Well, they have done it. Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University claim to have overcome the barriers for creating human embryonic stem cells. It seems that these scientists have been able to create an embryo in the lab that is capable of developing into a human being.
These scientists have not, however, attempted to clone a human. Their purpose was to create the embryos in order to harvest their stem cells. Unfortunately, in the course of harvesting the stem cells, they must destroy the embryo. Of course, the question all along has not been whether or not it is possible for scientists to do this. The question, rather, relates to the morality of such science.
In Nazi Germany, scientists were seeking to promote the evolutionary advancement of humanity, in order to create a super race, by doing human experimentation. The process of doing this research resulted in all kinds of repulsive experimentation on living human beings. What is happening in the lab with these embryos is, literally, no different that what the Nazis did. The only difference is that it is being done on human beings who are at a different stage of development. If human experimentation is immoral on human adults, it must also be wrong on preborn humans at any stage of development.
But the researchers don’t see it that way. That is because they have an entirely different standard by which they measure morality. What is going on in Oregon is the logical result of a naturalistic worldview. Naturalists don’t see human beings as special creations of God. They don’t see human life as particularly sacred. Rather, they see all of life as nothing more than the result of a natural evolutionary process, with human beings simply one expression of it. To them, a human embryo is no more sacred than an ameba or some variety of bacteria. With that kind of belief, human experimentation is a logical, and legitimate, path to take.
While these particular scientists are not attempting to clone a human being, it is only a matter of time. With the technology now available and with a large number of scientists around the world adhering to a naturalistic worldview, it is inevitable that humans will be cloned at some point. And, if another Hitleresque leader comes along, there will be attempts, once again, to create that super race.
We are living in a day when the forces of evil have great influence. The only real counter to this is a massive number of committed, informed Christians who are willing to do the work of God to win the world. It is, certainly, important to fight against this kind of evil in the political arena. But the only true cure is for the world to know Christ. Until individual Christians begin to share the Good News like they believe it, nothing will change.