“Now We Have the Technology That Can Make a Cloned Child” – Dr. Paul J. Dean
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/now-we-have-the-technology-that-can-make-a-cloned-child-808625.html

A new form of cloning has been developed that is easier to carry out than the technique used to create Dolly the sheep, raising fears that it may one day be used on human embryos to produce "designer" babies. Scientists who used the procedure to create baby mice from the skin cells of adult animals have found it to be far more efficient than the Dolly technique, with fewer side effects, which makes it more acceptable for human use. The mice were made by inserting skin cells of an adult animal into early embryos produced by in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). Some of the resulting offspring were partial clones but some were full clones – just like Dolly.

Commentary

On the heels of the recent report that we are now creating cybrids, or human-animal embryos, we now have the technology to clone humans. Again, similar issues are raised.

First, there are genuine and legitimate fears that such technology could be seized by in vitro fertilization doctors. That kind of action is spurred on by greed on the one hand and a ready market fueled by desperate would-be parents. Certainly Christian couples must discern the ramifications of what they pursue before the face of God. Few couples understand the ethical issues raised in the IVF process. There is a need to be educated in addition to a need to come to grips with the reality that God’s sovereign providence is always best and is something in which we can most assuredly rest. Of course, cloning presents a new wrinkle into the mix when one considers what lengths parents might go to in order to hold onto children who have been diagnosed with terminal illness or the like. It is not too cliché to say that we are skating on thin ice.

Second, a greater fear is the almost certain push for “designer babies.” In the culture of choices and individual expression, many will no doubt be faced with too great a temptation. You want blond hair and blue eyes? No problem. You want a little DNA from Albert Einstein? You’re covered. You want your son to be the next Michael Jordan? Just purchase some of his DNA. It could make for big business – and who knows what else.

Third, where do we as a culture want to allow scientists to go? Again, simply because we have the ability to do something does not mean that we should.

Fourth, this is an issue that goes beyond our culture and should be of concern to what can now be called the global community. That dynamic in itself creates certain problems as disparate worldviews are no doubt clashing. Who will determine the limits? Who will hold renegade scientists responsible? Obviously there is a need for the propagation of the Christian worldview on a massive scale if egregious errors against God and humanity are to be thwarted.