Christians who are against embryonic stem cell research, how do you feel about in vitro fertilization?

Question

First, how are embryos created for in vitro?

Fertility doctors create embryos by removing eggs from a woman's fallopian tubes and fertilizing them with sperm in a petri dish. Because of the pain and expense — one IVF cycle can cost up to $10,000 — and a failure rate of more than 60%, doctors routinely create more embryos than they implant in a woman's uterus. Those left over are frozen for possible use later.

Those embryos, are created in an 'unnatural way'. A man and a woman did not have sex to create them they were formed in a lab in a petri dish. Perhaps that in itself would be an 'abomination' in the eyes of God and would have been documented in the OT, had the process been around when it was written (just saying.)

Women release an egg every menstrual cycle, that we know from experience, most of the time is never fertilized. Which is why a lot of women would like to donate their eggs to stem cell research, because they aren't going to use them.

They also think that giving them to an infertile couple is "not an option" because it "would be like giving away my own child, my own DNA."

It is unclear how many embryos are stored at the nation's 450 fertility clinics. A 2003 study by RAND Corp., a think tank, estimated there were 400,000. Most were being saved for future fertility treatments. Just 2.8% were designated for research.

BUT anyway....embryonic stem cell research aside, do you think In Vitro is 'natural' and 'good' and should be allowed? Even though it wastes many embryos each time?

mark185, what does 'embryos left over, not used, thrown away' mean to you? Can I get it through your head that those embryos will die eventually if not used anyway?

I'm really disappointed I didn't get more answers. I'll have to re-ask this again later.

hillbilly, what? Even if I DID decide to 'die for science', I most certainly wouldn't be the first.

Answer 1

I oppose in vitro fertilization. I know many people will think it's cruel of me to deny a couple who wants a child. But I believe that God made each of us physically exactly as He would have us. For some that means overcoming hardship that I cannot imagine, challenges that are beyond my comprehension. It may include not having children that bear your DNA. That is not the same thing as having no children.

Share the many blessings God gave you with a child less fortunate - adopt.

Answer 2

I oppose the way they do the invitro, like you said they create many extra fertilized eggs, which will eventually be destroyed, and that is killing in my eyes. They can do just one egg at a time, although most won't because of cost and success rate issues. I also feel the stem cell research is really reported badly in the media. It is not illegal, the govt just doesn't feel the need to fund it, stem cells can be harvested from adults, umbilical cords, and amniotic fluid, without killing a baby, but the media never talks about it!
To answer your last question, no the parents should donate the fertilized eggs to stem cell research because it is the same as an early abortion.

Answer 3

I am an atheist.

I consider in vitro methods to be unethical, due to the destruction of the unused embryos. I find this to be murder.

IF it were possible to produce one embryo and give it approximately the same chance of implanting as would a naturally formed embryo, doing so would not be unethical, even though there would remain some small risk. It's a risk every human has to overcome at that point in their life.

But discarding embryos? Turning human life into a commodity?

No.

There are too many desperate kids out there who need and want nothing more than a loving home, to be spending that kind of money on forcing the issue.

Genetic relationships do not determine emotional ones.

Answer 4

Does nobody read that they (scientists) use the embryos that would have been discarded from such a procedure?

So tell me, if they are just going to waste now, why not use them for science rather than throwing them away in the garbage?

And a bundle of cells is not a life yet. It can't really be considered a life until somewhere in the second trimester.

Answer 5

I believe that with all the children in the world that need parents...invitro is very selfish. It has also set things up for the stem cell debate. Stem cell research on these embryos has proven less effective than other types stem cell research anyway. I also see making more embryos than necessary..then disposing of them, being in the same category as abortion...iow murder.

Answer 6

Yes, I oppose it as well. The reason I think is because public support and using public funds requires public action. And then there is the "slippery slope" that started with contraception, then abortion, then manipulations like "in vitro", cloning and anything involving destruction of embryos. So in that sense, stopping at abortion aids in stopping other unethical practices. You must also realize, there is expertise involved in understanding the process. So scientists and church leaders have a particular obligation to protest. And my church leaders like bishops do protest the practices you mentioned. It would be nice to hear more though. But you won't see the information in the news very much which keeps consciences uninformed. And who is going to protest if they think of it as a way to have babies and save lives. It sounds positive. Hope that helps.

Answer 7

When an embryo fails to implant properly into the womb and dies, that's a natural death. The embryo probably wasn't viable anyway.

When an embryo dies because a scientist sucks its nuclear material out, that's not a natural death. You cannot compare the two.

Are you aware of the campaign begun several years ago to "adopt out" the frozen IVF embryos? When Pres. Bush announced he'd Vetoed the first stem cell bill, he was surrounded by children born from this effort. Statistics DO NOT substantiate your understanding that most are unwanted and thrown out in the trash.

Answer 8

Yes, I'm against anything that will result in the unnatural death (thus murder) of living human embryos, in any stage of development. You, I encourage to step in line to be the first to die for science, (which is almost the same as the Muslim who sets a bomb off while he is wearing it, if you believe in it so much).

Answer 9

Excellent point!
But the more they rail and ***** about it, the further ahead Canadian researchers get. You see, stem cell research is not banned here, in fact, it's encouraged.
So by all means, stay in the dark ages you folks. The rest of us will take the torch of knowledge that you tried to snuff out with myth and ignorance and carry it long into the future!

Answer 10

Your wasting your time, they are against anything that evil Satan driven science comes up with.