The Sanctity of Life:

LS 408
Group 4
 We need to study human cloning to know
if it is good or not, or to know if it can help us or not.
Human cloning is a form of cloning which is designed to
result in a copy of a human being or a human body part.
There are numbers of ethical and religious issues
surrounding human cloning, and many nations have
specifically banned human cloning, discouraging research
into procedures which are designed to result in cloned
humans. The same principles which have been successfully
used to clone animals could also theoretically be utilized to
make human clones, although as of 2008, no scientists had
claimed to produce a human clone.
 Opinions
Many people nowadays disapprove human cloning.
Some says that if we keep cloning, the world’s
population will be half and half (clones and humans).
By that rate all us humans will die off and clones will
rule, but would they consider it a clone race or continue
to call it a human race, and since they can’t reproduce,
they will die off, leaving no one and human race will be
extinct. The cloning of human beings has the potential
for resolving many problems, but it also has the
potential for creating just as many problems. The
perspective of the value of human life could change
entirely with those making the decisions in society
viewing humans not as humans but more like machines
or cattle. With this new perspective it is not
inconceivable that clones could be retired like an old
machine, and even possibly being killed to make room
for the new younger clones.
 The term clone is derived from the Ancient
Greek word klōn, referring to the process whereby a new plant
can be created from a twig. Cloning is the creation of an
organism that is an exact genetic copy of another. It is used
to amplify DNA fragments containing whole genes.

There are five potential uses for cloning humans or

human cells: (1) a research tool to understand how genes in
cells can be switched off and on; (2) growing new skin for
burn victims; (3) culturing bone marrow that could be used to
treat cancer patients; (4) manipulating genes to cure sickle cell
anemia; (5) potential application in treating infertility.
1. DNA Cloning
2. Reproductive Cloning
3. Therapeutic Cloning
■ Recombinant DNA Technology or DNA Cloning
Also called "molecular cloning”, or "gene cloning“ that
refers the transfer of a DNA fragment of interest from one organism to a
self-replicating genetic element such as a bacterial plasmid.
Cloning strategies:
1. fragmentation - breaking apart a strand of DNA
2. ligation - gluing together pieces of DNA in a desired sequence
3. transfection - inserting the newly formed pieces of DNA into cells
4. screening/selection - selecting out the cells that were successfully
transfected with the new DNA
 ■ Reproductive Cloning
It is used to generate an animal that has the same
nuclear DNA as another currently or previously existing animal.
Dolly was created by reproductive cloning technology. In a process
called "somatic cell nuclear transfer" (SCNT), scientists transfer
genetic material from the nucleus of a donor adult cell to an egg
whose nucleus, and thus its genetic material, has been removed. If
the egg begins to divide normally it is transferred into the uterus of
the surrogate mother. Such clones are not strictly identical since the
somatic cells may contain mutations in their nuclear DNA.
*Dolly was the first mammal to have been successfully
cloned from an adult cell.
■ Therapeutic Cloning
Also called "embryo cloning," is the production of
human embryos for use in research. The goal of this process is not to
create cloned human beings, but rather to harvest stem cells that can be
used to study human development and to treat disease.
 Researchers have found several abnormalities in cloned
organisms. The cloned organism may be born normal and resemble
its non-cloned counterpart, but majority of the time will express
changes in its genome later on in life. The concern with cloning
humans is that the changes in genomes may not only result in
changes in appearance, but in psychological and personality changes
as well. The theory behind this is that the biological blueprint of the
genes is the same in cloned animals as it is in normal ones, but they
are read and expressed incorrectly. Results of these abnormally
expressed genes in the cloned mice were premature death,
pneumonia, liver failure and obesity.
 Cloning violates the marriage act by separating procreation of
children from the unifying act of love between husband and wife. This
is contrary to the dignity of the human person, according to a survey of
Christian fundamentalist pastors, responses indicated a "common
account of human cloning as primarily reproductive in nature,
proscribed by its violation of God's will and role." Many of these
pastors acknowledged the reason for this violation being rooted in the
religiously motivated view that human cloning is an example of
scientists “playing God”. Catholics and other Christian denominations
that share this belief may see embryonic cloning as tantamount to live
human experimentation and therefore contrary to God's will. According
to this view, the dignity of the person is not upheld. The Roman
Catholic Church, under the papacy of Benedict XVI, has condemned
the practice of human cloning, in the magisterial instruction Dignitas
Personae, stating that it represents a "grave offense to the dignity of
that person as well as to the fundamental equality of all people."
 B. Biblical Teachings
 The Biblical Passages in the Bible are proofs that cloning violated the rule of
the Church and against the will of God. It prevents a human being to have a
family. It also gives way to homosexuals and lesbians to reproduce which is
also against the law of the Church.

 According to (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 6:1-4), by restricting the sexual union to

marriage, God assured that any children conceived would have a family
(father and mother) to raise the child. This clearly states that cloning
forbidden the right of a child to have a family or parents that would care for
him/her. Her/His right as an individual was lost and his/her cloning hinder
this recognition to his/her own identity.

 According to (1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rom. 1:24-27), the reasons for cloning include a
way for lesbians and homosexuals to reproduce, since their sexual practices
are inherently sterile. This is clearly sinful, because homosexuality is sinful.
This states the freedom of lesbians and homosexuals to reproduce which is
also against the will of God. Since God made a man and woman to reproduce
and make a family, lesbians and homosexuals should not have the right to
make one which composed of a man with a man or woman with another
woman. Another biblical passage can prove this statement, in the beginning
God created man and woman and told them to reproduce (Gen. 1:26-28).
Check This Out!
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/tech/cloning/clickandclone/

● http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-human-cloning.htm
● http://www.globalchange.com/What-is-Human-Cloning-How-to-
Clone.-But-Ethical/
● http://www.arhp.org/publications-and-resources/patient-
resources/printed-materials/cloning
● http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_three_types_of_cloning
●http://facweb.stvincent.edu/academics/religiousstu/writings/logsto
n1.html
● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_cloning
● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloning
● http://www.saintaquinas.com/controversial.html
● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_views_on_cloning
● http://www.gospelway.com/topics/morality/cloning.php