Just a shameless plug for my latest piece at the National Catholic Register. The subject is a difficult one: human genetic engineering. It is an important topic and I am glad the Register decided to publish it, thereby introducing their readers to the world of genetic engineering in humans. We Catholics need to become educated and vocal about this topic now while we still can influence the progression of this technology.
Unfortunately, as I expected, there are no comments or discussion on the piece, likely because it falls outside the comfort zone of many Catholics. I fear we ignore human genetic engineering and other cutting edge biotechnology at our own peril. While the pro-human enhancement movement is gaining momentum selling hard to Christians and kids with a new show on the Disney Channel, our Church’s wise teachings on the issue are not getting the attention that they should.
If you feel the topic is important like I do, please leave a comment on the piece, or share it on Facebook or Twitter, so the editors at the Register will know that it is a discussion worth having now and in the future.
Read “Human or Superhuman?” at the National Catholic Register >>
Rebecca Taylor blogs at Mary Meets Dolly
May 9, 2012 at 3:41 pm
I've only got a few minutes, so this is quick, and not completely thought through. It is not a religious argument, although I do object on moral grounds that God is the creator of life and we are not to play God. But from a practical standpoint, what occurs to me is that people don't really understand what genetic engineering is – me included, and I am a physician. So they will be easy to lead astray on this matter. I am pretty sure that as soon as this technology is fully developed, and becomes accepted by the public because they can recognize certain potential benefits that no one could deny: eliminate sickle cell anemia, Tay-Sachs, myopia, and baldness, then it will be abused and manipulated. Utopian visionaries of the brand that are already too common in our governmental leadership, will want to select for certain traits that they will claim will lead to a "peaceful, sustainable" society. Just remember Brave New World: the epsilon "semi-morons" were the majority of the test-tube babies. They were deliberately deprived of normal intelligence so that they would do the will of the masters without complaint. Sound paranoid? Yeah, it does, but I'm worried. Another practical objection is the Frankenstein syndrome: unintended consequences (let imaginations run wild here). Anyway, these are some potential points of discussion. It is important to start thinking about this. Thanks, Kitt