Ethics of Gene Editing; Supreme Court and Affirmative Action

>>> COMING UP, THE SUPREME COURT AGAIN TAKES UP AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS POLICIES.

>>> AND BETTY ROLLIN LOOKS AT GENE EDITING.

IT MAY HELP CURE DISEASES, BUT WHAT ARE THE ETHICAL CONSEQUENCES?

>>> PLUS, I TALK WITH PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK JIM KELLY AND HIS WIFE JILL ABOUT HOW FAITH SUSTAINED THEM THROUGH THE DEATH OF THEIR SON AND JIM'S BATTLE WITH CANCER.

>>> WELCOME, I'M KIM LAWTON, SITTING IN FOR BOB ABERNETHY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

ACROSS THE NATION, YET AGAIN, OUTRAGE AND MOURNING AFTER ANOTHER MASS SHOOTING.

IN THE WAKE OF THE SAN BERNARDINO MASSACRE, FAITH-BASED GROUPS, INCLUDING U.S. MUSLIM GROUPS, CONDEMNED THE ATTACK.

MANY RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS REPEATED CALLS FOR MORE GUN CONTROL.

PRAYER VIGILS WERE HELD IN SEVERAL COMMUNITIES.

SOME POLITICAL LEADERS ALSO CALLED FOR PRAYERS, WHICH GENERATED A CONTENTIOUS DEBATE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

SEVERAL ACTIVISTS WERE CRITICAL, SAYING ACTION WAS NEEDED, NOT PRAYER AND PLATITUDES.

THAT CRITICISM BECAME KNOWN AS PRAYER SHAMING.

OTHERS SAID THEY WERE OFFENDED BY COMMENTS THAT SEEMED TO DENIGRATE PRAYER.

MANY FAITH LEADERS SAID THEY BELIEVED THAT PRAYER AND ACTION ARE INSEPARABLE.

>>> IN PARIS, A U.N.

SUMMIT ON CLIMATE CHANGE BEGAN THIS WEEK.

THE MEETING HAS STRONG SUPPORT FROM MANY RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES.

CATHOLICS RELEASED A PETITION WITH MORE THAN 800,000 SIGNATURES CALLING FOR MORE ACTION TO HELP POOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

ON TUESDAY, RELIGIOUS ACTIVISTS COMPLETED A FAST MEANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE VICTIMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

LEADERS FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF FAITHS HAVE FASTED ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS.

THE U.N.

SUMMIT ENDS NEXT WEEK.

ORGANIZERS HOPE TO GENERATE AN INTERNATIONAL ACCORD TO ADDRESS THE CRISIS.

>>> POPE FRANCIS SAID INACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE HAS BROUGHT THE WORLD TO THE BRINK OF GLOBAL SUICIDE.

FRANCIS MADE THE REMARK ON HIS WAY BACK TO ROME AFTER HIS SIX-DAY TRIP TO AFRICA, WHERE HE VISITED KENYA, UGANDA AND THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC.

THE POPE'S VISIT TO THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC INCLUDED A STOP AT A MOSQUE IN A VOLATILE NEIGHBORHOOD OF BANGUI.

THE POPE SAID THE NATION MUST BREAK FREE FROM THE VIOLENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS THAT HAS CONTINUED FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS.

>>> IN THIS COUNTRY, GOP PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES REACHED OUT TO JEWISH VOTERS AT A FORUM IN WASHINGTON ORGANIZED BY THE REPUBLICAN JEWISH COALITION.

WHILE JEWS ARE OVERWHELMINGLY DEMOCRATIC, THE NUMBER VOTING REPUBLICAN HAS BEEN INCREASING IN RECENT YEARS.

IN 2012, ABOUT 30% OF JEWS VOTED FOR MITT ROMNEY.

THE CURRENT CANDIDATES TRIED TO MAKE THEIR CASE FOR SUPPORTING ISRAEL, OPPOSING IRAN AND REPRESENTING JEWISH VALUES.

>> I WILL MAKE CLEAR THAT CALLING FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL IS THE SAME AS CALLING FOR THE DEATH OF JEWS.

>> DONALD TRUMP GENERATED CONTROVERSY BY INVOKING WHAT SOME IN THE AUDIENCE SAW AS ANTI-SEMITIC STEREOTYPES.

HE REFERRED TO THEIR NEGOTIATING SKILLS AND THEIR MONEY.

ON THIS COMING WEDNESDAY, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT WILL ONCE AGAIN TAKE UP THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS POLICIES.

THE JUSTICES HAVE RULED NARROWLY ON THE ISSUE BEFORE, BUT MANY EXPERTS BELIEVE THIS CASE INVOLVING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COURT TO ISSUE A BROAD RULING ON AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

TIM O'BRIEN LOOKED AT THE ISSUES AT STAKE.

>> THE CASE WAS BROUGHT BY ABIGAIL FISHER, WHO CLAIMS SHE WAS DENIED ADMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN BECAUSE SHE IS WHITE.

>> I HOPE THE COURT RULES THAT A STUDENT'S RACE AND ETHNICITY SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED WHEN APPLYING TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.

>> BUT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, LIKE MOST MAJOR AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES, DOES CONSIDER RACE AND ETHNICITY IN ORDER TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY IN THE STUDENT BODY.

THE UNIVERSITY'S VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SAYS SO MANY FACTORS ARE CONSIDERED THAT THE DECISION OF WHOM TO ADMIT NEVER TURNS ON RACE ALONE.

>> DIVERSITY, AND LET'S BE MORE POINTED, RACIAL DIVERSITY, IS USED AS ONE FACTOR AMONG MANY, SO MUCH SO THAT IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT, "OH, THAT STUDENT WOULD HAVE GOTTEN IN IF THEY WERE WHITE, OR IF THAT STUDENT WERE BLACK."

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS WHO ARE DENIED ADMISSION WITH HIGHER CREDENTIALS THAN WHITE STUDENTS.

>> THE ONLY THING THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE SUPREME COURT ALLOWED RACE TO BE CONSIDERED IN TEN YEARS AGO IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE COURT.

JUSTICE SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR, THE AUTHOR OF THE 2003 DECISION, IS GONE, REPLACED BY JUSTICE SAM ALITO, WHO HAS BEEN HOSTILE TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

IN 2003, O'CONNOR WAS THE FIFTH AND DECIDING VOTE IN FAVOR OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

ALITO COULD NOW WELL BE THE FIFTH AND DECIDING VOTE AGAINST IT.

AND IF HE IS?

>> THE CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR UNIVERSITY AND FOR HIGHER EDUCATION THAT WE WOULD NOT BE GIVING THE KIND OF EDUCATION TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS IN PREPARING THEM TO WORK IN A DIVERSE AND GLOBAL WORLD.

IT WOULD BE A SETBACK FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR SOCIETY.

>> DON'T EXPECT ANY RINGING ENDORSEMENT FROM THIS COURT OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, IF IT SURVIVES AT ALL.

IT'S WIDELY BELIEVED THE COURT'S DECISION WILL BE WRITTEN BY JUSTICE ANTHONY KENNEDY, POSSIBLY ANTONIN SCALIA.

NEITHER HAS EVER VOTED TO UPHOLD AFFIRMATIVE ACTION.

FOR "RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY," I'M TIM O'BRIEN IN WASHINGTON.

>>> SCIENTISTS AND ETHICISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD GATHERED IN WASHINGTON THIS WEEK AND CALLED FOR A MORATORIUM ON MANIPULATING HUMAN GENES TO MAKE CHANGES THAT COULD BE INHERITED.

GENE EDITING HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HELP CURE DEVASTATING ILLNESSES.

BUT SOME ETHICISTS ARE CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE COULD ALSO USE IT FOR COSMETIC OR PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT.

BETTY ROLLIN REPORTS ABOUT THE THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF GENE EDITING AND THE POSSIBLE MORAL CONSEQUENCES.

>> AT GEORGE CHURCH'S LAB AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL IN BOSTON, RESEARCHERS ARE WORKING ON A WIDE RANGE OF PROJECTS, FROM SLOWING DOWN AGING TO RESURRECTING EXTINCT ANIMALS LIKE THE WOOLY MAMMOTH.

IN ORDER TO DO SOME OF THEIR WORK, RESEARCHERS ARE USING A TWO AND A HALF YEAR OLD TECHNIQUE CALLED CRISPR/CAS9, WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO IDENTIFY A SINGLE DEFECTIVE GENE AMONG 30,000 AND THEN CUT AND REPAIR IT.

>> IT IS A MACHINE THAT WILL SEARCH THROUGH EVERY PIECE OF DNA IN A CELL AND CAN BE PROGRAMMED TO HIT A PARTICULAR PLACE AND CHANGE IT TO WHATEVER YOU WANT.

>> WHAT HAS SCIENTISTS SO EXCITED IS CRISPR'S POTENTIAL.

IT'S SIMPLE TO USE AND COST-EFFECTIVE.

IT CAN BE USED ON ADULTS TO TREAT DISEASES THAT WOULD AFFECT ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL BEING TREATED.

BUT EDITING GENES ON HUMAN EMBRYOS, EGGS OR SPERM, THE GENETIC CHANGES MADE WOULD AFFECT NOT ONLY THAT INDIVIDUAL, BUT ALL OF HIS OR HER FUTURE DESCENDANTS.

THESE CHANGES COULD POTENTIALLY ELIMINATE DEVASTATING GENETIC DISEASES LIKE HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE AND CYSTIC FIBROSIS.

THE EARLIER GENETIC CHANGES ARE MADE, SAYS DR. CHURCH, THE BETTER.

>> AFTER THE CHILD IS BORN, YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TREAT MANY CELLS IN THE BODY, AND SOME OF THOSE TREATMENTS ON THAT MANY CELLS COULD GO WRONG, AND YOU HAVE NO REAL WAY OF CHECKING UNTIL THE CHILD DEVELOPS CANCER, OR THE ADULT.

BUT IF YOU DO IT AT A SINGLE CELL STAGE, YOU CAN GROW UP A POPULATION FROM THAT SINGLE CELL, AND THEN YOU COULD CHECK A FEW OF THOSE CELLS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE FINE.

>> ETHICIST MARCY DARNOVSKY HEADS THE CENTER FOR GENETICS AND SOCIETY IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AND IS A CRITIC OF GENETIC EDITING.

>> EVEN IF SCIENTISTS ARE ABLE TO REFINE THESE GENE-EDITING TECHNIQUES SO THAT THEY CAN MORE ACCURATELY PLACE THE NEW GENES, OR THE REPLACED GENES, WE DON'T KNOW FOR SURE WHAT THE EFFECTS OF THOSE GENES ARE GOING TO BE ONCE THEY'RE INSERTED INTO THE HUMAN GENOME.

>> AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY CONCERN.

MANY SCIENTISTS WORRY THAT IF CRISPR CAN BE USED TO ELIMINATE CERTAIN DISEASES, IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO MAKE CHILDREN SMARTER, TALLER, MORE BEAUTIFUL.

>> GENETICS, WHAT CAN IT MEAN?

THE ABILITY TO PERFECT THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EVERY UNBORN CHILD.

>> THE 1997 SCIENCE FICTION MOVIE "GATTACA" PORTRAYED A SOCIETY WHERE GENETIC ENGINEERING WAS COMMON.

MARCY DARNOVSKY FEARS THAT THIS KIND OF GENETIC TAMPERING COULD BE SOMETHING ONLY THE RICH CAN AFFORD.

>> THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IS THAT WE WOULD HAVE THESE GENETIC HAVES AND HAVE-NOTS, AND WE ALREADY HAVE SO MUCH INEQUALITY IN THE WORLD.

THIS WOULD EXACERBATE THAT AND COULD REALLY -- IT'S CREATING AN ENTIRELY NEW KIND OF INEQUALITY IN THE WORLD AND COULD LEAD TO ALL KINDS OF DISCRIMINATION, COULD LEAD TO ALL KINDS OF CONFLICT.

>> GEORGE CHURCH SAYS HE, TOO, HAS CONCERNS, BUT THINKS THE FEARS OF CRISPR HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED.

>> I'M CONCERNED ABOUT EVERY NEW MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY HAS TO BE TESTED FOR SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS.

CRISPR IS NO EXCEPTION.

I THINK THE SLIPPERY SLOPE ARGUMENT I DON'T BUY.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE WE CAN GO AT, YOU KNOW, 200 MILES AN HOUR THAT EVERY CAR IS GOING TO SUDDENLY -- EVERY DRIVER IS GOING TO DO THAT.

I THINK THAT THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF REGULATIONS IN PLACE FOR ALL OF OUR TECHNOLOGIES, AND THIS SHOULD BE AND WILL NOT BE AN EXCEPTION.

>> BUT MARCY DARNOVSKY BELIEVES THERE IS A SAFER ALTERNATIVE FOR PARENTS WHO WANT TO AVOID A HEREDITARY GENETIC DISEASE.

>> IT'S CALLED PRE-IMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS, PGD.

IT'S BEEN IN USE FOR SEVERAL DECADES, AND YOU CAN LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT EMBRYOS THAT ARE PRODUCED, AND THE ONES THAT ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THE GENETIC MUTATION IN QUESTION ARE THE ONES THAT YOU WOULD THEN INITIATE A PREGNANCY WITH.

>> MORE THAN 40 COUNTRIES HAVE PUT A PROHIBITION ON GENETICALLY MODIFYING EMBRYOS.

SO FAR, THE U.S. IS NOT ONE OF THOSE COUNTRIES, NOR IS CHINA, WHERE A RECENT EXPERIMENT ON EMBRYOS WAS PERFORMED AND FAILED IN ALMOST EVERY CASE, CREATING UNINTENDED MUTATIONS.

FORTUNATELY, ONLY NONVIABLE EMBRYOS WERE USED.

DARNOVSKY AND OTHER PROMINENT SCIENTISTS HAVE CALLED FOR A MORATORIUM ON USING GENE EDITING ON HUMAN EMBRYOS.

AND BECAUSE OF ETHICAL AND SAFETY CONCERNS, NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING THE NIH WOULD NOT FUND ANY USE OF GENE-EDITING TECHNOLOGIES ON HUMAN EMBRYOS.

AND ACCORDING TO A PEW POLL TAKEN LAST YEAR, WHEREAS 46% OF ADULTS APPROVED GENE-EDITING TO REDUCE RISK OF DISEASE, 83% SAID DOING SO TO MAKE BABIES SMARTER IS GOING TOO FAR.

ONE MOTHER'S VIEW -- >> IT MAKES SENSE, ESPECIALLY IN PREVENTING DISEASE, BUT MY GUT RESPONSE ESPECIALLY AS A MOTHER OF THESE KIDS IS THEY CAME PERFECTLY THE WAY I WANT THEM.

I BELIEVE VERY, VERY MUCH IN GOD AND THAT OUR BODIES ARE MADE THE WAY HE MADE THEM, AND EVEN IF THEY'RE IMPERFECT, WE'RE HERE ON EARTH TO PROVE THAT WE'RE WORTHY TO BE WITH THEM.

>> AS LONG AS THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE, CONTROLLING GENE-EDITING WILL NO DOUBT BE DIFFICULT, IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE.

FOR "RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY," I'M BETTY ROLLIN.

>>> A NEW REPORT FROM THE LEADERSHIP NETWORK AND THE HARTFORD INSTITUTE FOR RELIGION RESEARCH SAYS WHILE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ATTENDING MEGACHURCHES HAS INCREASED, WORSHIPPERS ARE VISITING LESS OFTEN.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, EVERY WEEK ABOUT 5 MILLION PEOPLE ATTEND A MEGACHURCH.

BUT INDIVIDUAL ATTENDANCE IS DOWN TO ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH.

PARTICIPATION BY THE SO-CALLED GEN-X GENERATION, AGES 35 TO 49, IS DOWN FROM 28% IN 2010 TO 23% TODAY.

THE REPORT SAYS 71% OF THOSE WHO ATTEND MEGACHURCHES CALL THEMSELVES EVANGELICAL.

>>> NOW FROM THE WORLD OF FOOTBALL, JIM KELLY IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE BEST QUARTERBACKS TO HAVE PLAYED IN THE NFL.

HE LED THE BUFFALO BILLS TO SEVERAL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN THE 1990s.

KELLY AND HIS WIFE JILL HAVE FACED A NUMBER OF PERSONAL TRIALS, INCLUDING THE DEATH OF THEIR YOUNG SON AND JIM'S BATTLE WITH CANCER.

THEY TOLD ME THEY HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED BY THEIR FAITH.

>> FOR MANY FOOTBALL FANS, AND ESPECIALLY IN BUFFALO, JIM KELLY IS A HERO.

A PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK, HE PLAYED FOR THE BUFFALO BILLS FROM 1986 TO 1996.

HE LED THE TEAM TO A RECORD FOUR CONSECUTIVE SUPERBOWLS, AND THEY FAMOUSLY LOST ALL FOUR.

ON THE FIELD, HE EARNED A REPUTATION FOR BEING WHAT WAS TERMED "KELLY TOUGH."

>> FANS OF BUFFALO, I GIVE YOU JIM KELLY!

>> BUT FOR JIM AND HIS WIFE JILL, TOUGHNESS WAS MOST PROFOUNDLY TESTED BY WHAT FOLLOWED OFF THE FIELD -- A TERMINALLY ILL SON, PROBLEMS IN THEIR MARRIAGE, AND JIM'S STRUGGLE WITH CANCER.

THEY SAY THEIR EVANGELICAL FAITH HAS GIVEN THEM THE STRENGTH TO PERSEVERE.

>> YOU CAN ONLY BE TOUGH SO MUCH.

AND I'VE JUST BEEN VERY BLESSED THAT I HAVE AN OPEN HEART NOW, AND I LISTEN A LOT MORE THAN I USED TO LISTEN.

>> THOSE THINGS THAT WE GO THROUGH THAT CAUSE US TO BE TESTED, OR TO DOUBT, OR TO FEAR, THOSE THINGS MAKE US STRONGER IN OUR FAITH.

>> THE KELLYS MET AND MARRIED AT THE HEIGHT OF JIM'S FOOTBALL CAREER AND ENJOYED THE CELEBRITY THAT CAME WITH IT.

THEY HAD A DAUGHTER, ERIN, AND THEN IN 1997, JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER JIM RETIRED FROM THE BILLS, THEIR SON HUNTER WAS BORN.

DAUGHTER CAMYRN WAS BORN IN 1999.

WHEN HUNTER WAS JUST 4 MONTHS OLD, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A GENETIC DISEASE CALLED KRABBE LEUKODYSTROPHY, WHICH AFFECTS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM.

THEY WERE TOLD HE LIKELY WOULDN'T SURVIVE TO HIS SECOND BIRTHDAY.

BOTH JIM AND JILL HAD BEEN RAISED CATHOLIC, BUT NEITHER WAS VERY RELIGIOUS.

JILL SAYS HER DEVASTATION OVER THE DIAGNOSIS SENT HER ON A DESPERATE SPIRITUAL SEARCH.

>> THERE WAS NO CURE, THERE WAS NO TREATMENT, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT MONEY OR CELEBRITY COULD BUY FOR HUNTER.

I WAS LIKE, "WELL, WHO'S THIS GOD THAT I THINK THAT I KNOW?

HE'S THERE, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HIM" AND "I'VE HEARD ABOUT HIM MY WHOLE LIFE, BUT WHO IS HE REALLY?"

AND SO IT WAS HUNTER'S SUFFERING THAT CAUSED ME TO SEEK AFTER GOD.

>> SHE BECAME A BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIAN.

>> EVERYTHING CHANGED THEN.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, A FEEL GOOD THING.

IT'S NOT LIKE, "PHEW, THIS MAKES ME FEEL BETTER."

NO.

I MEAN, LIFE IS STILL HARD.

BUT GOD IS STILL GOOD.

>> JIM SAYS AT THE TIME, HE TOLD HER NOT TO PUSH HER NEW BELIEFS ON HIM.

>> I DIDN'T COME TO FAITH UNTIL AFTER HUNTER PASSED AWAY.

SO, FOR ME, YEAH -- MAD AT GOD, THINGS LIKE THAT.

THINGS THAT I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THINKING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE WORD IS.

>> IT'S BEING REAL, IS THAT IT IS.

WE CAN GET MAD AT GOD.

>> BUT IT IS WHAT IT IS.

BUT THE THING IS, THE OLD SAYING "IT'S GOD'S PERFECT TIMING," AND I KNOW WHERE I'M AT NOW, AND THAT'S ALL THAT COUNTS.

>> THE KELLYS WERE DETERMINED TO HELP HUNTER LIVE THE BEST LIFE POSSIBLE.

THEY LAUNCHED THE HUNTER'S HOPE FOUNDATION TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AND RESEARCH ABOUT THE RARE DISEASE.

>> NO ONE WAS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE DISEASE.

NO ONE.

OBVIOUSLY, WITH JIM'S PLATFORM, YOU KNOW, WHAT A BLESSING IT IS TO BE ABLE TO USE THAT.

>> THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THROUGH NOT ONLY OUR STORY, BUT SEEING WHAT HUNTER WENT THROUGH, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING.

>> A BIG PART OF THE FOUNDATION'S WORK IS SUPPORTING FAMILIES AFFECTED BY KRABBE.

19-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER ERIN SAYS THAT'S BEEN IMPORTANT TO HER.

>> IT'S JUST A CONNECTION THAT IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER THING, BECAUSE NO ONE REALLY KNOWS.

MY FRIENDS, MOST OF MY FRIENDS, HAVE NEVER GONE THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WALK THAT JOURNEY OF WATCHING YOUR LITTLE BROTHER JUST STRUGGLE TO LIVE EVERY SINGLE DAY OF HIS LIFE.

>> IN 2004, THE KELLYS AND HUNTER'S HOPE HELPED FOUND THE HUNTER JAMES KELLY RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO.

THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS, MORE AND MORE NEWBORNS ARE NOW SCREENED FOR KRABBE SO THEY CAN BE GIVEN AN UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD TRANSPLANT IN THE NARROW WINDOW WHEN PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE CAN STILL BE SLOWED.

BEYOND ALL MEDICAL EXPECTATIONS, HUNTER LIVED UNTIL 2005, WHEN HE WAS 8 AND A HALF, ALTHOUGH HE WAS NEVER ABLE TO WALK OR TALK.

>> GOD USED HIM IN SO MANY WAYS.

I MEAN, WE LEARNED PATIENCE AND LOVE, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, SELFLESSNESS.

I MEAN, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T LEARN IN BOOKS, AND THAT NEITHER OF US HAD LEARNED UP TO THAT POINT IN OUR LIVES AS AN ADULT.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT ROLE MODELS, PEOPLE TALK ABOUT PEOPLE THAT YOU ADMIRE, I ADMIRED HIS TOUGHNESS IN WHAT HE WENT THROUGH, AND HOW HE CHANGED MY LIFE.

I KNOW WE PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE TOGETHER IF IT WASN'T FOR THE SUFFERING OF OUR SON, BECAUSE HE CHANGED BOTH OF OUR LIVES FOR THE GOOD.

>> THE KELLYS HAVE BEEN OPEN ABOUT EXPERIENCING MARITAL PROBLEMS.

THEY DON'T SPEAK ABOUT IT IN DETAIL, BUT IN JILL'S 2010 BOOK "WITHOUT A WORD," THEY DESCRIBE HOW AFTER HUNTER'S DEATH, JIM CONFESSED HE HAD BEEN UNFAITHFUL.

HE SOUGHT PASTORAL COUNSELING AND DECIDED TO EMBRACE FAITH FOR HIMSELF.

>> I WANTED TO ABLE, FOR MY TWO DAUGHTERS, TO WALK IN THAT FRONT DOOR AND WHEN THEY DO, TO LOOK AT THEIR DADDY WITH RESPECT.

I WAS LOSING ALL THAT.

AND I KNEW THAT IF I DIDN'T CHANGE MY LIFE, I WAS GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING THAT I WORKED SO HARD FOR.

>> DURING A RECENT APPEARANCE AT LIBERTY UNIVERSITY, WHERE ERIN IS A STUDENT, JIM DESCRIBED HIS JOURNEY, ALTHOUGH HE ADMITTED, HE'S STILL NOT COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE TALKING ABOUT IT.

>> I DON'T PRAY TO GOD.

I TALK TO GOD.

I TALK TO HIM IN A WAY THAT -- I DON'T SPEAK CHRISTIAN-ESE LIKE MY WIFE DOES.

I DON'T KNOW ALL THE VERSES.

I DON'T KNOW ALL THE THINGS SHE SAYS.

I'M GETTING THERE.

>> THE KELLYS STILL LIVE IN WESTERN NEW YORK WHERE THEY ATTEND A LARGE NONDENOMINATIONAL CHURCH.

THEY SAY THEIR FAITH HAS BEEN CRUCIAL IN DEALING WITH THEIR LATEST BATTLE.

IN JUNE 2013, JIM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER OF THE JAW.

AFTER SURGERY, HE WAS PROCLAIMED CANCER-FREE.

BUT THEN IN 2014, MORE CANCER WAS DISCOVERED IN HIS NASAL CAVITY, AND MORE AGGRESSIVE TREATMENTS FOLLOWED.

JILL SAYS THE FAMILY BOMBARDED GOD WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY.

>> THE PSALMS, JOB, PAUL -- THERE'S NUMEROUS PEOPLE, THAT ARE REAL PEOPLE, THAT ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS, ASKED THE WHY QUESTIONS.

SAID THEY'D RATHER NOT EVEN LIVE.

THIS IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT GOD SAYS.

IT'S NOT WHAT I'M SITTING HERE TELLING YOU, THIS IS WHAT GOD SAYS, AND I'M CHOOSING TO BELIEVE THAT, OVER MY OWN FEARS, OVER MY OWN DOUBTS, OVER MY OWN FRUSTRATION.

>> WATCHING MY DAD SUFFER THROUGH CANCER IS PROBABLY THE HARDEST THING I'VE EVER GONE THROUGH.

WE JUST HAVE FOUND SO MUCH STRENGTH IN CHRIST IN THE MIDST OF MY FATHER'S WEAKNESS, AND SO, ALTHOUGH IT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY HARD, GOD HAS BLESSED US IN THE MIDST OF IT.

>> AT FIRST, JIM DIDN'T WANT TO GO PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE DEALING WITH.

>> I'M A PRIVATE PERSON, AND I REALLY DIDN'T WANT THAT.

BUT MY WIFE SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, "WE NEED AS MANY PEOPLE PRAYING FOR YOU AS POSSIBLE."

AND IT DIDN'T TAKE ME VERY LONG TO REALIZE SHE WAS RIGHT.

AGAIN.

>> JIM'S FORMER BILLS TEAMMATES AND THE WESTERN NEW YORK COMMUNITY HAVE RALLIED AROUND THEM.

>> PEOPLE GO, "WHY DO YOU LIVE IN BUFFALO?"

WELL, NUMBER ONE -- THE PEOPLE.

NUMBER TWO IS WE LOVE THE BUFFALO BILLS.

BUT NUMBER THREE, IF WE WANT TO GO SOUTH FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, WE'LL GO SOUTH.

I MEAN, IF YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE COLD WEATHER, YOU CAN DO THAT.

BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE PEOPLE WITH YOU.

>> ALTHOUGH JIM STILL HAS SOME LINGERING HEALTH ISSUES, A RECENT MRI DECLARED HIM AGAIN CANCER FREE.

THE KELLYS' WORK WITH HUNTER'S HOPE FOUNDATION CONTINUES.

THE FAMILY SAYS THEY STILL MISS HUNTER EVERY DAY.

>> YOU KNOW, HE WOULD BE 18 YEARS OLD.

WHAT WOULD HE BE LIKE?

WHERE WOULD HE BE GOING TO COLLEGE AT?

WOULD HE BE PLAYING FOOTBALL?

I'LL NEVER KNOW THOSE THINGS.

BUT I'M HAPPY WITH THE LIFE THAT I HAVE.

AND I LIVE EVERY DAY TO ITS FULLEST.

AND I KNOW SOME DAY, THOUGH, I WILL SEE HIM AGAIN.

>> JILL AND ERIN HAVE WRITTEN A NEW BOOK CALLED "KELLY TOUGH."

THE FAMILY SAYS THEY ARE SHARING THEIR EXPERIENCES IN ORDER TO ENCOURAGE OTHER PEOPLE GOING THROUGH DIFFICULT TIMES.

>> IF I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR KIDS OUT THERE, IF I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR ADULTS OUT THERE BY WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH, THANK THE GOOD LORD, BECAUSE I'LL TELL YOU WHAT -- ALL THOSE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WRITE ME LETTERS AND THE EMAILS, THANK YOU, BECAUSE YOU HELP ME.

>> IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, "OOH, LOOK AT THE KELLYS."

IT'S LIKE, "LOOK WHAT GOD HAS DONE."

LOOK WHAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH, BUT LOOK AT HOW GOD HAS USED THAT.

SO WE ALWAYS POINT BACK TO HIM.

WE DON'T WANT -- EVEN THOUGH IT'S OUR STORY, IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE GREATER STORY.

>> AND THEY SAY THAT'S THE REAL ESSENCE OF BEING KELLY TOUGH.

>>> THIS WEEK MARKED THE 60th ANNIVERSARY OF THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT, A PIVOTAL EVENT IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

RELIGIOUS, COMMUNITY AND POLITICAL LEADERS, INCLUDING HILLARY CLINTON, GATHERED IN MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, TO MARK THE ANNIVERSARY.

THE BOYCOTT BEGAN AFTER ACTIVIST ROSA PARKS WAS ARRESTED FOR REFUSING TO GIVE UP HER SEAT ON A SEGREGATED BUS.

THE BOYCOTT WAS ORGANIZED BY LOCAL MINISTERS INCLUDING MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

IT ULTIMATELY HELPED END SEGREGATION.

>>> HEBREW UNIVERSITY'S INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY SAYS IT HAS DISCOVERED A SEAL FOR A PAPYRUS DOCUMENT FROM THE EIGHTH CENTURY BC SIGNED BY THE BIBLICAL KING HEZEKIAH.

RESEARCHERS SUSPECT THE CLAY IMPRINT WAS MADE BY THE KING HIMSELF.

IT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE FIRST JUDEAN SEAL TO BE DISCOVERED BY ARCHEOLOGISTS.

THE SEAL WAS FOUND IN A DUMP BY THE WALL THAT SURROUNDS JERUSALEM'S OLD CITY.

HEZEKIAH RULED AROUND 700 BC AND HELPED BUILD JERUSALEM INTO AN ANCIENT METROPOLIS.

>>> AN ISRAELI WOMEN'S RIGHTS ORGANIZATION HAS ASKED THE COUNTRY'S HIGH COURT TO STRIKE DOWN A RULE THAT BANS WOMEN FROM HAVING ACCESS TO TORAH SCROLLS AT THE WESTERN WALL.

THE ULTRA-ORTHODOX RABBI WHO ADMINISTERS THE WALL HAS BANNED ALL VISITORS FROM BRINGING TORAHS TO THE WALL.

PRAYERS THERE ARE STRICTLY SEPARATED BY GENDER.

SCROLLS ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE IN PRAYERS ON THE MEN'S SIDE OF THE WALL, BUT NOT ON THE WOMEN'S SIDE.

MEANWHILE, ISRAEL'S DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL THIS WEEK SAID THAT WOMEN MUST BE ALLOWED TO LIGHT CANDLES AND SAY A PRAYER DURING OFFICIAL HANUKKAH CEREMONIES AT THE WALL THIS YEAR.

PREVIOUSLY, HANUKKAH CEREMONIES HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE MEN-ONLY SECTION.

THE EIGHT-DAY JEWISH FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS BEGINS AT SUNDOWN ON SUNDAY.

>>> THE CHRISTMAS SEASON OFFICIALLY GOT UNDERWAY IN BETHLEHEM, THE TRADITIONAL BIRTHPLACE OF JESUS.

THE ANNUAL PROCESSION INTO TOWN TOOK PLACE, BUT OTHER ACTIVITIES WILL BE MORE MUTED THAN USUAL.

PALESTINIAN OFFICIALS ASKED THAT THE FESTIVITIES BE LIMITED BECAUSE OF THE RECENT ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS.

>>> ALSO ON OUR CALENDAR, SUNDAY DECEMBER 6th IS ST. NICHOLAS DAY, WHICH HONORS THE EARLY CHRISTIAN SAINT WHO MANY BELIEVE WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR SANTA CLAUS.

FOR CATHOLICS, DECEMBER 8th IS THE FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, WHICH CELEBRATES THEIR BELIEF THAT MARY WAS CONCEIVED WITHOUT SIN.

ON THAT DAY, POPE FRANCIS WILL LAUNCH WHAT HE HAS DESIGNATED A HOLY YEAR OF MERCY.

FRANCIS HAS ASKED THAT IT BE A TIME OF SPECIAL PILGRIMAGES AND EXTRA SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

IN AN INTERVIEW WITH AN "ITALIAN CATHOLIC" MAGAZINE, HE SAID GIVEN ALL THE NEWS ABOUT CRUELTY AND ATROCITIES, THE WORLD NEEDS MERCY AND "A REVOLUTION OF TENDERNESS."

>>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR NOW.

I'M KIM LAWTON.

YOU CAN FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK, AND I'D LOVE TO CONNECT WITH YOU THERE AS WELL.

WATCH US ANYTIME ON THE PBS APP FOR iPHONES AND iPADS.

THERE IS ALSO MUCH MORE ON OUR WEBSITE, WHERE YOU CAN LISTEN TO OR WATCH EVERY PROGRAM.

JOIN US AT PBS.ORG/RELIGIONETHICS.

AS WE LEAVE YOU, THE JEWISH A CAPPELLA GROUP, THE MACCABEATS, AND THEIR NEW HANUKKAH SONG.

♪♪ ♪♪