (or not yet developed) those capacities...Is it still meaningful to call us human? When does humanity begin, and when does it end? Does a vegetative mind in a beating heart constitute humanity? Should an embryo be considered "imago dei". If not, then all this is much ado about nothing. If so, then we need a better answer to the first question. You can read my answer here: duodigest.blogspot.com

Jorge

Posted: March 31, 2009 5:06 PM

The article is right in its description of true scientific, ideological and moral views. As somebody involved in the scientific-technological sector, I regret the growing influence of ideology and personal dogmas in representatives of scientific corporations, as well as in politicians. And right to life of human beings is a basic, far reaching issue. There is a sinergy between different human rights violations. It is contradictory to dismiss this serious issue because there are other serious issues.

Dena	Posted: March 30, 2009 6:32 PM


Sounds like Barack and Bill need to re-take high school biology- man, this is pretty stupid and dangerous. Let's praythat these dudes get a clue before they goof something else up. they wouldn't know the truth if it bit them on the nose! hey guys, go to www.embryonicstemcellresearch/ maybe these guys will figure it out after two or three li nes includin g the DEFINITION OF EMBRYONIC!

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