Soylent Green is People: Proposal to Make and Store Embryos for Stem Cells
More proof in that embryonic stem cell research is not--and never has been--about getting some use out of leftover IVF embryos that are due to be destroyed anyway. A serious proposal has been forwarded to make embryos for the purpose of storing them as a source of future medical need. From the story:
Couples could be allowed to store embryos in order to use them to create new body parts or cure diseases.Given that this is Brave New Britain, it is easy to predict the answer.
Government legal and ethical experts are to discuss whether families can 'bank' embryos not just for procreation but also for use by doctors to create personalised treatments for parents and their children.
Now, [under UK law] embryos--the first stage of life after an egg has been successfully fertilised--can be stored for up to five years but only for procreation. But a huge ethical debate is set to erupt as the Government's fertility watchdog, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), moves closer to endorsing new developments in medical science.It will debate whether embryos could be stored to harvest important stem cells that have the ability to turn into any tissue type in the body.
This is figurative cannibalism, treating nascent human life as if it were a prize cattle herd or copper mine. But if you don't believe in human exceptionalism and its concomitant principle of the the sanctity/equality of human life, why not use human beings as we do other natural resources?
And it won't stop with embryos. Once the principle is accepted that living human beings can be objectified as a product, there is no way that enterprise will be limited to the earliest humans. Indeed, as I have often described, fetal farming is on the table and the already born weak and vulnerable are being looked upon by some as sources of organs and subjects for medical experimentation.
Ideas have consequences. Once we state that human life does not have intrinsic moral value simply and merely because it is human, there isn't much that we can't justify.
Labels: Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Human Exceptionalism. Human Beings as Natural Resources.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 8:59 AM
9 Comments
9 Comments:
This is no modest proposal.
There's a group like that in the Bay Area that is somewhat proposing the same thing. "Don't throw away those embryos. We'll store them and someday may be able to make personalized stem cell lines for treatments for you or your family members." That's how I read it. We have a fertility specialist who is part of that up here in Reno, NV (450 mi from LV) who was promoting it and soliciting embryos for these purposes last year.
http://www.stemlifeline.com, see also http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/29/MNU1SM8LS.DTL and etc. At the time of the latter article in the SF Chronicle and an op-ed by Christopher Scott at Stanford, it seemed the ESCR community wasn't high on this at the time. Maybe we are ahead of Brave New Britain on this.
Wesley, I know that you guys are way smarter than 'I am' but I still must give you my Canadian two cents worth. I won't be able to write much on it here now because the boys in white might come after me. :)
It's really not funny cause they've locked me UP four times for simply thinking out loud.
I don't have time here to write a book and between you and me I hate writing but if I don't warn humanity then I'm just as guilty as Adam and Eve.
To make a long story short which is not possible for me so where do I go from here?
We really are made in the image of God and since the mid sixties I've been teasing the spiritual world until I knew for sure that they really did exist. In all honesty I must thank Thomas who walked with Jesus for what I've learned in prayer.
It burns withing me to tell you stories but I would be short changing all of you so between me and you just keep saying what is this guy talking about and let your sincere heart and mind lead the way and not your DNA.
Mum's the word or is it MOM'S The Word? Whatever!
I hear ya! There's nothing wrong with you Victor, it's the rest of the world.
You guys learn fast! :)
God Bless,
Peace
Victor: I never know what you are talking about, but God bless and peace to you, too.
You didn't have to be so honest!
I hear ya! It's a no win situation Victor cause I'm dammed if I do and dammed if I don't! :)
God Bless,
Peace
Victor -
I LOVE when you write! It's like the literary equvilant of an Out-Of-Body-Experience! (cue me clapping loudly) Thanks for coming in and playing with us.
Wesley -
Open revolt and exile seems to be the only possible option for people who believe in justice to avoid injustice. Seriously, this is insane. How long before toddlers are measured to be used as spare parts?
How totally terrfied of death *is* England, anyway? I can't believe that all the atheists there who tout how wonderful life is without God are so hypocritical that they're looking to unborn humans as their ticket to immortality! Apparently the majority of them are liars when they say, "I'm not afriad of death because I don't believe in an afterlife." Ha!
That *has* to be it, because I can't think of any other reason why anyone who is intelligent would be so eager to do experiments on unborn humans in the name of fixing their own bodies.
Thank you T E Fine for your warm and kind comment but how did you know that I was playing with usual sinners? :)
God Bless
Bless you too, Victor. (cue a big hug from me) I knew it because you're so much fun, and you make things interesting and silly and wonderful. No jokes, I *do* enjoy when you write on the blog! I'm glad you're around.
Thanks again T E Fine and you're starting to make me blush but for the record, that's a spiritual Christian hug which I on occasions give to priest and my good bishop that you just gave me! Right? :)
My next post will probably be named Christian Blessing Coming. I've got it down to about ten books in my brain cells and it being my wife's birthday tomorrow I'm not sure when I'll have time to compress it. I'm in no hurry because a billion years is but a moment for Our Heavenly Father.
I better stop now before I go off on a tangent.
I hear ya Wesley! Hey this is my blog Victor! (lol)
Peace
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