Cloning has been a popular subject for many years now, within both the science community as well those of us who are outside the science community. Cloning is the concept of duplicating something that already exists.
Scientists have been able to clone many things, including animals. There has been recent debate about cloning in the modern day, with different individuals seeing ethical issues with this practice. With this in mind, it is important to know what the Bible says about cloning.
The Bible on Cloning
The Bible never specifically talks about cloning; however, the Bible does tell us how God created everything. Since cloning normally has to do with animals or humans, it is best to see what God says about animals and humans as separate beings.
Animals were created and declared good just as the rest of the creation was declared good. While animals are beautiful creatures, they are not made in God's image. Humankind was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
Both male and female were created in God's image. This means that we are able to create, feel emotions, and decipher right from wrong. Nothing else in all creation was made as humans were made.
We are special among God's creation because we are made in His image. Since this is true, there is nothing ethical about cloning a human being. Every single person is made uniquely by God (Psalm 139:13-16).
There are no two people who are exactly alike. Even twins have differences between them. They each have their own personality and their own unique qualities. Therefore, even though scientists seek to make clones doesn't mean it is right.
Sadly, many individuals go along with scientists because they believe they are always right. Unfortunately, many of these scientists don't conform to ethical practices and can do much harm to animals as well as to humans.
This isn't to say all scientists are like this; however, it is best to be aware before placing your faith in scientists and their beliefs. Rather than placing all of our hope in scientists, we need to place our hope in God.
God is the Creator of everything, which means we are trying to play God when we try to create clones. Every person God created is a unique human being. There are no two people who are exact in every way.
This is because God didn't create us all to be the same. Think about it — if we were all the same, where would the diversity be? Everything would be boring because everyone would be just like us.
I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want everyone to be just like me. I enjoy seeing different people and their unique personalities. Cloning steals this away as it causes there to be duplicates or replicas of the true thing.
Rather than playing God, we need to turn away from the practice of cloning. Not only is it unethical, but it can also cause great damage to the artificial clone itself.
Normally clones don't live too long. Even if scientists were somehow able to create a clone of a human being that could last for a long time, such as a period of years, it would remain unethical.
It would remain unethical because the clone would have no true family. It is only a created clone being that was established through another human. It would have no sense of belonging and would be confused in this world.
What Should We Do?
As Christians, we don't need to encourage or endorse cloning of any kind. Even with animals, we should not endorse cloning. Scientists are only cloning animals because they are the testers for cloning humans.
Just as scientists test medicine on rats and other animals, they are testing cloning on animals before they test it on human beings. As we can see, cloning is unethical for everyone involved, including animals.
Sadly, many individuals place a low quality of life on animals because they are just animals. Even though animals are not made in God's image doesn't mean they are not important. They deserve a good quality of life and lots of love from their owners.
As an animal lover myself, I cannot endorse how scientists treat animals "for the sake of science." By treating animals in this way, it is not implausible to believe they would treat humans in an inhumane way, also.
While cloning is not mentioned in the Bible, we have enough information to know cloning is wrong and not biblical. Cloning goes against God's unique design, it is not ethical, and it causes humans to play God. By cloning humans, we are trying to be our own "god."
While many scientists might think they are making mighty advances, they are only becoming more distanced from God in their thinking. God didn't create us to make clones out of each other. It defeats the entire purpose of Him, creating each of us uniquely.
Clones break this design, not to mention that clones would not be made in God's image. Rather, clones would be made in the image of whichever human he or she was made in — not the image of God.
This is why it is important for us not to endorse cloning because it is not biblical. God created each of us uniquely with our personality. Clones would not be created with this same uniqueness, but rather, will be an exact replica of someone else.
As mentioned, the clone would have a negative quality of life. It would also always feel as though it is different from everyone else because it isn't like everyone else.
Since it would be a clone, there is no telling how it would function in day-to-day life or what kind of illnesses it would be prone to contracting. If we are truly followers of God, we should know cloning is wrong and goes against God's design.
As humans, we seem to always mess up what God creates and make it bad. He has gifted us with knowledge and the ability to create. Instead of using this wisely and bringing Him glory, we are trying to create clones.
There are better things we should be investing our time in, and these things can be things that would bring God glory.
Nothing involved with making clones is ethical, nor does it bring God glory. By creating clones, we are sending a message to God that we don't need Him because we can create our own people.
Why Does This Matter?
As we can see, this is an untrue message because life is a gift from God. Every human walking this plant was created by the one and only God. Nobody else can do what He does because He is God.
While scientists might be able to clone a person, they cannot create an immortal soul. When God creates us, each of us is given an immortal soul, and it is something that we, as humans, cannot create. We can try all day, but there is no way we can create an immortal soul.
Thus, cloning is not biblical because it goes against what God has created. Only God can create humans — we cannot. To try to create humans is us trying to play God and bring down His Name.
As Christians, it is our responsibility to not endorse nor encourage cloning. Instead, we need to speak out against it and stand up for the true Creator, our God.
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For further reading:
Has Science Removed the Need for God?
Is the Bible in Conflict with Science?
Why Does it Have to Be Creation or Evolution?
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