Ghastly! Lawmakers ponder cloning
Albert: Missouri Baptists must stand with Bartle to prevent diabolical process
By Allen Palmeri
Staff Writer
February 8, 2005
JEFFERSON CITY – The Christian Life Commission (CLC) of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) has joined an ad hoc coalition of pro-life organizations seeking to pass Senate Bill 160, a ban on human cloning/embryonic stem cell research sponsored by Sen. Matt Bartle, R-Lee’s Summit and a deacon at First Baptist Church, Raytown.
CLC Chairman Rodney Albert, who serves as pastor of Hallsville Baptist Church, said commissioners in their meeting Jan. 27 at the Baptist Building expressed their full support for Bartle in the sense that they are willing to fight alongside one of their own no matter the cost. The battle was joined in the State Capitol Jan. 31 as senators began to listen to public testimony. In a Feb. 2 hearing in the Senate Lounge, Albert spoke for three minutes about the soul of an embryo.
“I feel good that the truth is getting out in the public forum,” Albert said. “I have faith that God’s truth will prevail against human rationality.”
Bartle has 17 co-sponsors on his bill, which is a majority in the Senate, but formidable economic forces are threatening to peel away those votes.
“Missouri Baptists have got to be involved on this issue,” Albert said. “The Republican Party has wed itself to two powerful voices—that of business and that of the pro-life community. On this issue, those voices are split. Business wants embryonic cloning research legalized, and pro-life people understand the immorality of that. That’s going to demand from Republican legislators a response. Quite frankly, it’s going to be the loudest voice that probably gets the attention of the Republican legislator, and hopefully the loudest voice on this issue will be pro-life Missouri Baptists.”
Republican Gov. Matt Blunt, a pro-life Missouri Baptist, to date has failed to stand with Bartle on this issue. However, CLC Lobbyist Kerry Messer cautioned both sides against prematurely judging the governor’s leadership in this complicated political debate.
“Missouri Baptists are once again in a major role of influencing pro-life legislation in Missouri,” Albert said. “It’s a role we don’t seek, but it’s a role that we’ve been given because of our dominance in Missouri. The Missouri Baptist Convention is solidly pro-life, and it’s the Christian principle of ‘to whom much is given, much is required.’
“The time is now to prevent embryonic cloning manipulation. It’s just a ghastly science that devalues human life. We simply will not stop treating embryonic life as a commodity. Man in his inherent sinfulness will begin to look at other human life as a commodity, and we’ve got to stop it right here.”
The ad hoc coalition for life features several equal partners. One of them is Missouri Right To Life, which is sponsoring a Lobby Day March 8 at the Capitol to build support for Bartle’s bill. Albert said he believes the commission will encourage Missouri Baptists to turn out that day wearing red, the designated pro-life color, and rally on the third floor of the Capitol Rotunda at 9 a.m. with members of the other pro-life groups.
Albert said that Missouri’s political establishment has a tradition of passing no more than one pro-life bill per session, and it is obvious that SB 160 is not the gift that they wish to bestow upon pro-life citizens this year. He noted that Senate Bill 2 (see related story), which has Blunt’s blessing, stands a better chance of passing.
“Unfortunately, it may give them an easy out on the embryonic issue,” Albert said.