1 Minute Daily Devotions
March 7, 2008
Cloning
"God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him..." - Genesis 1:27
Cloning is one of the eerie developments of modern technology. Taking the DNA of one person and replicating it in the life of another could lead to tremendous medical advances and horrendous possibilities.
In 1932, Aldous Huxley published his book, Brave New World. Although his grandfather and brother were world-renowned scientists, Huxley took a different approach. In his book, he foresaw a society with a one-world government where science and government worked together to determine the destiny of man-made men. 1932? What insight! We're getting there fast.
With cloning on the horizon for humans, Huxley's concerns have become a distinct possibility. Yet, when man plays God, he always winds up acting more like a beast than someone created in God's image.
Science can enhance man's quality of life, and science can help us understand God's creation. But science is not to play God--science must answer to God. God's desire is for every life to be distinct with His unique purpose and plan. This is one area I'd rather leave in the hands of God than in the hands of science.
Comments on this Devotion
From concerned on Mar 7th:
I sure wouldn't want to be one of these scientists who has to answer to God someday. But then on the other hand, they won't be with God in the end anyway. Definately a tool of Satan's hands! This is a very scarey thing and disturbing!
From Erik on Mar 7th:
Since he brought up Huxley:
"You never see animals going through the absurd and often horrible fooleries of magic and religion. Only man behaves with such gratuitous folly. It is the price he has to pay for being intelligent but not, as yet, intelligent enough."
-Aldous Huxley
From Leigh Ann on Mar 7th:
I have to wonder if dinosaurs weren't somehow, "man made" animals. Before the flood, men were very very very smart and very evil. Has anyone else wondered if the reason dinosaurs aren't around anymore, is because they were not created by God and therefore, did not make it on to the ark? Just a theory I wonder about sometimes...
From Rick Y on Mar 7th:
There are a lot of scientists who believe in God, and a lot who are Christians. Science and Christianity are not mutually exclusive. While it's true that the metaphysical is beyond the reach of science, there is a lot of scientific evidence that points to a created and designed universe.
As far as dinosaurs, they existed at one point in the past, and are now extinct. That should not be a problem unless you believe the earth is 6,000 years old, which I personally do not. Also, while man can "create" different forms of life today through cloning and genetic manipulation, that is a recent development. Also, our creative capabilities are limited to the building blocks that God has already provided.
From Ryan on Mar 7th:
As much as I love these daily devotionals, this one shows the ignorance common people have about "cloning". Cloning already exists in nature, have you ever seen identical twins? They are what would be called "natural clones." This is not some scary new frontier of science.
From Erik on Mar 7th:
But Ryan, that's God doing the cloning, so it's ok. Just like God is the most prolific abortionist (about 30% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage) but you don't see Operation Rescue protesting Him outside churches.
From Rick Y on Mar 7th:
Let's remember that God is always in control, no matter what the circumstance. If twins are born naturally, God allows that. If sextuplets are born because of fertility drugs, God allows it. If a mother miscarries, God allows that, too. I don't claim to know why, but I am not God. I do know that everything works out for the best in the end for those who love God and seek his will. There are also consequences when we are outside God's will.
Where we mess up, as Byrant states, is when we try to play God. If we clone something, God may allow it, but maybe that's not the best idea in most cases. It may not seem dangerous, but we do not know what the ramifications might be down the line. Kind of like playing with the atom. There is beneficial use of that technology in nuclear power (which still can be dangerous to some extent), as well as the possibility that we could destroy mankind. But, thankfully, God is in control of that, too.
From Austin on Mar 10th:
Erik, your logic and reason is full of errors. You make absolutely zero sense with your childish arguements. Thank you for your Huxley quote, for a minute there I thought you were the only person who thinks religious beliefs are folly.