Home › Forums › All Things Catholic › FROZEN EMBRYOS AND CLONES
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April 3, 2006 at 12:17 am #1190AnonymousInactive
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Do human embryos and human clones have souls?The Church affirms that human life is sacred from conception to
natural death, thus asserting the inviolability of all human beings.
So, the question is really, are embryos and clones, if ever
produced, human beings?This question is answered adequately by philosophy and science.
Science shows us that different kinds of existing things, called a
being, belong to specific categories of being. Among living beings
we can determine from the genetic makeup of the individual what kind
of being it is. Human sperm and egg cells have only half the
complement of human genetic material, and a limited lifespan. They
do not replicate and organize themselves in any way. They
are “human” in that they come from human beings, but they are not
human beings. However, after they unite to form a fertilized ovum
all the genetic material that will ever be needed is present to
constitute a human being. Furthermore, other than needing a special
environment at different stages (whether the womb or the cradle),
all that will determine their growth is the unfolding of the genetic
plan contained within and the addition of nutrients and time. This
cannot be said of sperm and egg. Their independent life is fixed.
The life of a human being is not – all it needs is the right
environment, food, water, oxygen and love. Whether two cells or two
billion cells, this is true.In the case of frozen embryos, if they can be revived and if they
are then still living, then they are human beings, and all human
beings by definition have a soul. Since such embryos have developed
into human children we know this to be true. The same would be true
of clones. If the processes, no matter how artificial and unnatural,
result in a being that is materially human in makeup and can live
and develop into a child, then that child will have a soul. No
creature as materially complicated as a man can live without the
spiritual form which theology calls the soul.April 3, 2006 at 12:53 am #5876AnonymousInactiveI believe so.
April 3, 2006 at 1:52 am #5882About Catholics TeamKeymasterWeather, what is the source of these articles?
April 4, 2006 at 7:31 pm #5915AnonymousInactiveI get them from various Catholic websites on internet
April 4, 2006 at 7:54 pm #5918About Catholics TeamKeymasterNo, I meant the specific link or webpage. If you have that available that would be nice. ” title=”Smile” /> I just want to know what site it is coming from.
April 4, 2006 at 10:53 pm #5924AnonymousInactive -
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