Benedict Follows John Paul's Outlook on Unborn Life
Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2005 Posted: 7:22:32PM EST

Embryos are seen by God as “full and complete” humans, Pope Benedict said Wednesday, underlining the Roman Catholic Church’s firm stance against abortion and embryonic stem-cell research.

"The loving eyes of God look on the human being, considered full and complete at its beginning,” Benedict said in his weekly address to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, according to Reuters.

Quoting Psalm 139, Benedict said the Bible teaches the sanctity of each human life – including those unborn.

“It is extremely powerful, the idea in this psalm, that in this ’unformed’ embryo God already sees the whole future,” Benedict said, taking from the passage that reads, “Thou didst see my limbs unformed in the womb, and in thy book they are all recorded.”

“In the Lord’s book of life, the days that this creature will live and will fill with works during his time on earth are already written,” the pontiff said. The rest