Christian morals

9. Recently I have received an electronic newspaper published by a consumers’ association, which comments on the events which come into the limelight daily, and sometimes it makes specific petitions for certain matters which are in the public interest. The most recent matter they have dealt with is cloning. Here is the text of the petition concerning this subject which has been put on line by this association (ADUC): IN FAVOUR OF THE THERAPEUTIC HUMAN CLONING. The petition asks that the use of the embryos which have been already produced should be allowed to carry out research on them, in order to produce staminal cells; their use will allow man to treat diseases such as leukaemia, infarct, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, sclerosis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and traumas of bones and tendons. Surely you are preparing a study on this subject. However, I want to urge you to explain, in the light of the Bible, the subject of the petition made by the above mentioned association. Particularly I would like you to tell me what the following expression ‘the use of the embryos which have been already produced to carry out research on them, in order to produce staminal cells’ means. At first sight it makes me think of something which is horrible and I wonder, ‘Can we sacrifice a life in the name of the research?’

First of all I want to give a brief introduction in order to explain what cloning is. As you probably know, not many days ago, the British Parliament as well as the American Government gave the green light to the research and the experimentation on the staminal cells of the embryo. What are the staminal cells? They are cells which form four days after the conception. They are the cells which are the base of all tissues and organs of the body. At a certain point, they become muscles, blood, bones, nerves, skin, or other tissues and organs (obviously we who have known the truth know that it is God who creates these cells and from them He forms all these parts of the human body). Scientists think that the growth of these cells can be guided in laboratory. They hope that they will be able to grow new skin to help the victims of serious burns, to replace the nervous cells which have been damaged by the Parkinson’s disease, or to repair the nervous links to restore the sensitivity or the movement to the persons who are paralyzed. Some scientists think that it is possible to grow some organs of the human body which are genetically compatible with the patients. In other words, they think that the staminal cells can be used to create new organs to replace, for instance, diseased hearts. This is the research on the staminal cells of the embryo, but there is also a research on the grown-up staminal cells. Scientists, however, are more interested in the research on the staminal cells which are in the embryo stage because they have a less limited potential of subdividing. At this point it must be said also that the embryos on which scientists want to carry out their research are the frozen embryos which are in the assisted fecundation centres (that is, those centres created for the fecundation in vitro). These embryos, according to what it is said, are being created in this way. In the patient the ovarial stimulation usually allows to obtain from ten to fifteen grown-up oocytes. About seventy per cent of them are fecundated and an average of ten embryos are obtained through each treatment. Generally three of them are implanted, while the rest of them are frozen.

Why don’t these scientists, who carry out researches on the human embryo, have any scruples? The reason is simple, because they don’t consider the embryo a human being. Here is what Jan Wilmut, the Scottish scientist who cloned the sheep Dolly three years ago, declared during the recent International Congress on Transplant (which took place in Rome): ‘The embryo – he said – is a potential human being, it is not yet a person, for there is not the differentiation of the nervous system, which distinguishes the human being. That’s why I believe that we can use embryonal cells in order to seek cures for many diseases. And the United Kingdom has allowed this kind of use’ (translated by myself from Italian).

In Italy there are people who are in favour of it, but there are also many people who are against it. Obviously, those who are in favour of this kind of research will try to persuade people – and that’s what they are doing – that it is a good thing to encourage research to go on even in this field, so that in the future many diseases may be eradicated, etc.

Is it lawful, in the light of the Word of God, to carry out researches and experimentations on the human embryo? No, it isn’t, because such a human behaviour is contrary to the law of God and thus is detested by God. Therefore we also must detest it. Why? Because the staminal cells, which are in the embryo, are parts of the human body which are created by God to form the various organs and tissues of the body, therefore they are a work of God and nobody has the right to manipulate the work of His hands. When David, the king of Israel, said to God: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16 - NIV), even though he did not have the scientific knowledge that scientists have today, he recognized that it was God who had worked in his mother’s womb since his conception, it was God who had formed him with His hands since his father had put his semen in his wife (David’s mother). This expression ‘my frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth” explain these things wonderfully.

Therefore the staminal cells must remain where they are, that is, inside the embryo; God put them there and they must remain there. Scientists – and unfortunately even some who call themselves Christians – defend their position by saying that the human embryo is not yet a human being but only a potential human being. Of course, we cannot say that a human embryo is an adult who is able to speak, to hear, to see, to walk; however, one thing is certain, the human embryo is still a part of the human being, which throbs with life and from which a child will develop. The human embryo is a creature of God, which is in the making. The human embryo is God’s work and only God has the right to work it and make it develop as He wills. Therefore to extract some cells from the embryo, in order to direct their development (or growth) and to grow tissues and organs to transplant them, is contrary to the will of God. By doing such things, man destroys a creature in the making, he destroys the work of God. The staminal cells must develop in a natural way inside the womb of the woman who has received the semen of her husband.

Obviously, we detest also the production of embryos for the fecundation in vitro. We cannot accept the fact that a human embryo is put in the womb of another woman because that’s contrary to nature and consequently is immoral.

Brethren, I encourage you to expose this unfruitful work of darkness, which unfortunately is regarded by many people as a right thing. These people call evil good and put darkness for light, to the detriment of themselves and of those who will be deceived with their vain words.

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