Yay, an interesting topic. Kick back while Deacon reveals his knowledge in an old fashioned sense.
Chapter 1: Genomics and Stem Cell Explanation
Chapter 2: The Recreation of an Animal
Chapter 3: The Genetic Altering of a Creature
Chapter 4: The Possibilities
(I am going to make this long, so enjoy).
Chapter 1: Genomics and Stem Cell Explanation
As I am one who is against being formal when explaining things, please anyone who knows the actual terms of which I speak, keep quiet. I am putting this information in Laymen terms, and will not be racking my brain on finding the scientific names of each definition.
When Stem Cell research originally started, it was the study of the Embryo's of aborted fetus'. They were taken from clinics, and used to research the language of life. Scientists, and Stem Cell enthusiasts who had followed DNA and the Double Helix to a 'T' had been excited to have the opportunity to study the language of life.
Any form of bacteria works much like that of a computer's processor. Your DNA is read, and from what it reads, it outputs the information to your body. Say you get a cut, your DNA tells your body that the cut must then bleed. If you need oxygen, your DNA tells you to intake oxygen. If you must let out tears, your DNA tells you that you need to do so. The information is sent from the area, through the brain, the brain processes the information according to the data it holds, and sends signals back.
Thus telling you to breathe, to live, to die, to cry, to fall, to whatever, your brain does what the body tells it to. Stem Cell Research is the study of the code which your brain processes. Which many enthusiasts like to call "The Programming Language of Life".
When George W. Bush Jr. came into presidency in the United States, he forbade Stem Cell Research to be done on GOVERNMENT funding. He did not disallow the research to be done, but no lab would recieve any money to do such. It is also illegal to harm anything or anyone in any form to study them. Thus the scientists were not allowed to kill an animal, or use an animal to study the language.
While this happened, other countries flourished. The United States was left behind, as other countries began researching and studying Stem Cells even more! It is not illegal to do Stem Cell research, or study, just incredibly hard to be able to. The equipment is very expensive, and the labor is even more expensive.
Chapter 2: The Recreation of an Animal
I believe it occured in Sweden, a scientist went inside the uterus of a chicken, and genetically altered the Chicken's life's program, it's DNA, to make it grow another leg. People were appauled by his actions, and he was immediately taunted and maimed throughout the world. The thing is, the Chicken was born with an extra wing, and was completely normal.
Scientists emphasize the point of Stem Cell Research. They don't want to destroy the world, or over populate it. Their idea is to simply fix that which we have let go. Granted, some of their intentions may not be biblically allowed, but more often than not, their ideas are very noble.
Using DNA, they can recreate anything in the world. The problem being time and money. A typical bacteria is made up of thousands of strands of DNA, the typical human is made up of billions. To process all of that code would take several decades of research and study. Which is why Scientists only study certain strands of DNA. Such as that of Cancer, or of a chicken's wing.
They of course have their sights set much higher, but right now the recreation of animal would be a feat in itself. The ability to do such requires intensive work and brain power. To process an entire genetic code like a brain is very time consuming. Your brain processes your code in 9 months during your period in the womb. Your code tells you how to grow, how to evolve, and how to change. All of this is processed by your mother and yourself.
So you can just imagine how hard it would be to actually KNOW how the development works, and make it happen. A mother doesn't know how the baby develops, or how it works, she just processes the code, and develops the baby. More than that, she is unaware of the immense work her brain is doing.
Chapter 3: The Genetic Altering of a Creature
As I said in the prior chapter, a Sweden scientist altered a chicken to grow an additional wing. This was done using the genetic string of DNA from the mother, and was altered to add an additional wing. All the Scientist had to do was locate the part of the code that said "Grow a wing here" and copy it to another part of the DNA. A chicken was then genetically created inside of the womb of the mother chicken.
This may seem simple, as copying code can be. But actually finding the code which says "Do this here" is very hard. Stem Cell Research helps scientists plot out the entire genetic code of a particular bacteria. This means that if they were to plot out your genetic code, and alter it, then artificially impregnate a female with your full genetic code, then she would give birth to you as you were when they copied you. She would go through the normal birthing cycles and such, however, she would not contribute any of her DNA to the process. Her code would not be able to migrate into your system (Unless she had a cold or an illness that you never had, which could genetically alter the child's code).
Chapter 4: The Possibilities
Stem Cell Research has been around since the 60's when the Double Helix was first discovered. They knew what the human code looked like, so they began studying it. Back then, they didn't have the technology, and Stem Cell Research really didn't kick off until the late 90's. Being such, it is still a young concept, and very immature.
Scientists and Enthusiasts believe that with some time, and some funding, they can kick it off with a bang, however, and get a lot done. Every illness you have is documented in your genetic code, and every possible further illness is as well. EVERYTHING you are is EVERYTHING you are supposed to be. However, outside influence can alter your genetic code, and change your system. This is because you can process other codes as well, which your brain will read as normal, but then your system will be flagged when there's no spot for it.
Let's say you get Cancer, and there was no strands in your system that said you would ever have Cancer. What could have happened, is the Cancer overpowered another part of your code, and implanted itself like viruses do. Your brain will then process this code, and the output will be whatever the code tells it to do. (Such as hair loss, paralysis, or even death).
Since this can happen, however, the opposite can also happen. Scientists can genetically alter your code, so as to remove cancer, to remove asthma, or to remove a stint in growing. With enough time, they can remove the aging chromosone in your body, and make you stay young forever. This of course is not their immediate purpose. Scientists are focussing on cures for diseases, creation of objects to better life, or the recreation of endangered/extinct animals.
The reason religious zealots are against Stem Cell Research is because it is essentially playing God in their eyes. It is the creation of something without having an original act of nature. They see this as a threat, and if Stem Cell Research gets big enough, they know that they could even possibly recreate memory. Doing such will destroy the world of Religion as we know it. Imagine the finding of "Jesus Christ's" bones and actually reproducing his memory.
Like I said, however, this is not their intention, just a fear of a couple of idiots in power. Stem Cell Research is the best route for man. It will end world hunger, it will end poverty, it will end war, it will end all of mans problems. Which means the government will, of course, not fund it.
There you have it. The genetic recreation of a clone is neither destructive nor helpful. It is just the recreation of you. Their brain would process information the same as you do, their body would change the same as yours, you would even think alike. If they figure out the memory strand, then they can also make it know everything you know.
Their is a problem with that, however, being that thinking of creating a clone, would be reproduced in the clones thoughts. Therefore they would. Thus creating an infinum cycle of an artist painting an artist painting an artist painting an artist painting an artist... etc.
You would not be able to control such a clone, as the clone would be your equal, and both of you would know everything about the other. Therefore neither would do it
.
Essentially, that should not be your focus on cloning. The recreation of yourself is not a good/bad idea. It shouldn't even be an idea. The recreation of petroleum, or of food is the idea here.
Scientists say that with funding they can have a cure for aids in 2 months, and a cure for cancer in 3 years. Why does the government not help? Religious zealots, and the loss of money. Think about all the unneccessary doctors.
Hope that answered your question!
(And they have not, ever, created a clone. They have used strands to create certain aspects, but not a full clone. Artificial insemination is, however, the way they would do so.)
. Second of all, cloning a human is much much different than cloning an animal. Cloning an animal is much less dangerous because their systems are smaller and some not as sophisticated. They have to literally make sure that when the DNA mixes (egg and sperm 
