Panel wants hybrid embryo decisions given to scientistsPDFPrintE-mail
UK
Written by Chris Perver  
Wednesday, 01 August 2007 01:47

A parliamentary panel in the United Kingdom is urging the government to allow scientists to make decisions on how far the nation can go into hybrid embryo research. The government had originally proposed to outlaw the practice of creating human-animal hybrids, but later bowed to pressure from British scientists who are prepared to ignore the convictions of a majority of the people in this country in order to further their own medical research. This is what the scientists wrote in an open letter to the government, published in the Times newspaper.

Quote: "Some people and some religious organisations object to this research, and most also object to all research involving early embryos. But many patient groups, leading scientists, doctors, and ethicists support this research being able to proceed under the regulation of the HFEA.

In other words, the scientists obviously know what they are talking about, so they must be in the moral majority. The parliamentary panel is urging the government to allow a vote on the principle of granting licences to scientists who want to create human-animal hybrids in their research, for the committee states in its report, "once you cross that line and mix human and animal material, it is just a matter of degree". The hybrid embryos are only permitted to grow for two weeks, after which they must be destroyed. But in a remarkable twist of logic, Catholic Bishops in the United Kingdom recently expressed their view that these hybrid embryos are essentially human, and should be permitted to live after being implanted into a suitable host.

Quote: "In their submission to the committee, they said: "At the very least, embryos with a preponderance of human genes should be assumed to be embryonic human beings, and should be treated accordingly. "In particular, it should not be a crime to transfer them, or other human embryos, to the body of the woman providing the ovum, in cases where a human ovum has been used to create them. "Such a woman is the genetic mother, or partial mother, of the embryo; should she have a change of heart and wish to carry her child to term, she should not be prevented from doing so."

Of course the scientists and the Catholic Church see no difficulties in mixing human and animal DNA. They both adhere to Darwin's theory of evolution, and thus believe that animals and humans are already inter-related. But the Bible teaches that animals were created to reproduce "after their kind", Genesis 1:25, and that man was the only being to be made a "living soul", Genesis 2:7, making him distinct from the animal world. What's more, the Scriptures condemn any attempt of man to procreate with animals (Leviticus 20:15), and the idea of creating a human-animal hybrid is the modern equivalent. This situation if allowed, would once again result in the genetic pollution of the human race, which seemingly occurred before the flood, and will invite the judgement of God upon this world.

Source Reuters, Evan Harris, Telegraph

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