The authors provide that technology has many positive and adverse impacts on human health and from a religious perspective, human cloning has a negative impact. Cloning has numerous advantages and disadvantages which makes it prohibited for religious scholars.
For therapeutic purposes, Iran was amongst the first countries to conduct reproduction technology basing the process on Muslim values. Examined by religious beliefs, human cloning raises ethical concerns based on biblical values. Furthermore, scientists affirm the presence of a high risk of survival of the clones. Indeed, most embryos barely make it to the birth stage hence religion considers the exercise as the killing of innocent souls. This source is useful because it provides some reasons why religious groups find human cloning unethical and illegal. The article is also reliable because it provides recent findings on the topic.
The text covers the principle of taking lives from the biblical worldview known as murder. The biblical teaching of the Ten Commandments prohibits humans from killing. Therefore, when scientists take embryos for cloning and they die before the birth stage, it is considered taking lives. Christians and other believers know it is wrong to end human lives. Religious scholars are faced with the dilemma to practice their beliefs and continue working as scientists.
From my perspective, cloning helps infertile couples but since the harm involved if it does not succeed and biblical teachings about reproduction, I consider it wrong. The cloning of embryos exposes little humans to the danger of death. As the research shows, there is a high probability of death for embryos before birth age. Thus, cloning entails killing humans and that is against the biblical teachings.
The article evaluates the position of religions in the world of technological reproduction. Human cloning is an innovative reproductive process and has been helpful to infertile couples and LGBTQ+. However, it has attracted the attention of many experts including religious scholars. After assessing three religions including Christianity, Muslim, and Judaism, the study found that Muslims do not address the issue directly.
Christianity and Judaism insist on the traditional reproductive process which involves the participation of females and males in conception. Therefore, the Semitic religions profoundly reject the procedure of human cloning. Religious experts need to conduct more research on the topic before making any comments. This source is useful because it sheds light on the opinions of the three religions regarding technological procedures. Furthermore, it provides a perspective of religious experts in the health field. Although human cloning practice helps some people, the Semitic religions prefer the natural way of reproduction.
The principle of natural reproduction as commanded in the bible arises. The biblical teaching demands the participation of males and females in conception. It is the only way God showed the believers hence they have no other practice to believe. Both Judaism and Christianity trust the reproductive method provided by God. Therefore, from a religious perspective, human cloning is acting against the orders of God as provided by the bible.
My view is that as a believer, it is only right to stick to the biblical teachings. God through the Scripture does not advise on any other way of reproduction but the sexual intimacy way, hence I should not follow any other way. Furthermore, God advised the man to marry a woman and reproduce through the act of sexual intimacy. It is for the same reason that Christians should follow the scripture and act accordingly.
The authors provide that human cloning helps infertile couples and organ transplant needs. The practice of cloning humans is not wrong, but the intentions behind it can be different. In therapeutic cloning, human organs are transplanted from one person to another. The procedure intends to help another person but morally, helping a person should not be at the cost of another person. In the process of transplanting, an organ is created while another is killed. Therefore, from a moral evaluation, the intentions of cloning are bad. The authors provide that human cloning might end up replacing the natural way of reproduction.
Thus, cloning would pose a threat to human dignity, influence abuse, and could lead to the commodification of people. This source helps reveal the consequences of human cloning as well as the potential threats involved. From a religious view, the source gives more reasons to reject the practice in protest of human dignity. Human cloning is a threat to morally wrong because it poses a threat to human life.
The article raises the principle of protecting the threatened human dignity. The Bible seeks to protect the lives of humans and allows no one but God to interfere with them. It is for the same reason the Scripture provides that humans should not kill one another. Therefore, to protect human dignity and existence, believers must refuse cloning technology. Christians have distanced themselves from the act of ending lives.
My opinion is to keep off cloning to protect the respect of humankind. Human dignity even without considering religion should be protected at a social level. It is morally right to respect the way of existence of humans. Using technology to create children is showing that we are not proud of the natural procreation way. Humans should be proud of their sources and traditional ways of doing things, including giving birth.
The author provides that the church does not decline cloning for research as long as the used stem cells are not from humans. The act of using human embryos for scientific research is considered a sin in a church setting. The church opposes the use of embryos for stem cells because it involves killing them. Furthermore, the church revokes the act of reproductive cloning because it is not according to the will of God. Believers attest that couples should practice the act of patience by waiting upon the Lord. Thus, when they look for alternative ways of creating children, the couples show a lack of faith in God. The source is useful in proving more reasons why Christians should be against human cloning. It provides proof that reproductive cloning is an act of lack of faith. Believers should show faith by the willingness of waiting upon God, the sole creator. Therefore, human cloning is wrong because it destroys human life and shows a lack of faith.
The source raises the principle of having faith in God as required of Christians. Church believers know that God requires them to have faith in his intentions and actions. Furthermore, lack of faith shows distrust in God and it is such actions as reproductive cloning that prove so. Scientists should find other legible sources of stem cells other than using human organs. The church discourages reproductive cloning to protect religious scholars from sinning murder.
My opinion is that scientists should consider other sources of stem cells but embryos. I want to believe that other sources of stem cells could be used instead of killing an already breathing fetus. Believers on the other end should wait upon the Lord and have natural reproduction. The act of waiting for God to bless couples with children is a test of faith. Church believers cannot claim to have faith if they cannot wait on God’s timing. Therefore, the church should continue discouraging reproductive cloning and encourage couples to wait for the lord’s blessings.
Scientists through the use of stem cells find a cure for various human diseases. The stem cells are obtained from human embryos which require cloning for reproduction. When they are cloned, the embryos are destroyed for use in creating treatments for diseases. Therefore, therapeutic cloning is manipulative because it creates a life with intentions of later destruction. When reproduction is done, humans undermine the power and purpose of God to give children.
The Christian Institute (n.d) provides that God has reasons for giving couples children at specific times or not at all. Hence, when a man creates a child through cloning, it is proving superior to our creator. This source is useful because it tells the kind of religious sin people commits by undermining the creator of human life. Thus, human cloning is wrong because it is the act of life destruction and undermining of God’s power and level of reasoning.
The principle of God as the sole creator of human life is raised in the article. Human life should only exist because it is provided by God. In the beginning, God created a man and ordered him to go and reproduce with a woman. He has reasons for giving certain couples children and denying others the same. The embryos are used as a source of treatment when used in therapeutic cloning.
My perception is that as a believer, scientists undermine the will of God by cloning. When humans clone embryos for babies, they are assuming the role of Creator. Taking the role of God, the creator of humans is blasphemy. Furthermore, scientists could find other sources of making treatments for diseases. Believers must understand their boundaries when it comes to doing the work of God. Hence, religious scholars should only be cloning, whereby they do not hurt other humans.