LFACC - On embryonic stem cell research

This post will deal with the issue of embryonic stem cell research in Douglas Wilson's Letter from a Christian Citizen [page 30 - 36]

Here is a blatant hypocrisy: embryonic stem cell research uses the "excess" stem cell which will be discarded. Wilson is willing to let the stem cell "die" naturally, but not to be used to contribute to research into human illness.

Do we have souls?

To answer this question, we must look at the evidence. First, at the beginning years when we were born, can we think? Can we articulate what is happening around us? To test this, I call it the threshold of self-realisation. Ask yourself, what is the earliest moment in your life you can recall. Now, think about all those "experiences" you have BEFORE that threshold of self-realisation. Your brain was still developing. But some time before that threshold, your brain has not developed enough to build a "memory". Your soul did not exist until you started to be able to think, right?

Second, has anyone been able to communicate with the death? All human is immortal, so far. If every human has a soul, there would have over 7 billion souls. If soul exists, no doubt some of these souls would have made communication.

Atheist, like most moral being, treasures life. When faced with a difficult choice, I base my choice on morality which has developed via compassion and empathy. I denounce sport fishing. I eat fish. But, catching a fish, with sharp hook and then releasing it is a cruel sport. If I catch a fish, I will kill it and eat it. That's part of the cycle of life.

I do not condone teen girls abortion after they have *fun* knowing that they should have chosen to use suitable protection. But in the case of rape or other medical reason, abortion is a choice and I support it. Similarly, producing human embryonic cell for research is objectionable. However, I don't see any problem with using "excess" embryonic stem cells from IVF procedures.

Wilson attacked Harris argument's structure. It seems to me Wilson has avoided answering the questions at the core of the argument.