MBC joins MAHC to defeat cloning initiative
CHESTERFIELD – Missourians Against Human Cloning (MAHC), a coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to keeping taxpayer-funded cloning out of Missouri, is hoping Missouri Baptists will help begin a grass-roots movement to defeat the stem cell initiative this November.
MAHC is funded in part by the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) through its Christian Life Commission and a $100,000 gift approved by the MBC Executive Board at their July 11 meeting.
“The Baptists and churches in the state are essential to defeating this deceptive initiative,” said Bev Ehlen, field director for MAHC.
The proposed constitutional amendment, “Missouri Research and Cures Initiative,” deceptively claims to ban human cloning but allows for somatic nuclear cell transfer (SCNT), a technical term describing the process that creates a cloned embryo. SCNT was used to produce Dolly the sheep.
MAHC is hoping churches of all denominations will, in addition to registering people to vote, educate them about the ballot initiative.
“Unlike elections for president or where there is a candidate involved, pastors can preach about issues like this one from the pulpit without losing their IRS tax exempt status,” Ehlen said. “It’s perfectly legal, provided it is not five percent of the church’s overall activities.”
That fact and informational DVDs, flyers and forms for requesting speakers from MAHC is available to churches by calling the MAHC offices at (636) 536-9877 or www.nocloning.org. They are looking for church coordinators to help.
“The speakers would be great for a Sunday night program or even during the Sunday School hour with all the adults gathered together,” she said.
More than 30 doctors and scientists have been in hundreds of churches so far discussing the moral implications of SCNT/cloning and hope to be in hundreds more. Ehlen said churches and pastors should schedule speakers now because the time slots will fill up as Election Day nears.
“People come away saying, ‘I knew I was against this, but now I know why,’” she said.
MAHC is also hoping for 14,400 people to commit to recruiting 10 other households to vote “NO” Nov. 7. To take part in the “Friend to Friend” campaign, call the number or visit the Web site listed above.