LifeZine No. 547: 5th Dec 07
Athbhliain Fé Mhaise Duit. Wishing all our Readers a Happy New Year
Genetic Engineering and Producing Human Beings to Order
Fr Seamus Murphy SJ, Professor of Moral Theology at the Milltown Institute, Dublin, noted in a recent article that medical technology is developing new capacities in genetic engineering, and creating living human embryos outside the mother’s body, “deep-freezing them, and experimenting on them”. Such developments raise moral issues, he pointed out. Yet while the technology is new, the “key moral values are not”. He said that “genetic engineering for genetic enhancement, i.e. producing human beings to order (e.g. male, blue-eyed, high IQ, tall, etc.), is morally objectionable and potentially evil since it denies the child’s value as a person, as an end in him/herself”. Professor Murphy continued, “Genetic enhancement identifies the child’s value as a product, made to somebody else’s specifications. It identifies the child as defective if it doesn’t meet these specifications, and defines his or her value merely as a means for others. It is analogous to slavery, human beings who exist for others’ purposes, human flesh that can be bought and sold.” Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
‘Statistical Gymnastics’ of Pro-Abortionists Challenged
”Irish Times” contributor, John O’Reilly, claims that Dr J.M. Homan, writing in the same newspaper, alleged that he had misquoted the "Statistical Bulletin Abortion Statistics, England and Wales: 2006" to the effect that there were 193,737 abortions on residents of England and Wales, “claiming a correct figure of 193,700”. According to Mr O’Reilly, “both Dr Homan and Louise Caffrey (also November 6th) say I admitted that Irish women on average have later term abortions in Britain than residents of England and Wales”. “This is disingenuous and misleading”. He said “the abortion lobby has used the ‘late abortion argument’ for decades. But, as Dr Homan might say, science uncovers the truth.” He also noted that “the hoary argument of women from the Republic giving English addresses or going to Holland or elsewhere gave campaigners leeway to double or triple official figures”. He added, “Dr Homan said: ‘Experience tells us that the vast majority of these women are resident in Ireland’.” “This is confusing statistical gymnastics”, countered Mr O’Reilly. Details: CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Woman Desperate for Baby Died after IVF
An inquest has recently been held into the death of a British woman who died after receiving IVF treatment. Mrs Nina Thanki suffered from endometriosis, which had made her unable to conceive, and which can cause blood clots. She had gone into hospital for an egg retrieval operation, but this led to several complications including swelling and bleeding and subsequently deep vein thrombosis developed in her leg and travelled to her lung where it blocked the absorption of oxygen. A verdict of accidental death was recorded. Daily Telegraph. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Portuguese Doctors Refuse Government Directive to Promote Abortions
Doctors in Portugal are refusing to comply with a government directive that they remove a provision from their national organization's ethical code saying that performing an abortion is a grave ethical failure. The government of Portugal legalised abortion in January but has seen numerous doctors decline to do them. Dr Pedro Nunes, head of Portugal's Medical Association, said doctors have a right to refuse to do abortions despite threats from the government to take them to court. "Having an opinion and ethical principles is what separates rational beings from a flock of sheep", he told Reuters. Portugal’s Medical Association ethics code says abortion is objectionable and that physicians should respect human life from conception until natural death. LifeNews.com. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Getting a Designer Baby Involves Embryo Destruction, Says Bioethicist
The creation of embryos to save the life of a sick sibling usually results in the destruction of many other embryos, a bioethics expert told the Sixth National Bioethics Congress in Spain last week. Professor Justo Aznar, director of life sciences at the University of Valencia, which hosted the conference, explained that it was rare that a suitable embryo was obtained at the first attempt, with the efficiency for the technique being between 1% and 3%. Zenit. CLICK TO READ MORE.....
Urgent Prayer Request from Bryan, TX, USA
The following letter came from one of our readers: “Hello to everyone, hope your doing well. I have a personal favour to ask of you. Ivory is 7 years old and this week she was riding her go cart without a helmet, and lost control landing her under a neighbours double wide that didn't have any skirting. She was stopped by the floor and support beam by her neck. She slashed her neck from her ear to her larynx, cutting her thyroid, her juggler was torn slightly causing the blood to drain into her lungs, which then collapsed, she broke her neck, & broke her back. She was air lifted to Musc, she has had one operation on her lower back and they found her spinal cord to be totally cut. They have to wait for 2 weeks to operate on her larynx, thyroid and neck. Not knowing until then if her spinal cord is torn at the neck...Which will tell to what extent she will be paralyzed. This little girl is only seven years old and has her whole life to live. I ask you to lift her up to God in prayer. And if you wouldn't mind adding her to your Church prayer chain, we all know what God can do when we only have Faith and come together in unity. Thank you so much for your time and most importantly... your prayers.” END.