Reuters provides accurate coverage of Pope's comments re: embryonic stem cell research

This is the first time (and hopefully not the last!) that I can remember reading an accurate, honest treatment of the Church's opposition to ESCR in the mainstream media which also mentions the many forms of stem cell research that the Church does support.

My comments in brackets:

[Reuters:] Pope Benedict appealed to scientists on Thursday to stop using human embryos in stem cell research, saying it violated "the dignity of human life".

The Vatican is a proponent of stem cell research as long as it does not harm human embryos, which the Catholic Church holds are humans from the moment of conception. [Finally, an early admission that the Church has no opposition to stem cell research when it comes from ethical sources.]

"The destruction of human embryos, whether to acquire stem cells or for any other purpose, contradicts the purported intent of researchers, legislators and public health officials to promote human welfare," the Pontiff said. [good quote!]

The Church supports research on adult cells and even promising alternatives to embryonic research, like the use of amniotic fluid protecting fetuses in the uterus.

The Pope said such research methods "harmonize with the aforementioned intent (to promote human welfare) by respecting the life of the human being at every stage of his or her existence". [Notice how the article gives the Pope's argument sufficient quotation and development as to be coherent.]

Granted, the headline of the article is negative: "Don't use embryos in stem cell research, Pope says." One almost gets the sense that the reporter was told to write a story with a pre-chosen title. Or maybe that the reporter discovered the internal-consistency of the Church's position while researching the question.

In any case, I still think praise is in order for whomever is responsible for the report.

Maybe they'll get the idea.