wfn.org | LCMS President Gerald Kieschnick back Bush support of cloning ban

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod
Board for Communication Services

LCMSNews -- No. 20
April 11, 2002

Kieschnick backs Bush support of cloning ban

Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod President Gerald Kieschnick says he 
applauds a decision by U.S. President George W. Bush to support legislation 
that would ban all forms of human cloning.

Kieschnick was among invited guests in the audience at the White House 
yesterday (April 10) when Bush in a speech urged the U.S. Senate to adopt 
such a ban.

"I'm pleased that the president's speech was totally in sync with the 
position of our Synod," Kieschnick said.

A 1998 Synod convention resolution rejects "without reservation as contrary 
to God's Word any technique or method of human cloning that results in the 
destruction of human embryos or the creation of human embryos for the 
purposes of fetal tissue research or organ harvesting or transplantation."

Although several bills have been introduced in the Senate that would 
restrict cloning, only one would ban it completely.  Kieschnick said he 
personally supports that bill, the "Human Cloning Prohibition Act" (S. 
1899), introduced by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and Sen. Mary Landrieu 
(D-La.).  He suggested that others who oppose cloning write their senators 
in support of the bill.

The House of Representatives passed identical legislation last year, but 
cloning has proved more divisive in the Senate than in the House.

The White House gathering for Bush's speech, Kieschnick said, "was a highly 
emotional event with a broad cross-section of people present."  He said 
that Dr. James I. Lamb, executive director of Lutherans For Life, also was 
present.

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