Harvesting humans

The Brussels Journal reports, "The UK government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) bill contains "grotesque," "horrifying" and "nightmarish" provisions that are reminiscent of the Nazi eugenics policies, says the cardinal archbishop of Edinburgh. … Keith Cardinal O'Brien has issued a scathing open letter telling MPs [members of parliament] who voted for the bill that they are acting against the ethical developments of the last 50 years of human rights laws" (October 31, 2008).

Among other things, this bill would allow the reclamation of ova from aborted female babies for the purpose of cloning new babies. This bill would also allow the mixture of animal and human tissue by transferring DNA from human cells into animal eggs to create "hybrid embryos" ("Embryology Bill: The key points," BBCNews, May 9, 2008).

The BBCNews article continues to explain that the "bill would also allow for the creation of other types of hybrid embryos" including:

1. "True chimeras" containing one cell from an animal embryo added to a human embryo,

2. "Transgenic human embryos" which are genetically modified human embryos containing a small amount of animal DNA, and

3. "True hybrids" which are human eggs fertilized by animal sperm (or vice versa) with the resulting embryo being "approximately 50% human and 50% animal" (ibid.).

As the UK newspaper, The Guardian reported, the bill would also provide legal authority for DNA to be harvested from mentally incapacitated children and adults without their consent. Yes, this means that doctors and government authorities would not only have the right to determine the mental status of people, but would also have the right to remove their DNA to grow new organs, or implant into cow, pig or other animal embryos to create new "hybrid" part-human, part-animal embryos ("Abandoning consent," October 22, 2008).

Proponents of the bill point to the need to study genetic defects to find cures for diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Proponents also note that this bill strengthens the legal position of single women and lesbian couples who desire to conceive without a father.

Catholic Archbishops Mario Conti and Keith O'Brien well summarized what our attitude should be when they stated, "We are frankly appalled at the proposals which would allow the creation of organisms which cross the species barrier" and that the bill "does not respect the dignity of the human person." And, "We are appalled at the presence of abortion and its continued expansion in our society" ("Catholic Church 'Appalled' at Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill," Scottish Catholic Media Office, November 19, 2007).

Apart from the disregard for human rights, many supporters of this bill simply show a complete lack of understanding of what the Bible teaches the goals of family and parenting should be.

God intended for man and woman to marry (Genesis 2:24) and to raise a family (Genesis 1:27-28). God intended for husbands and wives to love and respect each other (Ephesians 5:28). God never intended for people to be victimized or experimented on without their consent … including the littlest, most vulnerable people – those babies that God says He knows even while still in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5).

A happy marriage is not only healthy for the family, but is healthy for society. In fact, God tells us in Isaiah 60 that in His Kingdom there shall be no more violence or disease and that families will grow large. "The smallest family will multiply into a large clan…" (Isaiah 60:22, NLT).

A happy marriage and a healthy family is a Godly blessing. It is to be a model reflecting the Church's relationship with God and Christ (Ephesians 5:22-25). Please request God's Plan for Happy Marriage and Successful Parenting: God's Way to learn more about how you can build such a family.