They announced yesterday that in the UK they've given the go ahead to research involving human-cow hybrid embryos for stem cell research. Now I'm a scientist and I love science. I personally don't see the problem. As far as I'm concerned it's a necessary step in helping us to unlock solutions to many diseases afflicting millions of people.
However, I do also believe the industry needs stricked controls, because we are approaching what is a moral tight rope. I don't want people growing human beings, or human/animal hybrid creatures. Fortunately, I don't think there is not much chance of this happening, it's scientifically improbable and would have very little social and political support.
So where are we headed? And is this somewhere you and I want to go? What are the implications for christians? Does this have anything to do with religion? Should we separate science and religion?
Now genetic manipulation can be used for good and evil. Just like guns or just about anything people have invented. Some people seem to think genetic tinkering is an abomination, but isn't it just a progression of human understanding and advancement? Is it really that different from mechanical inventions?
I'd be interested to know what you guys think.
7.9.07
Genetic Manipulation - "Will we soon be ruled by cow-people?"
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6 comments:
it is a really tough question and boils down (IMO) to one deeper question, when is a human a 'human'. When do we got from being a 'bundle of cells' to being a living, human being?
I'm not 'really' sure where I stand on this, but that is the position I would need to work out to answer your question. If we become a living being 'as soon as the sperm enters the egg' then obviously any form of 'embryo' research is TOTALLY wrong. I too, however, as someone with scientific leanings, find it hard to say 'it is wrong'. But just because i don't 'feel' it is wrong doesn't make it ok.
The other question others ask is 'is any form of animal testing ok'. Did God mean for us to play with animals to better ourselves or are we going outside of his creation in doing that?
Didn't really answer much...in fact posed more questions!
Good topic:)
AHHH!! how can you say we are just a group of cells and THEN turn into a human being??!!
We are human from the get-go and I am totally against stem cell research or any research that starts to head towards trying to become God. i know that is not the point of stem cell research, but it sure is playing with fire.
I've often pondered the "when do we become human" question. It's not easy, and rather than saying whether we are human or not, I like to think that an embryo has the "potential" to become a human.
I personally don't like the notion of avoiding research on the basis that it heads towards trying to become like God. Scientists really aren't trying to play God, they are trying to understand the physical world to solve problems like disease. And you could use that to justify say not performing organ transplants.
For thousands of years people have been breeding animals to produce new breeds or enhance specific traits. Isn't this a form of more subtle genetic manipulation and "God playing" too?
Yes we have moral responsibilities regarding genetic manipulation and its regulation, but it's going to happen eventually. And isn't it our responsibility to pursue technologies like genetherapy and genetic manipulation to hopefully cure people with genetic diseases?
Just my ramblings ;)
Hmmm..."moral" responsibilities. What does "moral" mean? The primary connotation of "moral" is almost always related to matters of "right and wrong". We don't think about things being right and wrong much any more. Everything has become "relative". However, as a Jesus-Follower, I am duty-bound to believe that there must be some sort of final authority on moral issues, or Jesus becomes "relative" as well.
So...for me, I will have to agree with "anonymous" (I think we know who she is...grin) that human life begins at conception, and doesn't begin as a simple clump of cells and later "become" human. Have a read of Psalm 139. Read the early chapters of Jeremiah. To me, these are either the inspired words of authors who were directed by the Holy Spirit (God), or they are just random ramblings of people who were freely expressing their opinons about things...and attributing them to God.
If we believe that people are rambling about "thinking out loud" on paper, but attributing the words to God, there is a SERIOUS issue there. They are not words to be honoured. They are not moral authors. They are arrogant liars. If they are ACTUALLY the words of God, as the authors have attributed them, then they are AUTHORITATIVE in our lives, and have something to speak to these kinds of issues and discussions.
Was Jeremiah really planned before he was concieved? Was David really planned and designed before he was conceived, or were they just playing around with words a bit...and then saying, "OH! That wasn't me...that was God talking!"
Whaddyareckon?
hehehe 'anon'...I don't think i worded it right anyway! Maybe I should have said 'when do we go from being a sperm and an egg to being a human'. This being an honest question. Whilst I do personally 'tend' to lean towards 'right from the get go' it IS still a grey area.
When we get to heaven will there be thousands and thousands of 'lives' that never went past the blastocyst stage? (That is of course if we believe that unborn children go straight to heaven) I don't know if I can 'categorically' say 'yes' to that, therefore I cannot in my scientific mind (I cant help thats how my mind thinks) say we DEFINATELY become human RIGHT from the get go, even if thats the way I theologically lean.
Make sense?
I think it makes sense :)
I've had trouble with this and reconciling the ideas...
"God has planned every person from the get go"
and
"the fact that 25-50% of conceptions are naturally aborted"
You guys have any thoughts on this? Its been bugging me for a bit. Did God plan for the "aborted ones" to abort? Were they all humans even the ones that were only a few cells and as middo mentioned will they go to heaven?
Who started this stupid topic anyway?
I'll read jeremiah tonight Fletch.
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