Watching the news tonight I saw...

a story which involved President Obama signing an executive order that will open up federal funding for stem cell research. Now this is as controversial as a topic as abortion. But when it comes to stem cells there is an affect on far more people. For when it comes to stem cell research the possibilities are endless. Without getting far to technical let me make an attempt at telling you what are stem cells. But to understand the controversy all you have to do is ask one simple question.

First understand that there are mainly two types of stem cells. Adult stem cells at as sort of an repair system for the body while helping the normal turnover of cells in certain parts of the body. These cells are very specialized for that part of the body so they are very limited in their capabilities. An example is bone marrow transplants, it is usually adult stem cells that are transplanted where they multiply and order to help cure the ailment. Very non-controversial because there are no embryos involved nor is the patient in danger because of the testing involved in matching.

Embryonic stem cells are...well...let's just start from the beginning...the very beginning. Most of us know that after conception the fertilized egg divides two-by-two-by-two and so on. What makes this so special is that these new cells are not specialized. This means that you cannot call them anything specific (heart cells, blood cells, nervous cells, etc.) that are just embryonic cells. Four to five days after conception this mass of cells is called a blastocyst. It is soon following that where differentiation comes. This is where each cell, in no lesser terms, gets their assignment and turns into something. Then that embryo becomes a fetus and so on and so forth.

What scientist wanted to do is take those non-differentiated cells and be able to give them their assignment. If successful we will be able to grow new cells to help aid and hopefully heal what some consider tramatic ailments. Think about it. What if you can grow new brain cells that can be implanted into a patient with parkinson's disease or alzheimer's? Being able to regenerate nervous cells that can be placed into someone that has suffered a spinal cord injury. You could one day (possibly not in our lifetime but it's nice to dream) create your own organs. Maybe down the road if you were to suffer kidney failure and needed a transplant. Take some stem cells then slap in your DNA from your kidney in a dish, simmer and stir, then viola a new kidney!! Freshly made to order like Subway sandwich.

Here's the question that starts the argument: When do YOU believe life begins?

Depending upon your answer places you somewhere on the polictical seesaw that quabbles over whether stem cell research should or should not be allowed. If you believe that life starts at conception then you lie on the far right. From your prespective stem cell research is more immoral then unneeded for society. There is a very good chance that say that you cannot disrupt God's work and to do so would be against God's law. Nothing wrong with that view. It clearly shows a belief in a higher power that drives everything in our lives. There has to be a higher power involved in one way or another due to the fact I have yet to hear a legitimate reason as to what factors make what cells in the blastocyst. If you say that life begins at birth then you lay on the left side of the argument. You say that research is needed to help the ills of society for eveyone deserve to live a ailment free life as much as possible. You feel that if God gave humans the ability to think on a higher level than other species then humans should be able use that intelligence to better there society. Just as good of an argument. You still believe in a higher power but your a little more liberal in your interpretation. Most of us lie someone in between and some change our views dependent on what is happening in our lives. Oh and myself, I believe that life begins once the heart begins to beat. Without getting to technical, in order to have a heartbeat there must be brain activity. You cannot have one without the other. It is just scientifically impossible. With that happening you will have your two most important organs functioning and everything else goes from there. So I feel that there can be stem cell research for the good of society.

Now other than abortion, stem cell research is as much of a fire starter as any argument you could find. If you are a radio talk show host and the content is getting dull and boring then open up either on eof these two arguments and watch the phone lines light up.

What's your opinion???