Posted by john on August 24, 2002 at 00:31:24:
In Reply to: Back off, Falwell posted by Pastor Steven on August 23, 2002 at 13:00:57:
First of all, I'm sure you know it was not my intent to attack any PERSON(s), (especially the day before I am supposed to go to their house), my comments were about the practice in general. I knew that you and Cari had considered this in the past, but I thought it had gone by the wayside. Secondly, I don't attempt to claim understanding of what couples who desperately want children and can't have them feel.
However that doesn't change the way I feel about the whole process of invitro fertilization. I would no more support this than I would an abortion. But this issue is too near the emotions of us both to discuss, so it is best to let it go at that. We both know there are many things on which we sharply disagree.
Sorry to have hit so close to home.
: : I caught a snip of one of those news magazine shows on TV, like Dateline or whatever, talking about something that bothered me alot. I didn't even watch the whole thing because it was just too insane. I wanted to see other's opinions on the matter.
: : The story centered on this family that was Christian by every indication. They couldn't have children so they tried every method in the book to conceive. One child they got through fertility drugs, and then they got twins through invitro fertilization. Finally they had one child naturally for a total of 4. But now they don't want anymore. The problem is they had 23 additional embryos created during the invitro process that are frozen. Morally, they didn't want to let those embryos die because each had full potential to become a human being (which is admirable in its twisted way). But they couldn't have that many kids, so they decided to adopt out the embryos. The strangest thing yet is that they found a website created for just that purpose.
: : This means that this moral dilemma has become a real problem, enough so to support a nonprofit group to deal with it. But in my mind this is such a gross perversion of humanity. It absolutely sickens me to think of all these frozen humans just waiting to find parents so they can become children. And to think they still need a uterus! That means people are using their bodies as incubators for children who are not genetically theirs. I think this whole concept is degrading to hunmanity. Especially when the whole issue is over such a vain mindset anyway. It is my opinion that children are a gift from God and not something to be manufactured simply because a couple refuses to wait on God to have their own, or accept the fact that it isn't possible. If children are what people want there are hundreds of unwanted children world-wide that need homes and people to care for them. It is pure vanity to spend so much time and energy and money to create new children in a factory in hopes that one or two will fulfill that need in a couple to bear their own.
: : To get back to our story, I don't think it is a dilemma that humans were ever meant to face... I mean what to do with our extra unborn embryos. It's like trying to determine what to do with radioactive waste! The solution is that it never should have been created in the first place. This disturbing story speaks to me as a cautionary tale of rampant use of technology. I support the use of technology and medicine to help people, but just because we can do something doesn't mean we should. And in this case you can't offer me a good enough reason to create these embryos.
: : Vanity... all is vanity.
: : what do you think. My soul wretches at the thought of it all.
: If you weren't so damn abrasive about it I would have let it go. But I just plain strenuously disagree, and you have no right to be so condemning. I have some argumentative friends who believe that in-vitro fertilization is wrong and against God because because 4 out of 5 embryos don't successfully develop, and when one child does, there may be quite a few embryos left over. This story is about one way some Christians are trying to solving the moral dilemma here. If someone who desperately wants a child and has no chance of that ever happening feels that God is blessing them with this kind of charity, I feel rejoicing in my heart. So I was not offended by the story at all. You have never been anywhere close to wanting a child for years and not being able to have one. You are part of the majority that has children when they don't want to and makes the best of it. You cannot possibly empathize, and you aren't even trying. So back off, Rev. Falwell, and use a little more tact when demonizing our hopes and dreams.