The first contemporary issue, cloning, was extremely interesting to discuss because of the valid points on each side. Personally, I did not feel as if it changed my personal principles at all. The topic of cloning, I felt, did challenge and conflict with my personal beliefs. My views on cloning, abortion, the death penalty, and a few other controversial issues are generally influenced by my belief in God. In short, I don't think it's my place to mess with life (for abortion, I believe that life begins at conception and we should not be able to decide its whether the fetus lives or dies; death penalty is even more obvious). As far as cloning goes, it kind of seems like "playing God" to me; I don't believe that humans should have that much control, to create life in any other way than the natural way that I believe we are meant to and have always done. I also think it dehumanizes, as once you are not the only you, you are no longer unique. Men will also be essentially obsolete at this point, which could cause many issues (the population would likely become mostly female, which could lead to many females without a significant other). Things could also get absurdly complicated legally for obvious reasons. Due to this, it was pretty easy to decide my stance on the issue. I would side closest with Kass on the issue of cloning. Kass speaks about dehumanization, as with cloning, human nature is completely malleable; this compromises the value of what is "natural", whereas pre-cloning it would have been held in such high regard.
I commented on Ilsa's blog this week.
http://illybueno.blogspot.com/
I commented on Ilsa's blog this week.
http://illybueno.blogspot.com/
Luke, I agree with much pretty everything on your blog. I also believe that human cloning is playing God and not allowing what He naturally wants to happen, to happen. Cloning to me is going to deep into science and it will lead us to forget where we truly come from not from a lab but from the miracle that is conception and its process onward. With human cloning we are loosing the most essential gift we have... the fact that God wanted YOU( your life)it will not be a man made choice.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I choose to read your blog because I also am a firm believer in my Catholic upbringing. At first I found myself agreeing completely with you that we should not go against God's plan until I read the arguement about how it could be used to save lives such as people with cancer. This was a personal topic for me and once I was able to put myself in that position and think "If there was anyway I could bring them back, wouldn't I want to?" I see your point completely though and understand why you stand here on this issue.
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