In todays world, genetic engineering seems to have developed in ways that may awe us. There are cloning and genetically modified foods in our markets. There is also the urge by scientists to explore outer earth and findings have it that mars could accommodate human life in the near possible future. The most challenging part of the engineering is that it is becoming part of our everyday lives through various things like drugs. In a Christians world in genetic engineering competition for what God is or is it just a necessary evil?
Genetic engineering is a modern day advancement, and in the times the bible was written there was no record of such taking place. Christians perspective on engineering is mostly based on the principals of the bible. No verse specifies anything about genetic engineering; therefore, Christians may sometimes be confused on what to take of the new technology. There is contention on whether to adopt it or fight it.
The issue that raises a lot of contention in regards to genetic engineering is how much freedom human beings have in their responsibility in taking care of themselves and Gods creation as he had instructed (Boone 1988). The Bible urges us to take care of our physical bodies and health. Proverb 12:18 Paul, the apostle, says that human beings we have the responsibility to take care of their bodies. Paul also encouraged Timothy to seek medical help for his illness. Medication is a form of genetic engineering that has become more complex with time. Christians have the responsibility to take care of their bodies because they are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). In modern day medicine has evolved to surgery and into more complicated things like skin crafting.
Christians are concerned that genetic engineering is taking up the role of God on earth. Engineers have begun changing the structure of living things and making them into what they deem fit. There is an increase in surgeries meant to alter how the human body looks. From implants to the cloning of animals, the genetic world is overtaking Gods world. Genesis 1:11 says that God designed the living things and made them reproduce their own kind. Genetics is tampering with the original planned design that God intends. The changing of how a living thing should look like should be left in His hands. All things in the world were created by God for Him (Colossians 1:16).
Genetic engineering also seems to be restoring creation and diminishing the curse that was placed on the man for sin. Genetic engineering is finding solutions for almost everything the world has to offer. There are genetically modified foods that do not need as much attention as those that grow naturally. Some methods have come up that slow down aging and ultimately interfere with Gods plan of death. According to Christians, restoration is possible through Gods son Jesus who died on the cross. Through death, Christians are promised a better life than on earth. When the engineering is involved, there is competition with the responsibility of individuals to trust in Christ for restoration (Philippians 3:21). Scientists that deal with engineering are convinced that there is no life after death and only we can make the world a better place to live in.
Genetic engineering may also be interfering with the planned way of life. There is use the of artificial insemination in labs and test tube babies that are conceived outside the human body. This kind of genetics implies that people are no longer required to be intimate like before to bear children. In Psalms 139, God and human beings have an intimate relationship with their mothers womb at conception. Does that mean the relationship between man and God is interfered with and are the people born in such methods have God conscious souls? There is also the conquering of Adams sins from generation to generation through Christ death. The interference in the generations may bring a gap in which God may not be involved. There is also debate on issues like barren women using genetic engineering ways to get children. The alterations of what God has meant to interfere with the Christian belief that all things are made perfectly beautiful regardless. Such alterations in modern living make it seem like God is none existent or would have done better than the genetic engineers.
Christians may perceive genetic engineering as an opposition to what God is. In the beginning, God created everything and saw it was perfect for man to live in (Kelly 1995). The alterations that man is making will only come to destroy the earth. The bible says that man intelligence will also be his end. The introduction of genetically modified food has brought with it illnesses that do not seem to have cures. The crops that God had made were meant to feed us and be enough for us. There are also the alterations made on people that are disabled. Organ donations and transplants have become the norm. There is discovering of kidney transplants because a human being only needs one to function properly. If then a human being needs just one organ, then why did God see the need to put two of them. The use of implants and other body improvement mechanisms is also on the rise. Man is losing his appreciation for how he is made .in the bible it is written your fearfully, wonderfully and beautifully made.
Genetic engineering is also perceived to remove challenges and suffering that bring man closer to God (Reiss & Straughan,2001). The purpose of challenges is to strengthen the faith of Christians in their everyday life. Genetics seems to be stopping this because it seems to have answers to most issues. When the country faces drought, instead of going for prayers and repentance, they opt to look for ways of making rain and introducing crops that take half of the time required to grow so that people can be fed. The closeness between God and man is lost with time. People are starting to believe more in the brains of science to create more solutions to the problems we face.
In conclusion, both Christianity and engineering should be both choices that an individual chooses to follow. Just like Christianity, genetic engineering could be a new religion. Its implications in the long term will be felt and how much it changes the world will be determined by how many problems they can to solve without affecting the normal cycle of life. Live and let live is how the two should exist.
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References
Reiss, M. J., & Straughan, R. (2001). Improving nature?: the science and ethics of genetic engineering. Cambridge University Press.
Kelley, J. (1995). Public perceptions of genetic engineering: Australia, 1994. Canberra: Department of InBoone, C. K. (1988). Bad axioms in genetic engineering. Hastings Center Report, 18(4), 9-13.dustry, Science and Technology.
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