“And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them” (Genesis 11:6). These chilling words from the account of the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 came to mind regarding this summary of a news article reporting on horrific new research out of Israel that created “‘complete’ models of human embryos” in the lab. These scientists, by disregarding the value of human life, have decided that “nothing will now be impossible” as they try to create synthetic human life.
So how were these models created? Well, the scientists took “naive” embryonic stem cells, a process that necessarily involves the destruction—the killing (murder)—of a human life, and “reprogrammed [them] to gain the potential to become any type of tissue in the body.” The scientists then used chemicals to “coax these stem cells into becoming four types of cell found in the earliest stages of the human embryo.” About 1% of the cells “began the journey of spontaneously assembling themselves into a structure that resembles, but is not identical to, a human embryo.”
The scientists claim to have created “model” human embryos, but what have they really “created”? No one really knows. The “models” are unable to be implanted in a womb (and it would be illegal to do so) to grow further than a petri dish allows them to. It’s a horrifying example of scientists rushing forward because they can do something, without stopping to seriously consider whether they ought to do it!
In Your Inbox
Even if these models aren’t true human beings made in God’s image, the countless embryos who were “disrupted” so their stem cells could be harvested were people whose lives had value apart from their usefulness to scientists! It’s nothing less than the commodification of human life, where unborn children’s lives are sacrificed on the altar of scientific progress and “the greater good.”
Through this research, scientists hope to be able to accomplish some good things—such as discovering the causes of early miscarriage, treating various diseases, or testing medications to ensure they won’t harm pregnant women and their unborn babies. But the ends (saving human lives) don’t justify the means (killing human lives)—every human life matters, including the lives of embryos in the science lab!
As technology advances, it has the potential to be used for great good or great evil. Since humans are inherently sinful with hearts in rebellion against God, it shouldn’t surprise us to see technology used with such callousness. But as those with a biblical worldview and the truth of God’s Word, we must stand against any research that destroys human life, commodifies humans, or attempts to “play god” in creating life.
