Thursday, September 30, 2004

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Playing God

I am more and more convinced the world is going straight to hell.

To begin with, we have an article which I read in Monday's National Post. This is part 1 of a 6-part series which is titled "Extreme Babymaking". The Monday article focuses on Jennifer Thomson, who paid US $15,000 to have a genetically-engineered baby girl. The process, called "gender selection", involves a process whereby scientists separate x-chromosomes from y-chromosomes in order to maximize the probability of a specific gender being born. Another process, called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD), is a wonderfully unethical procedure that uses good ol' In-Vitro to create embryos. They will then determine which embryo has the right genetic makeup of the child the parents want and then implant that embryo. Couples have also used this process to reduce the possibility of giving birth to a child with genetic defects.

Tuesday's article focused on grandparents using embryos/sperm from dead children to create "grandchildren from beyond the grave"

Wednesday's article focuses on the possibility that "fetal tissue would be most likely to come from an aborted, miscarried or stillborn baby, the “mother” of this child would never have been born." THERE's a pleasant thought.

Thursday explores the possibility of conceiving children when both parents are HIV-positive. Doctors believe that impregnating an HIV-positive woman with anonymously donated non-HIV sperm will dramatically reduce the possibility of the child being HIV-positive. At least this one has some redeeming qualities.

Who knows what Friday and Saturday will bring?

When will people, especially scientists, get tired of playing God? I have nothing against science and am always amazed at the progress mankind has made in both saving lives and extending lives. Scientific advances have ensured that my two premature-born children not only survived, but thrived. However, genetic engineering, like cloning, stem-cell research, and the like, are messing with things I cannot imagine God ever wanted us to mess with. The gift of life is God-given ONLY and should remain as such. If you have all boys, all girls, or some combination, God has blessed you with those children for a reason and you should be thankful for them. If, for whatever reason, you cannot have children/grandchildren, God intends for you to do something else that will allow you to have impact/influence. I truly believe that. I know some people who have willfully chosen NOT to have kids and continue to lead fulfilling lives. I also know couples who have tried for years to have kids only to have them when they stopped worrying about it.

Long story short.....let GOD control things. You'll be glad you did.