what is the christian view point on fertility treatment and blood transfusions?

Question

fertility treatments- surrogacy, AID, AIH, IVF

Roman Catholic and Anglican view

Answer 1

Blood transfusion - Good, it helps other live & recover without altering "Life".

Fertility treatment - Not so good. Some are acceptable, others are not.

Christopher West, author of "Good news about sex & Marriage" writes this about fertility treatments:

"REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Infertility is a real problem, one that has skyrocketed in the last thirty years in developed countries. In response, and entire, ever expanding, and little regulated “reproductive technologies industry” has emerged. While the desire to overcome infertility is certainly legitimate, there are still important moral considerations to take into account.

As good as the desire for children is in itself, it doesn’t justify any and every means of “getting” a child. For example, kidnapping another person’s baby is wrong no matter how desperately a couple want children. So also, as the Church teaches, is manufacturing children through technological procedures. In both cases, we’re dealing with a ‘good end’ (the desire for children) but a ‘bad means’.

The pain and even anguish of infertile couples mustn’t be dismissed. But much more is at stake in the laboratory generation of human life than is first apparent. The Church’s teaching against certain reproductive technologies raises many pressing questions and objections. Before I address them, I’d suggest giving some serious thought both to the following seven questions and to the implications of your answers:

Are we the masters of human life?
Is a child a gift from God?
Can a gift be demanded?
Do couples have a right to children at any cost?
Do couples have a “right” to children at all?
Are we free to determine what is good and evil?
Are God’s commandments meant to bring us happiness or keep us from it?

Answer 2

I don't know about the fertility treatments, but about blood transfusions...

Acts 15:28,29 (New World Translation)
"For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to YOU, except these necessary things, to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols and from blood...Good health to YOU!"

Now, because I know most people use the King James bible, here's those same scriptures from that bible...
"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood... Fare ye well."

Sorry I couldn't help you with the other part of your question... I'll research it though and maybe edit this answer once I've got an answer for you.

Answer 3

Blood Transfusions are fine, Stem Cell testing is fine (as long as you are not killing a person to collect them)

Fertility treatments vary, but most are considered bad by the Catholic Church.

If you want the Catholic view, do a read of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, all of our beliefs are in there.

No guessing, no messing, like them or not, there is no confusion.

Peace!

Answer 4

I dont think us christians have really pondered on whether such things as blood transfusions,IVF and the such are morally wrong because they are widely considered ethically right.When taken in perspective they could all be considered 'Playing God'.I suppose it's just something for each individual christian to decide for themselves upon.xxx

Answer 5

Jehovah witnesses are Christian and they are against these things. I am a non-denominational Christian and we do not see anything wrong with these things. I believe Christian Scientists would be against it also. I think most Christian religions would be o.k with these things. The way that I look at it is God gave us the ability to do these things and it isn't harming anyone so that would be up to the individual if they wanted to do them.

Answer 6

Questions like this can't be generalized as Christian or Non-Christian. This is a personal question.


In general though, procedures that help people and that do NOT hurt others (like promote abortions) are Christian.

Answer 7

God in the Old Testament did not condemn "surrogacy" as several times women who could not have children gave their servant to the husband to have children FOR them.

Ge 30:3 Then she said, “Here’s my servant Bilhah. Make love to her so that she can have children for me. Then I too can have a family through her.”
4 So she gave him her servant Bilhah as a wife. Jacob made love to her. 5 And Bilhah became pregnant. She had a son by him. 6 Then Rachel said, “God has stood up for my rights. He has listened to my prayer and given me a son.” So she named him Dan.

That seems to be the ancient equivalent of a surrogate mother.

Answer 8

It all depends on what branch of Christian religion you believe in. One that I know of believes in no medical treatment. That God will heal you so you do not need medicine of treatments. To others it does not matter.

Answer 9

Can we put the two issues in terms of God's Word?

"Godliness with contentment is great gain."
Now the issues seem clearer.

Answer 10

I just recently learned about fertility issues that discard a bunch of fertilized embryos after planting a couple. That doesn't sound right to me . Blood transfusions are no big deal. It is the Jehovah's Witnesses (not Christian) who don't do that and it is because of half a Bible verse. They take it totally out of context and kill off their people because of it. It says do not take blood that has been sacrificed to idols. They just shorten it to "do not take blood"