For once, I have to agree with Acadiana Concerned, in regards to embryonic stem cell research. I believe that religion regards the supernatural and should embrace science, not disregard it.

When science comes into conflict with religion, there should be serious discussion about the religious belief and how it conflicts with religion. The Catholic Church is one of the best religious institutions for evaluating scientific beliefs when they come into conflict with religious doctrine. In the last 50 years, the Catholic Church has made countless reevaluations of its beliefs. For instance, the Catholic Church accepts evolution. The Catholic Church first accepted it in the 1950s and they reaffirmed the acceptance in 1996. During the Middle Ages, with the rise of the Enlightenment which challenged many of the Aristotelian beliefs of the Church, a great saint of the Catholic Church (I do not remember which one) said that religion described what we could not see and science described what we saw everyday. I agree with this notion.

However, there are religions that hold firm beliefs against things we see as benign in other cultures. For instance, the Muslims and the Jews fear pig's blood. And there are religious people who refuse certain medical treatments, even though they may lead to the advancement of the human race. For example, Jehovah's Witnesses cannot have blood transfusions, even to save their lives. The reason Catholics are so against embryonic stem cell research is because it comes from aborted fetuses.

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In regards to religious discrimination, I fully support anyone of any religion and their own personal beliefs, so long as they do not infringe upon my rights. If someone wants embryonic stem cell research and that person is Catholic, that is a personal issue between that person and the Church. However, if you are Catholic and breakthroughs are made with embryonic stem cell research, I expect you to for-go the procedure in accordance with your religious beliefs. I wholeheartedly support any Jehovah's Witness who refuse to accept a blood transfusion because that is their own personal decision and it is accordance with their beliefs. I do not think anyone's religion is the right one, nor to I believe that anyone's religion is the wrong one. I think the majority of religions are equally valid, even though some out there are very entertaining.

Jarred James Breaux, New Iberia