What is an Embryo?

I recently saw some of an interview with Bill Clinton on Larry King Live which was being hosted that evening by Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The former President was asked about the controversial subject of Embryonic Stem Cell Research. He answered by repeatedly emphasizing that this research is done prior to fertilization and therefore does not destroy a life. Over and over he repeated emphatically that the research was done on embryos prior to fertilization so should not be a controversial topic.

I listened in astonishment to his reasoning and his lack of knowledge about what an embryo is. It also seemed incredible to me that the medical Dr. doing the interview allowed such misinformation to be disseminated without correction or question. How many people were influenced by what may have sounded like wise counsel and truth?

That discussion has motivated me to share these thoughts and include the following Wikipedia definition of embryo:

The development of the embryo is called embryogenesis. In organisms that reproduce sexually, once a sperm fertilizes an egg cell, the result is a cell called the zygote that has half of the DNA of each of two parents. The resulting embryo derives 50 percent of its genetic makeup from each parent. In plants, animals, and some protists, the zygote will begin to divide by mitosis to produce a multicellular organism. The result of this process is an embryo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_embryo

I also did some research on whether or not embryonic stem cells have shown promise related to the purposes they are so often reported as having. There have been no breakthroughs with embryonic stem cells which contrasts markedly with the 73 specific areas in which adult stem cells have brought medical results. Following is information from the website DONOHARM http://www.stemcellresearch.org/

To date, there are still no human patients who have been treated with embryonic stem Cells.
• In contrast, adult stem cells (including stem cells from cord blood) have provided therapeutic benefits to human patients for 73 diseases and conditions.
• Most recently, adult stem cells were used in a trial that reversed multiple sclerosis in 17 of 21 patients; with none experiencing any deterioration in their conditions.

When a human egg is fertilized by a sperm, only time and nutrition are needed for the full development of that human life. To experiment on an embryo is to destroy a life that has been conceived. There are many people expressing their opinions about things but they may not have truth.

It is painful for me to hear false information on this subject be so widely reported. It has reminded me of Jesus' words to "the Jews who had believed him".

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8: 31b-32