How God sees embryos - Pope Benedict

[rayilynlee <rayilynlee@xxxxxxx>]

                  God sees embryos as full and complete humans - Pope
                  Wed Dec 28, 2005 1:08 PM GMT 
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            VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - God sees embryos as "full and complete" 
humans, Pope Benedict said on Wednesday in an address that firmly underlined 
the Roman Catholic Church's stance against abortion and scientific research on 
embryos.

            "The loving eyes of God look on the human being, considered full 
and complete at its beginning," Benedict said in his weekly address to the 
faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

            Quoting Psalm 139, Benedict said the Bible teaches that God already 
recognises the embryo as a complete human. That view is the basis for the 
Church teaching that aborting or manipulating these embryos amounts to murder.

            In Psalm 139, the psalmist says to God: "Thou didst see my limbs 
unformed in the womb, and in thy book they are all recorded."

            "It is extremely powerful, the idea in this psalm, that in this 
'unformed' embryo God already sees the whole future," Benedict said.

            "In the Lord's book of life, the days that this creature will live 
and will fill with works during his time on earth are already written."

            Benedict has already weighed into an Italian debate on abortion 
ahead of a general election in April, publicly supporting a pro-life group that 
right-wing Health Minister Francesco Storace wants to have access to 
counselling centres advising women seeking to terminate pregnancy.

            The Pontiff also raised the theme in his Christmas Eve mass on 
Saturday, saying the love of God shines on each child, "even on those still 
unborn".

            As well as being against abortion in all cases, the Church opposes 
stem-cell research which extracts useful cells from unused embryos left over 
from fertility treatments.

            The United States Congress is debating whether to expand federal 
funding for this kind of research, which scientists say could provide cures to 
many debilitating diseases.



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