There is a growing chasm in our culture. On
one side are those who hold that life and marriage are sacred. On the other side are the Nimrods.
one side are those who hold that life and marriage are sacred. On the other side are the Nimrods.
Nimrod is used to refer to someone as afool. The term comes from Nimrod, the
king of Shina. According to the Book of
Genesis and Chronicles, Nimrod was the son of Cush and great-grandson of
Noah. He was prideful and Godless and commissioned the
building of the tower of Babel to reach heaven.
Seeing their pride and independence, God confounded the people’s speech
so that they could no longer work together on the project.
The Nimrods of today are also prideful and
set on building as if creation is their own apart from God. This has taken many
forms, the latest of which is building babies made from three parents. According to a BBC News Health article
“Three-person IVF moves closer in the UK” soon, babies might be put together in
a petri dish with two eggs from different women and one sperm.
set on building as if creation is their own apart from God. This has taken many
forms, the latest of which is building babies made from three parents. According to a BBC News Health article
“Three-person IVF moves closer in the UK” soon, babies might be put together in
a petri dish with two eggs from different women and one sperm.
“The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
(HFEA) has advised the government that there is no evidence the advanced forms
of IVF were unsafe,” the article says.
They believe the benefits outweighed the risks. That is, it seems, if you
leave God out of it. As Nimrod once did.
(HFEA) has advised the government that there is no evidence the advanced forms
of IVF were unsafe,” the article says.
They believe the benefits outweighed the risks. That is, it seems, if you
leave God out of it. As Nimrod once did.
The government is pondering whether to allow such
mixing and matching of human creation to switch out DNA with the goal to avoid
incurable genetic diseases. If officials say it’s okay, Britain would become
the first country to spruce up the DNA of embryos with a little help from a
donor egg.
mixing and matching of human creation to switch out DNA with the goal to avoid
incurable genetic diseases. If officials say it’s okay, Britain would become
the first country to spruce up the DNA of embryos with a little help from a
donor egg.
What’s the big deal?
After all, it’s only an egg and women are born with 400,000 of them. We
are already making babies outside of the sex act between a man and a woman, so what
harm would it do to borrow a part or two from an egg no one is using? With in vitro fertilization, children are produced through a technical
process. The Catholic Church loves
babies, they are prolife extraordinaire, but the Church teaches that creation
through human technology is against God’s plan.
After all, it’s only an egg and women are born with 400,000 of them. We
are already making babies outside of the sex act between a man and a woman, so what
harm would it do to borrow a part or two from an egg no one is using? With in vitro fertilization, children are produced through a technical
process. The Catholic Church loves
babies, they are prolife extraordinaire, but the Church teaches that creation
through human technology is against God’s plan.
This is not to make light of the pain of infertility. Since I have not
suffered through either infertility or genetic diseases, I hesitated to address
this situation of 3-parent children. But then, I have accepted Church teachings
on all matters and do not pick and choose which ones I will follow.
suffered through either infertility or genetic diseases, I hesitated to address
this situation of 3-parent children. But then, I have accepted Church teachings
on all matters and do not pick and choose which ones I will follow.
Dr. Haas, President of the National Catholic Bioethics Center, Boston, MA
and a consultant to the NCCB Committee for Pro-Life Activites, wrote an article
explaining Catholic teaching on this, Begotten Not Made: A Catholic View of
Reproductive Technology. He explained that in 1987, the morality of fertility procedures were
addressed by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Donum
Vitae (“The Gift of Life”). According to him, the Congregation determined
that some methods are moral, while others are immoral and against the dignity
of the person and the institution of marriage. Treatments to enhance and
improve a couple’s fertility can be acceptable, but there is an obligation to
protect all human life in the process.
and a consultant to the NCCB Committee for Pro-Life Activites, wrote an article
explaining Catholic teaching on this, Begotten Not Made: A Catholic View of
Reproductive Technology. He explained that in 1987, the morality of fertility procedures were
addressed by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Donum
Vitae (“The Gift of Life”). According to him, the Congregation determined
that some methods are moral, while others are immoral and against the dignity
of the person and the institution of marriage. Treatments to enhance and
improve a couple’s fertility can be acceptable, but there is an obligation to
protect all human life in the process.
“Donum Vitae teaches that if a given medical intervention helps or assists
the marriage act to achieve pregnancy, it may be considered moral,” Dr. Haas
said, “if the intervention replaces the marriage act in order to engender life,
it is not moral.”
the marriage act to achieve pregnancy, it may be considered moral,” Dr. Haas
said, “if the intervention replaces the marriage act in order to engender life,
it is not moral.”
However, the Church has clearly and unequivocally judged in vitro
fertilization or IVF, as immoral. “Unfortunately, most Catholics are not aware
of the Church’s teaching, do not know that IVF is immoral, and some have used
it in attempting to have children,” he said.
In such a case, Dr. Haas said that couples unaware that the procedure is
immoral are not subjectively guilty of sin. “Children conceived through this
procedure are children of God and are loved by their parents, as they should
be.”
fertilization or IVF, as immoral. “Unfortunately, most Catholics are not aware
of the Church’s teaching, do not know that IVF is immoral, and some have used
it in attempting to have children,” he said.
In such a case, Dr. Haas said that couples unaware that the procedure is
immoral are not subjectively guilty of sin. “Children conceived through this
procedure are children of God and are loved by their parents, as they should
be.”
He acknowledged that the reason IVF is wrong is hard to understand for some
people and explained some of the problems.
“In vitro fertilization brings about new life in a petri dish… The egg
and sperm are ultimately joined in a glass dish…. The new life is not
engendered through an act of love between husband and wife, but by a laboratory
procedure performed by doctors or technicians. Not infrequently, “donor”
eggs or sperm are used….
people and explained some of the problems.
“In vitro fertilization brings about new life in a petri dish… The egg
and sperm are ultimately joined in a glass dish…. The new life is not
engendered through an act of love between husband and wife, but by a laboratory
procedure performed by doctors or technicians. Not infrequently, “donor”
eggs or sperm are used….
“But even if the egg and sperm come from husband and wife, serious moral
problems arise. Invariably several embryos are brought into existence; only
those which show the greatest promise of growing to term are implanted in the
womb. The others are simply discarded or used for experiments. This is a
terrible offense against human life. While a little baby may ultimately be born
because of this procedure, other lives are usually snuffed out in the process.”
problems arise. Invariably several embryos are brought into existence; only
those which show the greatest promise of growing to term are implanted in the
womb. The others are simply discarded or used for experiments. This is a
terrible offense against human life. While a little baby may ultimately be born
because of this procedure, other lives are usually snuffed out in the process.”
Many in our culture have discarded Church teaching and treat babies like
commodities to be made. Abnormalities are cause for terminating the life and
now it is cause for trying to fix it up by changing out parts. But we are human, not commodities, not used
cars, not anything less than a sacred creation with eternal value.
commodities to be made. Abnormalities are cause for terminating the life and
now it is cause for trying to fix it up by changing out parts. But we are human, not commodities, not used
cars, not anything less than a sacred creation with eternal value.
No doubt, some might liken this a 3-parent embryo to organ transplants or
artificial parts. But the difference is that in one case there is healing and
repair in the other it is creating a human being.
artificial parts. But the difference is that in one case there is healing and
repair in the other it is creating a human being.
Some say it’s a Brave New World.
I say it’s a world full of Nimrods.
Again, I am not making light of the yearning and pain of desiring
children, or the pain of genetic diseases. But this is not the way.
What do you think?
I say it’s a world full of Nimrods.
Again, I am not making light of the yearning and pain of desiring
children, or the pain of genetic diseases. But this is not the way.
What do you think?
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