NOEL Believes Cloning
is Far Too Risky
For more information, contact:
412-749-0455
NOELife@aol.com
www.episcopaliansforlife.org
Georgette Forney
Executive Director, NOEL
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2002
SEWICKLEY, PA
Hi, I am Georgette Forney, Executive Director of the National
Organization of Episcopalians for Life (NOEL). We are a para-church
organization of the Episcopal Church with a membership of
over 2 million people. In our sacrament of baptism, we promise
to strive for justice and peace among all people and to respect
the dignity of every human being.
Throughout our liturgical year we have the opportunity to
re-new these vows and live them out through our actions. I
have spoken with our church leaders and laity throughout this
country and I have found a consistent witness among them to
respect life at every stage of development. It is clear that
our members find cloning incompatible with our Baptismal vows
and want all cloning banned.
I also recently had the opportunity to talk with the Archbishop
of Canterbury, the Rev. George Carey about cloning. He told
me that he felt cloning was..."far too risky." During
our conversation it was apparent that he understood cloning
and had carefully considered its implications. We shared a
common concern for those suffering but agreed that there was
a grave danger in individuals or corporations patenting life
when therapies using adult stem cells have proven to successfully
treat patients.
Cloning promises cures for innumerable diseases, the end
to all suffering. But the truth is, man will never end suffering;
we may hope to prevent juvenile diabetes, but we will never
be able to prevent violence, abuse, and loss; they sadly exists
as part of life.
Also we must question where will cloning will lead us...
Five books have been published this Spring that discuss the
future of biotechnology and the goal of cloning research to
create defective free human beings, a genetically engineered
super human race.
Cloning establishes the power for man to own and possess
the key to life. Knowing man's inherent desire to do good
and yet man's equally inherent selfish nature, as the Archbishop
says... it's far too risky for us to pursue.
As members of the Christian communion, Episcopalians acknowledge
God as Creator of life. We see the key to life not as deciphering
a genetic code but having a personal relationship with Jesus
Christ that guarantees eternal life for all who believe.
National Organization of Episcopalians for Life
405 Frederick Avenue / Sewickley, PA 15143 / 412-749-0455
/ 1-800-707-6635 / Fax 412-749-0422 NOELife@aol.com
/
www.episcopaliansforlife.org
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