Jan 21 Tue
Are IVF, genetic engineering, and stem cells inconsistent with the Church's moral values?
Marriage is an institution that exists for the sake of love, not merely for biological reproduction. Marital intercourse is -and should be- an interpersonal act, the result of reciprocal betrothed love between the spouses. Love is not a product one makes; it is a gift that one gives, the gift of self. It must be an act of unification of persons, not merely an instrument or means of procreation.
The Catholic Church's moral teachings emphasize the sanctity of human life from the moment of conception and the inherent dignity of every human being. These techniques of artificial insemination are morally unacceptable since they separate procreation from the fully human context of the conjugal act.
The Church strongly opposes IVF due to its implications for the dignity of human life. The process often results in the creation of multiple embryos, many of which are discarded, frozen, or used for research purposes. This practice raises significant ethical concerns, as it treats embryos as mere biological material rather than as human beings with rights.
This process is equivalent to abortion, which is always murder. It is against the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human being.
Furthermore, there is a high rate of embryo loss in IVF (often exceeding 80%) reflecting a utilitarian approach to human life, that is fundamentally at odds with the Church's teaching on the inviolable character of every human being from conception.
Genetic Engineering, the manipulation of the human genome raises profound ethical questions regarding the dignity of the human person.
We cannot adopt a purely pragmatic approach to scientific advancement over ethical considerations. Not anything that “can be done” is “good to be done.”
Eugenics includes unjust measures, such as encouraging individuals deemed particularly "fit" to reproduce, and even marriage prohibitions and forced sterilization of people deemed unfit for reproduction. The potential for eugenics and the commodification of human life (doing what is ‘more comfortable’) are significant concerns, as they could lead to a society that values individual persons based on their genetic traits rather than their inherent worth as human beings.
The use of human embryonic stem cells and the production and use of living human embryos for research purposes is morally illicit, as it violates the right to life of the embryo. It constitutes a grave moral offense, as it treats them as mere objects rather than as persons deserving of respect and protection.
Surrogate motherhood involves bringing a second woman into the marriage relationship and is, therefore, against the property of unity of the natural institution of marriage. It contravenes the right of the child to be conceived, carried in the womb, brought into the world, and brought up by his own parents.
IVF, genetic engineering, and the use of embryonic stem cells are inconsistent with the Church's true moral values.
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