FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS, volume 9, number 12, March 25, 2010*
. . . and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them, Genesis 11:6.
Bio-Medical Ethics in Our Brave New World
A plethora of applications are available from the pride of man in the story of the Tower of Babel . I could stress how we, in our pride, attempt to build our own empires in a refusal to submit to God’s revealed will. If we were living in 1890 I could cite the technological arrogance of the French who believed they could build a sea level canal in Panama , like they had done some thirty years before in Suez . Their effort nearly bankrupted France , threw thousands of ordinary French stockholders into financial ruin, and brought the death of twenty-five thousand canal workers from yellow fever and malaria. If we lived in 1915 I could cite the technological arrogance of the British who boasted of making an unsinkable ship, which on its maiden voyage sank in the frigid waters of the north Atlantic after hitting an iceberg, bringing some thousand people to their deaths. But we live in the brave new world of the twenty-first century, and we face our own examples of bio-medical technological arrogance.
I feel the pain of infertile couples.[1] I grieve for the man who helplessly watches his dear wife of fifty years slowly decline mentally and physically through the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. And my heart aches for the young couple who stands close by, seeing their beloved eleven year old daughter die from Hodgkin’s disease. Bio-medical technology today is capable of remarkable things, and soon will be able to do even more remarkable ones. The question is—should they do them? Doctors and scientists are able through artificial insemination to take the sperm of a genetically desirable donor, unite it with the egg of a woman, implant the embryo in the womb, and produce a designer child. To aid a couple unable to conceive in the woman’s womb, through in vitro fertilization IVF) doctors can bring the sperm and egg together to form an embryo and implant it into the woman’s womb. In a desire to cure Alzheimer’s disease and various forms of cancer, scientists are able to harvest stem cells from human embryos and use them to duplicate any of the two hundred and twenty types of human cells. Perhaps soon scientists will be able to take the DNA from a cell and place it into a human embryo by removing the original DNA from the embryo, and clone a human being or a human heart, liver, kidney, or lung with the same genetic code. This will remove the possibility of the body rejecting the organ since it will have the precise genetic code. And a woman who is unable to carry a baby in her womb can hire a surrogate mother to carry the child for her.
As we consider these bio-medical ethical questions, there are two options for us. First—we can, therefore we will; and second—though we can, we will not. There is Biblical precedent for both these options. King Saul was soon to enter battle against the Philistines and was waiting on Samuel to come and offer sacrifices. Samuel was delayed so Saul took matters into his own hands and made the sacrifices. He could, therefore he did. King David saw Bathsheba, desired her, took her, and had her husband killed in battle. He could, therefore he did. God judged both Saul and David for their presumption. We can perform artificial insemination by a donor. We can perform in vitro fertilization. We can harvest embryonic stem cells. We may soon be able to clone humans. We can use surrogate mothers. We can, but should we?
What is driving bio-medical people to do these things? Most of them, perhaps, have a genuine effort to better people’s lives, to give them a longer life with better quality. Some no doubt want to relieve suffering. They, however, neglect the creature-Creator distinction found in Scripture. Paul says that God gave the ungodly over to the lusts of their flesh that their bodies may be dishonored among them because the worshipped the creature rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25). They have forgotten that they are not God. At the end of the day, they are guilty of the same pride, arrogance, and rebellion exhibited by Adam and Eve in the garden and the builders at Babel .
The second option—though we can, we will not—is one that also desires to relieve suffering people and to improve the quality of life. It however, maintains the creature-Creator distinction while also embracing the cultural mandate to improve the world, to rule over the earth and to subdue it. Though such scientists and doctors can do these things, though they have the same natural curiosity as the others, they submit to God by denying themselves. They sometimes eschew the notoriety, advancement, and financial reward such research could bring them. On two occasions David had the opportunity to kill King Saul who had been hunting him for years, but he resisted both times (1 Samuel 24, 26). Though he could, he chose not to do it.
So, what should our response be to artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, stem cell research, cloning, and surrogate mothers? While the Scriptures do not speak directly or explicitly to these issues, principles, nonetheless, can be gleaned from them to give us clear direction. I suggest, therefore, we use these three questions to qualify our response to these and other bio-medical issues that will present themselves in the near future. One— is the procedure undermining the sanctity of all human life? Take IVF, for example. Should Christians engage in it? It depends. In IVF typically a large number of embryos are taken from the couple and frozen until they are used. If the couple has agreed to use all the embryos to grow children in the wife’s womb, then there is no problem. But what if twenty embryos were gathered? Is a couple willing to have twenty children? Since the egg and sperm, when united, is a human embryo, to destroy it is murder. And this leads to how we ought to view embryonic stem cell research and cloning. Embryonic stem cell research destroys the embryo, bringing death to it. Cloning destroys the God-given, genetic identity of the embryo. In addition, a large number of embryos are used in hopes of getting one clone “to take.” By the way, the embryos used in embryonic stem cell research and cloning are typically left over embryos, no longer wanted by the couple who wants children through IVF. You also need to know that embryonic stem cell research is proving an unreliable method of curing cancer or Alzheimer’s. Scientists are finding that embryonic stem cells are cancerous.[2]
There are means of stem cell research that are certainly beneficial and agreeable with Scripture. Adult stem cells (taken from cells in the brain, teeth, placenta or umbilical cord of the after birth, etc.) are proving more reliable in curing disease. And a relatively new innovation in stem cell research is showing great promise. It is called induced pluripotent stem cells. Scientists are altering adult stem cells in such a way that they are proving to have the same or nearly the same flexibility as embryonic stem cells.
Two—are we dethroning God by designing life and bringing death? To use artificial insemination by donor is a denial of God’s sovereignty. God has chosen a particular husband for wife, and they are to use his seed to produce children, not some other man’s. But what if the man is impotent? They the couple must submit to God’s sovereign plan to not have children between them. There is always the possibility of adoption. And this prevents our use of cloning too, not only because many of the embryos used in the project die, but also because the genetic code of the embryo is altered.
And third—are we undermining the sanctity of marriage? To use a donor other than the husband, or to use a surrogate mother, is to bring outside parties into the marriage covenant, and this is forbidden by God. There no doubt will also be psychological and emotional problems that can arise from these practices.
But what if you have used a donor to make a baby? What if you have used a surrogate mother? What if you have destroyed embryos, which you did not want implanted in the wife’s womb, by offering them up for embryonic stem cell research or cloning? Well, you must acknowledge that you have sinned against God, and you must repent of your sin. You are guilty of pride, arrogance, and rebellion against the sovereign plan of God. But also remember that there is always hope in Jesus. He is quick and ready to forgive you if you run to Him in repentance and faith. And what if you know other believers who have engaged in these unlawful practices? You should tell them what I just told you. And what if you have unbelieving friends who see nothing wrong with these things? Be patient with them. They probably do not have the capacity to understand these things for they do not have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:12).
[1] In 2002 twelve percent of couples in America were infertile. <www.pregnancy.lovetoknow.com>
[2] For a lot more information look at <www.citizenslink.org> under “issue analysis” and <www.youtube.com> where Dr. Oz tells Oprah and Michael J. Fox that embryonic stem cells are proving ineffective to fight Parkinson’s, even cancerous, while induced pluripotent stem cells are quite promising.
* I have taken a sabbatical from my series on revival to write this devotional.
FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS is a weekly devotional by Reverend Al Baker, pastor of Christ Community Presbyterian Church in West Hartford, Connecticut.
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