Making Life Better, or Playing God?
... of cloning that could be particularly beneficial is embryo cloning. Embryo cloning can be used to create new human body parts and organs. “Scientists are working on a method in which they produce a new embryo from the existing person’s cells, and then use the cells from that embryo to produce replacement for the failing body part in the original human.” This means that people with a diseased heart can have cells taken form their bodies, have a new embryo made, and have that new embryo produce a new heart for the person, which would then be surgically placed in the person’s body after the old heart is removed. (Arber 98) Another benefit of cloning is to produce super crops. Super crops are genetically engineered crops that have increased resistance to diseases and unfavorable weather. This means that in regions of the world where droughts and famine is common, people would be able to keep themselves from going hungry. The crops are engineered to withstand long periods of drought and still produce, providing the region with food. This type of agricultural cloning is turning into a type of eugenics. Researchers are now able to produce genetically engineered livestock to be more productive, and engineered crops to be able to stay fresh longer, resist diseases, and resist unfavorable weather.(Arber 51) According to Larry Thompson’s, Human Gene Therapy: Harsh Lesson, High Hopes., Another form of genetic engineering is somatic cell manipulation. Somatic cell manipulation is adding genes to existing cells in some part of the human body. Scientists are experimenting with ways to introduce genes into the blood cells of people with hemophilia and Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID). Hemophilia is a blood disorder in which delayed clotting of the blood and consequent difficulty in controlling hemorrhage even after minor injuries occurs. SCID is a rare congenital disorder of the immune system that is characterized by inability to produce a normal complement of antibodies and T cells and that usually results in early death. Scientist are trying to figure out new ways to correct the genetic component of the disease rather than treating the disease with drugs. Researchers also see somatic cell manipulation as a promising way to treat serious diseases such as cystic fibrosis. (Sexton 1). Cystic fibrosis involves functional disorder of the exocrine glands, and is marked especially by faulty digestion due to a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes, by difficulty in breathing due to mucus accumulation in airways, and by excessive loss of salt in the sweat. According to Timothy Demy and Gary Stewart’s, Genetic Engineering: A Christian Response, It is argued by many people that cloning is unethical, and immoral. These people claim that scientist and researchers are “playing God.” If a doctor prescribes a person medicine, is he playing God? The doctor is treating an illness that killed people in the past, and yet no person questions the doctor as “playing God” when he gives that person the medicine that makes them well again. The reason that people do not trust genetic...