When scientists attempted to clone sheep, they failed 277 times. But to attempt to clone humans and fail means that the result is dead human beings. Producing human embryos with the full knowledge that many of them will die is morally and ethically wrong.
What will happen to the mishaps (the dead and the retarded ones)? Ethically, cloning experiments should be done to the subject’s benefit, but the truth is that it is not. Further, the embryos can’t give their medical “informed consent” to what is being done to them. Cloning simply steals the rights of the unborn.
Human life, as a gift from God (Acts 17:25), is sacred. Embryos are living human beings. We are made in the “image and likeness of God” (Genesis 1:26-27). Solomon warns against the shedding of innocent blood, “there are six things which Jehovah hateth; yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood” (6:16-17).
The current risks of death, abnormalities and tampering with the sacredness of human life should rule cloning experiments out. Cloning humans for spare parts or to use as guinea pigs for statistical studies is not acceptable. Scientific experiments for the manipulation of the human genome should never be conducted for at the expense of life.
Further, the methods of donor eggs, donor sperm, surrogate mothers, and cloning oppose God’s divinely original plan for the family and for reproduction. God designed that the husband and the wife will bring children to life: “And the man knew Eve, his wife; and she conceived…” (Genesis 4:1). The marriage institution was blessed by God for a holy purpose (1 Timothy 5:14). The male and female would unite to bring forth another part of their flesh to life (Hebrews 13:4; I Corinthians 6:16; 7:1-5). The family creates a most suitable environment for the well-being of the children. It is an ideal situation for the children’s physical and spiritual development.
There are many scientific experiments that are done in the world for the noble reasons of curing of disease, healing, and relieving suffering humanity of pain, but experiments that violate the sacredness of life should be opposed. The end never justifies the means.
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
