A Chinese
scientist was just sent to jail for having modified the DNA of a human embryo of
twin girls, producing an immunity to HIV.
This case
raises the ire of many Christians and other religious denominations who have referred
to the scientist as Frankenstein.
This is
again where science runs up against dark age religious thinking – where science
must drag religion out of the age of mysticism.
There are medical ethical concerns to do with the possible unknown side effects of
editing the targeted gene, and these are fair complaints; but the religious
moral police should be disregarded.
There will
come a time when designer children are the norm; and future generations look
back on this era and marvel how religious thinking still dominated the 20th
and 21st century, delaying genetic research that could have resulted
in cures for birth deformities and many of our most debilitating and deadly diseases.
Of course, there is always thoughts and prayers.
the Ol'Buzzard
