Rev. Robert Fleischmann, National Director, Christian Life Resources

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Obsolete Statement:

When a loved one or friend struggles with a life-threatening ailment it is not uncommon to become desperate for a cure. In that desperation, however, a Christian will always take care not to compromise Biblical principles and to always conduct himself in a manner that glorifies God.

Recently the American Heart Association announced its support of research for cures using fetal stem cells. These cells are harvested from aborted children. On the one hand, we applaud efforts to find cures. We do, however, strenuously object to doing anything, even in the name of the common good, which would cannibalize the bodies of children who have died tragically in abortion.

The AHA, and others like them, think that by declaring a neutral position on abortion they can distance themselves from the debate. In reality, their willingness to use aborted children in this manner betrays a lack of respect for those lost lives. Please note that the AHA does not seek to cannibalize the bodies of born children and adults who have been murdered. That would be cruel and insensitive. They will, however, cannibalize the bodies of aborted children. The reason is that they do not value those lives on an equal plane with those who are born.

Undoubtedly agencies like the AHA are under pressure from donors and those suffering from various ills to find cures. It is most unfortunate that in their pursuit of cures they would seek to use the smallest and most innocent victims to accomplish their ends.

We at Christian Life Resources encourage the AHA and all other agencies to seek out less problematic routes for cures. As we proposed to the National Institutes of Health, we ask that they look at the umbilical cord and other stem cells as objects of their research. We ask that they please afford the unborn their dignity and do nothing that would in any way lend value or credibility to the gruesome work of killing unborn children.

Updated Statement:

The AHA has distanced themselves for embryonic stem cell and fetal tissue work according to their online statement which reads:
“The American Heart Association does not fund scientific research that involves the use of human fetal tissue and some areas of stem cell research… The Association will fund research using adult stem cells, human cell lines (except for human embryonic or fetal stem cells) and DNA sequences for purposes of producing tissue or organs for transplantation to replace or augment damaged or diseased tissues or organs in humans… Research applications involving the creation of human embryos or the derivation or use of human stem cells from in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment-derived embryos or fetal sources will not be accepted.”

https://professional.heart.org/en/research-programs/aha-research-policies-and-awardee-hub/policies-governing-all-research-awards (accessed 2/12/2021)

We applaud the position taken by AHA and encourage support of their work for the protection of God’s gift of life.