Fox News reports that Asthetic Trait Selection in babies is now available at several U.S. fertility institutes. For 5-thousand dollars potential parents can have DNA testing done on embryos before they're implanted back into the mother, giving them the power to choose the baby's eye color, hair color, height, and talents such as singing ability, or athletic potential.
The Los Angeles based Fertility Institutes began advertising the pending availability of these tests last December and parents immediately began contacting them to sign up. The idea of Asthetic Trait Selection emerged after DNA testing on embryos was originally done to determine the child's potential for serious disease like breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and alzheimers risk later in life.
Lest we think that asthetic trait selection is enticing to just a few weirdos who want to play God with their children, a New York University survey that was conducted earlier this year, said that up to 13% of those who responded said they would use the screening to determine the looks, intelligence and athletic ability of their children. 40% of Americans who approve genetic testing for disease, said they see asthetic trait selection as a natural progression of the genetic testing concept.
So, the idea of having a baby and loving it just because it's yours is a thing of the past? Why would anyone care if a child has blue or brown eyes or if they will be a future contestant on American Idol? Are we really at the point in our culture where we're willing to destroy a child just for being a brunette versus a blonde? The idea of pre-screening for disease makes some sense although I can't imagine choosing not to have a baby because eighty years from now that child may develop alzheimers disease!
This is yet another example of twisting the positive benefits of science into a freakshow for those who are so selfish and controlling that they won't accept a baby unless it meets their preferred physical criteria. How sad when you think of so many couples who would love any child but for medical reasons can't have one of their own.
Remember as the song says "Jesus loves the little children, red and yellow black and white." I suspect that also means "blonde or brunette, with green eyes or blue." If we are part of the 70% of Americans that agree that God is the creator of life, it seems to me that we should respect his title and leave the job of creation to Him.,
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I absolutely love this article! It seems like everyone is in such awe of the advances in medicine, that they forget that our (all knowing ) Father in heaven has created everything for a reason. Sometimes we don't get exactly what we planned, but that does not give us the authority to eliminate God and take everything into our own hands. I just wonder sometimes what God is thinking when He looks down on us and sees how hard we are trying to create a MORE "special child". All I can say is that if teens are having a hard time with self image now, what will it be like when they are attending school, applying for jobs, and competing at sports with their hybrid friends?
ReplyDeleteThank You for reading. You brought up a great point about the future self esteem issues for teens that something like this has caused. I hadn't thought about that, but you're probably right. You make lots of good points.
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