Does opposition to cloning and embryonic stem cell research come only from one theological or political view?
No. Serious moral concerns about these practices have been raised by an array of both religious and secular groups, including some who disagree with the Catholic Church about abortion Friends of the Earth, the United Methodist Church, etc. The human cloning ban supported by the Church has been approved twice by the House of Representatives by an overwhelming bipartisan majority. Many other countries (including Canada, France, Italy, Germany and Norway) have passed similar bans. Opposition to the idea of treating early human life as a mere object or commodity in the laboratory transcends religious and political divisions. For the U.S. bishops’ official 2008 policy statement “On Embryonic Stem Cell Research” and for more information, see www.usccb.org/prolife/issues/bioethic/bishopsESCRstmt.pdf. Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning: Questions and Answers was developed as a resource by the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Rev
