Stem Cells, Logic, and More

1. Some early reaction to the expected approval of expanded federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. Fr. Tad, one of our leading bioethicists, argues that it's "discrimination" against an entire class of human beings. This is the Lincoln argument -- going back to the roots of our society, the bedrock of our nation is the understanding that all are created equal, that these rights inhere in every individual human person, and that they cannot be stripped from us by any government.

2. Following this trend and using secular, non-religious arguments in the public square is Hadley Arkes, who invokes Aristotle's call for prudence in approaching FOCA. I know that the President had to read Aristotle to graduate from Columbia -- maybe it's still there in the recesses of memory (if Harvard Law School didn't erase it).

3. Whew. We can all rest comfortably now. The Times has finally exercised its Extraordinary Universal Magisterium to instruct the Holy Father on how to pope. Apparently, his latest "missteps… have still demonstrated to many parishioners that his concerns are far removed from theirs". I guess most parishioners aren't concerned with developing the loving intimate relationship with Christ in communion with His Church, which, if I recall, is pretty much the Holy Father's central concern.

4. Meanwhile, over in Lambeth Palace, the poor Archbishop of Canterbury is patiently waiting for history to catch up to his enlightened views on the true meaning of scripture (i.e., it's "time bound", while the good Archbishop somehow transcends time), particularly about homosexuality (which is really a beautiful thing, in his understanding of grace). Just in case it's not clear, the people who need to catch up are the "notorious" pope and us hidebound conservatives who actually believe what Christianity has always believed. Warning: don't read the original piece underlying this story, since that much exposure to mushy religious revisionism is bad for the soul.

5. Here's an interesting initiative -- offering prayers for the conversion of the President. Since he's already a believing Christian of the United Church of Christ variety, this is actually a prayer his conversion to respect for human life. That's a hope we can all believe in and pray for.

6. No, there's no new Archbishop of New York yet. Relax, take a breath. Chill out.