I have tried. But I simply cannot understand the religious opposition to stem cell research.  

How can concern for a 5-day-old clump of unfeeling cells outweigh compassion for the suffering of living children and adults, or deny cures to paraplegic veterans?  

Here we have what might well be the medical discovery of the ages-—the knowledge that early cells can morph into any cell of the human body. That one cell can become whatever is needed for the body to survive. How can anyone not want to pursue this to its full potential? Luckily, President Obama does want to!  

The problem may be that many people simply don’t understand the full promise of this research, giving opponents the opportunity to frame the debate. They talk about the horror of human cloning. That, however, is “reproductive cloning,” something opposed by all legitimate researchers, and controllable by law.  

“Therapeutic cloning” is different. It simply involves transplanting a patient’s DNA into an unfertilized egg in order to grow stem cells that could cure a devastating disease that patient may have. This is called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Many of the most debilitating diseases and conditions are caused by damage to cells and tissue so SCNT could be used to replace those damaged parts and allow organs to function again.  

In this procedure, cells are transferred after five days—-long before the 14 days when they would become actual embryos that would be suitable for implantation in a human womb. With this research, there is no fertilization of the egg by sperm, no implantation in the uterus and therefore no pregnancy.  

Here’s how it works -- an unfertilized, donated egg has its nucleus removed, leaving it with no genetic blueprint (DNA) of its own. Scientists then obtain the patient’s DNA, say from a skin cell’s nucleus, and insert that into the egg making the egg capable of producing cells genetically identical to the patient's. Next, the scientists apply chemicals or electricity to make the cells divide, after which they are harvested, at about five days, when between 60 and 200 stem cells have formed. These are “pluripotent” cells that have the capacity to develop into any cell type the human body needs. These can be insulin-producing cells for diabetics, cells bearing mucous-clearing properties for cystic fibrosis patients, healthy nerve cells for the brains of Parkinson's patients or the spinal cords of paralyzed people, and much more. And since they contain the patient’s DNA, they won’t be rejected by the immune system, meaning that the patient will not have to be on anti-rejection drugs for the remainder of his life. Stem cell lines can also be used to test new drugs.  

“Adult stem cell research” has shown promise in some areas, but our nation’s top scientists, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Academy of Sciences all agree that embryonic stem cells have the greatest potential since they are “pluripotent” and can be grown in a lab indefinitely.  

It is shameful that self-serving religious leaders were able to convince a vote-hungry president to back their cause and ban this potentially life-saving research for eight long years. What will future generations say when they realize that “religion”-—of all things—-prolonged needless suffering?  

I believe they will call it a “sin” against humanity.