Would anyone care for frankenstein food?

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abcdefg:
I don’t know what motives behind frankenstein food are. but do they try to harvest a few human organs from rice?
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The motives vary, generally it is to develop a trait in a food that would take a long time to develop via cross breeding.

For example, a variety of wheat that is drought resistant, or a tomato that does not bruise as easily, or cabbage that resists pests (less pesticide needed)

and no, you cannot harvest human organs from these. It’s a lot easier to copy an existing amino acid sequence than to create a new one ‘from scratch’

Please review post #24

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=618703&postcount=24
 
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legeorge:
Not if they are “people”. This is an example of using human genes for human beings. Not putting human genes into plants.
Anybody see “Little Shop of Horrors”? Don’t feed me Seymour!!
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So putting human genes into E.Coli bacteria to make insulin is OK because 'it’s for humans"

But putting human genes into a plant to make food isn’t??

Explain that one to me please?
 
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Brendan:
Humans are not. Genes are.
Genes are sequences of amino acids. amino acids that are no different from any other ones God created.
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That is like saying humans and animals and plants are all made up of the elements on the periodic table and nothing more, and then use that to justify the perverse mixing of species in the laboratory. Well, that does not justify it! Not in the eyes of the Church, not in the eyes of God who made human beings in His image.

The fact is that the human body’s makeup is determined entirely by its genes. To place these genes into non-human entities is an outrage. One can say it might lead to a cure for a disease, but the end does not justify the means.
 
rastell said:
That is like saying humans and animals and plants are all made up of the elements on the periodic table and nothing more,

I didn’t say humans are not made up of something more. They have a soul. All the rest is the same.

The fact is, humans ARE up of the same elements. Does that mean that a carbon from a human is any more special than a carbon from a cow?

Should we segragete our elements too?

and then use that to justify the perverse mixing of species in the laboratory. Well, that does not justify it! Not in the eyes of the Church, not in the eyes of God who made human beings in His image.
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The fact is that the human body’s makeup is determined entirely by its genes. To place these genes into non-human entities is an outrage. One can say it might lead to a cure for a disease, but the end does not justify the means.
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So do you object to insulin being made from E.Coli bacteria infused with human genes?

Yes or No?
 
I would challenge the assertion that ‘Golden rice’ with added vitamin making genes will end hunger, people who have nothing but rice to eat will benefit from it but how much more beneficial it would be to their lives if they were able to afford vegetables, meat and fish. Lifting people out of abject poverty is what we really need:)
 
Insulin can be obtained in other ways. Placing human genes in bacteria is just cheaper. This is a rather large price to pay for added corporate profits.

Do you favor research aimed at finding if embryonic stem cells could be used in making insulin too?

I think you are walking around on the brink of the slippery slope.
 
rastell said:
Insulin can be obtained in other ways. Placing human genes in bacteria is just cheaper. This is a rather large price to pay for added corporate profits.
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Before this development, insulin was obtained in small quantities from slaughterd pigs and cows. It also had the problem of creating antibodies that prevented it’s use later in life, and also passed disease. To an extent that a person who has recieved bovine insulin cannot donate blood.
Do you favor research aimed at finding if embryonic stem cells could be used in making insulin too?
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No, because that involves the death of a child. Getting a gene for this involves a flake of skin or a drop of blood. Would I donate a drop of my blood to help feed more people, you betcha!

The death of a child is objectively immoral, the Church has stated that clearly. Donating a gene is not.
I think you are walking around on the brink of the slippery slope.
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I leave that decision up to the Church. They have objective Truth, you and I do not.
 
rastell said:
**Insulin can be obtained in other ways. Placing human genes in bacteria is just cheaper. **

What you are really saying here is that Diabetics should be paying more for their insulin, correct?
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Brendan:
What you are really saying here is that Diabetics should be paying more for their insulin, correct?
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It depends what the alternative is. If it is killing a human embryo to make it cheaper, I say yes- pay more.
 
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Brendan:
The death of a child is objectively immoral, the Church has stated that clearly. Donating a gene is not. I leave that decision up to the Church. They have objective Truth, you and I do not.
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Show me documents that prove that the Church teaches that placing human genes in bacteria is not immoral.
 
rastell said:
Show me documents that prove that the Church teaches that placing human genes in bacteria is not immoral.
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I’m not the one claiming it is immoral, you are.

Since only the Church has that Authority, if it is immoral, the Church must have said so.

I am unaware of any Church such rulings, perhaps you can provide the proof.
 
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rastell:
It depends what the alternative is. If it is killing a human embryo to make it cheaper, I say yes- pay more.
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If it involved the death of an embryo, I would agree with you, but it does not.

The necessary genes did not come the death of anyone, but from a simple bioposy.

So your caveat is red herring.

If that was your only objection, it has Been removed.

If the genes in question did not involve anyones death or injury,Do you still think diabetics shoul pay more?

In addition, the alternative is animal insulin from slaughtered animals, which diabetics develop resistance to over time.
 
FYI,

Here is a news article about the Vatican’s support of Genetically Modified foods.

betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-08-06-3
According to Archbishop Martino, the Pope – influenced by Vatican scientific advisors and 24,000 deaths from starvation each day – is greatly interested in new technologies for food development as part of a policy of sustainable agriculture.
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“The Pope ardently desires to do something for the billions of people who go to bed hungry every night,” says Martino.
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Martino, who was the Vatican representative at the UN, says that he lived in the US and “ate everything that was offered to me, including genetically modified products. They had no effect on my health. This controversy is more political than scientific.”
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guess I once thought “GM” in Lisa’s post was “General Motors” and wondering what that company has to do with gene:D
 
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Brendan:
FYI,

Here is a news article about the Vatican’s support of Genetically Modified foods.

betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-08-06-3
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**Oh come on! This article does NOT say that the Church approves placing human genes into plants!! :tsktsk: **

Also, you say "Since only the Church has that Authority, if it is immoral, the Church must have said so. I am unaware of any Church such rulings, perhaps you can provide the proof."

**Often the Church has not yet publicaly addressed a new issue. It is up to YOU to show that she has approved such a use of human genes. And, apparently, you cannot do so. :yawn: **
 
rastell said:
**Often the Church has not yet publicaly addressed a new issue. It is up to YOU to show that she has approved such a use of human genes. And, apparently, you cannot do so. :yawn: **
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Wrong.

If the Church has not ruled, Catholics may legitimatly differ.

I made zero claims that this is immoral. If you think it immoral, prove it. Otherwise, you are just stating your personal opinion and it is binding on no one.

Since the use of human genes in insulin production has been around for about a decade, there should be plenty of condemations from the Vatican if this was immoral.
 
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Lisa4Catholics:
I guess it just seems freaky to me:( Didn’t mad cow disease start from feeding cows,well cows:confused:
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I would submit that you need to understand it is very hard to define exactly what a “human” gene is. If I remember correctly, 97% of “human” genes also are present in chimpanzee cells, so if the “human” gene is present in chimpanzees, would you feel better if we call it a “chimpanzee” gene? My point is that at the level of individual genes, we have the same ones as all kinds of creatures. Also, don’t think that genetic engineering is new. It’s been part of horticulture for thousands of years. It’s just that we now have the technology to do it without using crossbreeding.
 
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