10 Most Important Obama Faith Moments
8. Lifting Restrictions on Federally-Funded Embryonic Stem Cell Research
(Darren Hauck/Getty Images)
An employee of WiCell Research Institute prepares stem cells for culture.
In reversing President Bush's limits on federal funds for embryonic stem cell research, Obama has the support of most Americans, according to polls. Scientists say the research may yield treatments or cures for debilitating diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. But Obama's executive order on stem cells riled religious conservatives, who equate the destruction of human embryos in the course of scientific research with abortion. The National Institutes of Health's proposed guidelines on the research disappointed some embryonic stem cell research advocates by prohibiting federal funds for therapeutic cloning or for the creation of embryos expressly for research. But conservative Christian groups, who object to research on embryos left over from in vitro fertilization clinics—which are already earmarked for destruction—were also critical. Still, in lifting restrictions on the embryonic stem cell research, Obama spoke directly to religious Americans: "As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering."
What do you think are the most important "faith moments" in the first 100 days of Obama's presidency?