After the British government gave the go-ahead to university researchers to clone humans, Pope John Paul II told the public to pay respect for human beings reasoning that life is a sacred gift, and no one can presume to be its master.
Pope John Paul II insisted that the advancement of medical science should not ignore moral values of human beings. Science must remain within the boundary of moral codes.
The Pope said that scientists should take matter seriously when it comes to issues such as stem cell research and human cloning. Lives of unborn children should not be terminated after their creation solely for the purpose of harvesting their stem cells. The Pope said that cloning an unborn child just to obtain his/her stem cells is unacceptable. Rather, the pontiff advised researchers to invest their time and money in adult stem cells research.
The Pope also commented that it is arrogant to believe that the end results of embryonic stem cell and cloning research are better than God's design.
"The results achieved in various fields of science and technology are considered and defended by many as a priori acceptable," the Pope said in a statement released on Sunday Aug 22nd. "In this way, one ends up expecting that what is technically possible is in itself also ethically good."
In a statement released on Sunday Aug 22nd, the Pope once again said those who support practices such as human cloning differ from Biblical principles. "The way taught by Christ is different: respect for human beings," the Pope explained.
On many occasions, Pope John Paul II delivered speeches regarding pro-life issues. While in France, the Pope asked the audience to raise their voices for pro-life community in the battle against euthanasia, abortion, and stem cell research.
Referring to the case of Terri Schiavo, the Pope said that the lexicon used to describe such patients -- as being in a "vegetative state" was degrading and inhuman.
