Christian newswire: HEADS EXPLODING over Frist/stem cell "flip-flop"

[Bluebear]

http://www.earnedmedia.org/cdc0729.htm

Frist Can No Longer Consider Himself Pro-Life & Vote to Expand Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research says Christian Defense Coalition
"Senator First should not expect support and endorsement from the pro-life community if he votes for embryonic research funding." --Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney

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WASHINGTON, July 29 /Christian Wire Service/ -- The National Clergy Council, that has consistently supported Senator Bill Frist, today strongly denounced him for his announced support of embryonic stem cell research.

The Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), National Clergy Council President, issued this statement on behalf of the Council's executive committee representing church leaders of Catholic, Evangelical, Orthodox and Protestant traditions
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WASHINGTON, July 29 /Christian Wire Service/ -- The 17,000 member Christian Medical Association, headquartered in Tennessee, today lamented Sen. Bill Frist's (R-Tenn.) decision to pursue legislation and policies that would allow further destruction of human embryos in research to extract their stem cells.

"We deeply regret Sen. Frist's endorsement of an embryonic stem cell research policy that would turn living human beings into commodities for exploitation," said CMA Executive Director David Stevens, M.D. "We have appreciated the senator's thoughtful and principled stances on life issues in the past and are extremely disappointed to see what we consider a crucial moral lapse on this critical issue."

"As physicians, we understand the pressure to seek treatments from all possible sources, but we must remain committed to insuring that life-honoring ethics guide our decisions. Treating living human embryos as mere fodder for experimentation crosses a vital ethical line and contravenes the sanctity of human life.

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HARRISBURG, Pa., July 29 /Christian Wire Service/ -- The Catholic bishops of Pennsylvania today released a joint statement, Questions and Answers on Stem Cell Research. The document is intended to serve as an educational tool for clarifying the Church's teaching on the issue and explaining why embryonic stem cell research is morally unacceptable.
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WASHINGTON, July 29 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Numerous national pro-life leaders in Washington will assemble for a news conference at 3:00 PM today to address Sen. Bill Frist's break with the White House and the pro-life movement on embryonic stem cell research.

News Conference Details---

When: Friday, July 29, 3 PM

Where: In front of Senator Frist's office, at the entrance to the Hart Senate Office Building, on Constitution Avenue, near 2nd Street, in Washington, DC
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WASHINGTON, July 29 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Concerned Women for America (CWA) expressed disappointment in Majority Leader William Frist's (R-Tennessee) recent decision to go public with his support of embryonic stem-cell research (ESCR). While he had previously claimed to support the President's policy, today Sen. Frist flip-flopped on federal funding of ESCR. He spoke at length on the Senate floor this morning about his concerns with the current policy that restricts the federal funding of ESCR, a failed science that is structured around the destruction of human life.

"It is mystery to us how the senator could claim that he believes life begins at conception and then immediately contradict that statement by adding, 'I also believe embryonic stem-cell research should be encouraged and supported.' It certainly gives one pause in trusting his commitment to the sanctity of life," said Lanier Swann, CWA's director of government relations.

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WASHINGTON, July 29 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Former Presidential candidate Gary L. Bauer expressed "deep disappointment" on Friday over the news that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist would be supporting additional public monies to be spent on the kind of human experimentation known as embryonic stem cell research.

Bauer, the president of American Values, made the following statement: "I am saddened by the news that Senator Frist has abandoned the President by supporting embryonic stem cell research. The senator seems to have bought into the notion that some life can be sacrificed without its consent to benefit other life, and that is a slippery slope with deadly consequences, as history has shown repeatedly. His position is made all the more unfathomable given the actual disease-fighting victories already won in adult and umbilical stem cell research, while embryonic stem cell research has been ineffective. The moral choice here favors the research that is opening up new doors for many. I hope that the Senator will consider putting his support behind the kinds of stem cell research that offers life-giving potential without taking a life in the process."

[Richardo]

1. Rock, meet Hard Place. Delicious.

:popcorn:

[ulysses]

16. the immovable object meets the irresistable force.

:D

[LeftNYC]

2. "Craaack"...Who knew Frist had a conscience?

I love seeing these groups up in arms...

[Not Me]

5. Frist doesn't have a conscience...he must have found a way

for the family business to profit from stem cell work.

[Voltaire99]

11. Fear of the rest of the world outpacing the US in these technologies...

...trumps his fear of Da Lawd, not to mention Da Lawd's attack dogs.

[converted_democrat]

34. bingo!! n/t

[Bouncy Ball]

19. I don't believe for one second he said this out of the

goodness of his heart. There isn't any. This was something he thought would be politically expedient. You can bet he's throwing his hat in for 2008.

[charlie]

26. Oddly

This might actually be borne of conviction. It's a flip-flop-flip, a return to his position before he became the Senate poobah. Years ago, he gave floor speeches trying to convince Republicans to support stem cell funding.

[NAO]

47. Not necessarily a conscience, but scientific trainining.

Science trumps religious superstition.

The Freethought Zone
Science and Reason Over Religion and Superstition
http://freethought.freeservers.com /

Freedom from Religion Foundation
http://www.ffrf.org /

Secular Humanism
http://www.secularhumanism.org /

Secular Web
http://www.infidels.org/index.shtml

Thomas Paine's The Age of Reason - Online
http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/thomas_paine/age_of_reason/index.shtml

Complete Works of Robert Ingersoll - Online
http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/index.shtml

[mike_c]

3. perhaps Frist has realized that alliance with the fundy right...

...is like sleeping with cobras. On the other hand, his big pharma masters might simply have told him to "heel, boy."

[MichiganVote]

4. Heh,heh,heh,heh....how does it feel Christians to be sold out by corp.?

[Chipper Chat]

6. All the christian ostriches are yanking their heads from the sand

to spit barbs at Bill Frist. I'm crying crockashitdile tears.

[fudge stripe cookays]

7. HOOO-rah!

My central nervous system and all its assorted quirks and lesions just yelped with joy!

FSC

[Richardo]

29. Right on, fsc

:pals:

[fudge stripe cookays]

45. Hee!

:pals:

FSC

[RobertSeattle]

8. Can exploding heads be repaired with Stem Cells?

:evilgrin:

[GreenPartyVoter]

44. Ohh evil! *lol*

[proud patriot]

9. Fun Fun Fun

Hopefully these religious organizations will realize
republicans are using the gullibility of the faithful
for political purposes .

[Clark2008]

10. As one of Frist's constituents, I can honestly say that this is the

first time in nearly 12 years that I have agreed with Bill :scared: Frist.

I think this whole issue of his flip-flop is fucking hilarious.

[Bouncy Ball]

12. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

The sound of exploding heads!!!!

Good going, Cat-Killer Frist.

[Shakespeare]

35. That was precisely my reaction when I saw that on the news this morning.

Sitting on the couch trying to wake up, watching the headlines--"Frist supports removing stem cell restrictions."

I didn't think "why." I didn't go "oh, good." I just started laughing my ass off, because I knew what the freeper reaction would be.

[Ian David]

13. Is Frist going to say, "They're not babies. They're not a life!"

"After reviewing a videotape of stem cells for about an hour I can tell you that those cells are not alive."

I'm telling you... either:

1) Frist has Parkinson's Disease
2) Some big pharmaceutical company paid him off
3) Frist wants to clone Terry Schiavo and re-insert her feeding tube

[madrchsod]

14. big deal---they will whine and cry

about how awful it is. never fear, they will be back for another good fucking by the republicans...

[wtmusic]

15. As an MD, Frist would have to be schizo not to support it

Science again takes a toll on religious fundamentalism

[gatorboy]

22. If a diagnosis is made on Frist

they will find that he probably has a case of the 2008 Presidentialitis.

[Ian David]

17. POSE AS FUNDIES AND WRITE ANGRY PRO-LIFE EDITORIALS!!!

Just a thought.

[DinahMoeHum]

18. Heh heh, back off, folks, let them tear each other to pieces on this one.

And pass me the popcorn.

:popcorn:

[Bouncy Ball]

20. Got any Kettle Corn?

I love me some Kettle Corn, especially while watching fundie heads explode!

[Midnight Rambler]

21. Well, so much for his presidential ambitions

Without the fundie right, he can pretty much kiss the White House goodbye.

[yellerpup]

23. Better them than me for a change.

Let those empty crania explode! :grr:

[Pacifist Patriot]

24. I knew there was a reason I had to come to DU today.

Yesterday depressed the hell out of me, but I knew if I gave it another chance I'd find a reason for hope. Thank you Flip Flop Fristian.

[Bouncy Ball]

31. Hee hee.

Flip Flop Fristian, I love it.

[Pacifist Patriot]

32. How about Flip Flop Fundie Fristian.

I can't give the man enough F's. Oh wait. Here's another one. FU Frist!

[gratuitous]

25. So, are the Fundy Nutjobs going to abandon the GOP?

Highly unlikely. They'll vote GOP no matter how many "Rubicon" issues they get crossed on.

Though it might be useful about now to remind the nutjobs (remember their votes count for a candidate even if they're holding their noses) that Democrats are far more fiscally responsible than the GOP, which is running up heueueueueuege deficits right now, and what do we have to show for all this borrowing and spending?

[TWiley]

27. Fortunately, we will have the necessary stem cells

to repair all those exploded christian heads. oh wait a minute, they believe in faith healing, not science.

[Just Me]

28. So, are they starting to get that they, too, are being exploited?

When are the going to get pissed about the pathological liars and criminals in the executive who have spend our blood and funneled our wealth into their friggin' pockets?

Wake up to Corporate America!!!!

[Pithlet]

30. I love it

when politicans who pander to scum get what they deserve.

[obxhead]

33. Is this the next ploy to drag the MSM

away from Rove? Thats my guess.

[HockeyMom]

36. They THINK there would be 400,000 BABIES born from these

1. They will never become babies sitting a petri dish or a freezer.

2. 400,000 couples of these embryos are WILLING to give them up for "adoption" to somebody else to implant in their wombs and then raise them?

3. 400,000 pre embryos will NOT EQUAL 400,000 babies. It does not happen with naturally fertilized eggs, yet they think it will with IVF?

I simply cannot believe these people. They not only don't understand science, they have no clue about human nature either.

[Bluebear]

37. "Stem cell research stops a beating heart!!"

That's my favorite observed post on this subject. (From another board, of course!)

[Bouncy Ball]

42. Yep, in fact the success rate of becoming a baby

from a frozen blastocyst is probably lower than from the regular way. Depends upon the quality of the blastocyst. The three my friends still have stored are of low quality (that's why they weren't picked to be implanted) and probably would not ever make it, even if transferred to a readied uterus.

[MN ChimpH8R]

38. Fweeperland must be going up in flames

about this. :popcorn:

[AtomicKitten]

39. Ha, Ha, Ha

Actually I think Frist is gearing up for a run at the top job. That guy gives me the creeps. But he's at least smart enough to know the majority wants science to prevail. Love the split, though.

[lonestarnot]

40. Hehehehehehe! Yeah this should be good!

:popcorn:

[annabanana]

41. so.. why are they so upset? Don't they know...

It's just business, you know...

Did anyone here have any doubt he'd sell them out? The only question here was When? and For how much?

[DeaconBlues]

43. if Frist is now for stem cell research

when the Hell is he going to allow a vote in the Senate?! Its already passed in the more conservative House, so I am sure it will pass in the Senate. Then on to Bush, who, if he veto's it, will damage his approval ratings even more (hello, approval in the thirties range)....

I think that the only reason Frist has changed his position is to repair his image after the Shiavo fiasco.

[kweerwolf]

46. Does the Bible forbid cannibalism?

'Cause it sure looks like the fun-D'uh-MENTAL-ists are eating their own!

[Clark2008]

48. Point of fact: They're only 17,000 and get a write up?

We're 70,000 and we're nut cases?

Makes no fucking sense!