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The development of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis [PDG] is one of the greatest threats to human dignity in our times. These tests are already leading to the abortion of fetuses identified as carrying unwanted genetic markers. The tests can now check for more than 1,300 different chromosomal abnormalities or patterns. With DNA analysis, the genetic factors could be identified right down to hair and eye color and other traits. The logic is all too simple. If you don't like what you see on the PDG report . . . just abort and start over. Soon, genetic treatments may allow for changing the profile. Welcome to the world of designer babies.

If that happens, how many parents -- even among those who consider themselves most liberal -- would choose a gay child? How many parents, armed with this diagnosis, would use the patch and change the orientation?

www.albertmohler.com

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This was the subject of the film Gattica, in which anyone who was not a "designer baby" was considered inferior.

The main character of the film is one of the few people who are not designer babies: but he is determined to do something exceptional (be an astronaut.) The society he lives in believes in deterministic potential. His abilities are preordained statistically. He's qualified for little work, and will die of a heart condition by a certain age.

One of the most important sequences of the film is where he beats his "designer baby" brother in a swimming race, by giving everything he has. He's not supposed to be able to do it at all.

This is the real threat of designer babies - that we will begin to measure someone's potential deterministically. It is no longer about the unknown potential of an autistic genius such as Dr. Temple Grandin, or an ALS-afflicted genius like Dr. Stephen Hawking.

It would become merely about the need to scrap that baby and build a newer perfect one.

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Sounds familiarly like 1984 or Brave New World.

In a world of 'designer babies' I would prefer the beauty of the non-predictable magic of natural birth.

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I don't like the idea of designer babies but a lot of people will.

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Agreed. Designer babies are wrong. A child is a gift from god and should be loved as nature intends.

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Seeing as there is no such thing as a "gay gene", the parents wouldn't get a choice about that. However, eugenics is not desirable as history tells us from eugenic missions of the past that they only lead to discrimination and anguish.

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I don't know how it is outside Britain but in Britain you can only abort a baby for life threatening conditions. "Designer" babies are allowed only to save the life of an existing sibling with a serious illness. The law was only changed recently to allow this.

As to a "gay gene" it's doubtful if it's genetic therefore your final paragraph is complete nonsense.

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Thats pretty scary if its true. Whenever humans have tried to start playing the role of God it has never gone well. Why don't people understand that our imperfections is what makes us unique.

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This is a sad state of affairs. I am reminded of Babel -

"They said, Come, let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth."Gen 11:4

Genesis 11:6 "The Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them."

People are trying to play god which PDG. It is my hope that God will intervene in some way. Enough is enough. We can only hope that common decency would win out in the hearts of mothers and fathers and this would not increase the number of abortions.

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I think you're a little off base when you suggest parents would "just abort and start over."

I know a lot of Right to Life advocates fear this kind of attitude, but most Pro-Life folk aren't running out for casual abortions.

Additionally, you can't just take your assumptions about how people will react now concerning a gay child and use them to predict their response in the future. Proof of genetic predisposition toward homosexuality will probably alter how we perceive GLBT folk.

And some of the problems people would have with having Gay children, such as no marriage and no chance for grandkids might not be true in the future anyways.

Now I realize that that might sound pretty scary to people like Albert Mohler, who says things like:

The homosexual agenda is pushed by activists who are totally committed to the cause of making homosexuality a sanctioned and recognized form of sexual activity 閳?and the basis for legitimate marriages and family relationships. Every obstacle that stands in the way of progress toward this agenda must be removed, and Scripture stands as the most formidable obstacle to that agenda.

And believes that:

[T]he Bible emphatically condemns all forms of homosexual behavior.

I think his problem is that he believes that "Romans 1 makes absolutely clear, homosexuality is fundamentally

an act of unbelief." Now, I'm no minister, but I think if you read Romans 1:22-27, you'll possibly see that it is a condemnation of those "Who think themselves wise." Which sort of sounds a lot more like undue self confidence than it does homosexuality, doesn't it?

I mean, yes, homosexuality is there, but not as a condemned act. It's a consequence.

But then, maybe I'm wrong. I don't believe in biblical inerrancy.

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It's PGD not PDG. At least get the letters right if you are going to badmouth it. It shows that you cannot know enough about it to make an informed opinion of it.

PGD is a wonderful technology, you are mistaken about PGD leading to abortions. PGD in PRE-implantation diagnosis. How can you abort before it is even implanted? That is to say testing a embryo (5 cells) for known genetic disorders (of the parents specific gene mutation, not just any disorder). Genetic factors down to eye colour is not possible yet and even if it was so, who would bother.

I have a child with an extremely rare condition where if she gets a slight cold or infection she can get severe brain damage and death. 95% of children that have this condition are severely disabled and most die before they are 9. If you had a 1 in 4 chance of passing this on, and had the option of having more children without this condition.....you mean to tell me you wouldn't! You wouldn't give your future babies every chance of being healthy. Who is more wrong????

Judgemental people like you make me angry. I also must say, I have heard of quite a few catholic parents who have had (pgd). There is nothing wrong with it. I am in the process of trying to get it........What do you say about that?