Imagine a dog, cat, bird or fish. Now imagine human DNA mixed with animal DNA. If such a creature existed, it might not be able to fit into normal society. Could this half creature, which is part man and part beast, be considered human? For some the answer would be no. In a world where animals are locked up in cages like prisoners, this creature may receive the same treatment as an animal.
A chimera is a creature from Greek mythology. It is usually depicted as a creature that is a mixture of a lion, goat and snake or dragon although any combination of creatures could be called chimeras. Also from Greek mythology are examples of human animal hybrids such as the Centaur, Minotaur and Sphinx. Hybrids such as these are often depicted as brutish, dangerous creatures that are often disposed of by heroes.
Why would a person want to create such a creature? The answer would be to find cures for diseases. In the video, it states that human and animal DNA is being mixed in search for cures of diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
The video states that the Cytoplasmic Hybrid or Cybrid for short are created by cutting open an egg with a laser and then sucking out the DNA. A cell is then taken from another living being and ejecting it into the egg. An electric shock then starts the growth of cells. After growing for six days, the shell of the egg is broken open and the stem cells are removed. These stem cells can then be reprogrammed into any type of tissue such as brain cells, heart cells and nerve cells.
Britain’s current regulation is that the embryos produced in this fashion must be destroyed after fourteen days. Because the embryo is destroyed, it is deprived of its chance to live. The embryo becomes a sacrifice to help cure diseases. After the DNA has been sucked out of the egg and human DNA has been planted into the egg, the egg contains 99.9% of human DNA and only 0.1% of animal. Even though the egg in nearly completely human, the egg must still be destroyed. The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) gave permission for the project in January. The goal was to use the embryos to cure untreatable conditions. The research was also approved by the British government.
If people are willing to kill off an embryo in order to better themselves, what would happen if a person decides that humans would be better off with a trait from an animal? That person might get the idea to mix human and animal DNA in hopes of producing a hybrid offspring with the desired trait. If many different people create beings in this fashion, the world may be filled with hybrids. The lines between human and human hybrid may widen. Though this is a far stretch, it is one possibility in the future. Humans have already tried experiments such as giving mice human brains. Imagine what could be next.
It is not for man to play God. Only God is allowed to create living creatures. By combining the DNA of any living creature, we are playing the role of God. Because such creatures were created by human hands and not by God’s will, some argue that those creatures created by human hand have no soul and will not be able to go to heaven. In this way, the being is just a mere empty shell.
All living beings developed the way they are for a reason. Elk, cattle, sheep and others herbivores feed on grass to prevent the overgrowth of plants and wolves, bears, cougars and other predators limit the overpopulation of the herbivores. Adding in a new species to the mix may well upset the balance.
In 1935, Australia was having a beetle problem and did not have a toad species to limit the beetle’s growth. The Cane toad was introduced to help fight the growing concern of beetles eating crops. However, things did not go as planned. The toads began eating everything it could catch including bird’s eggs and local frogs. In addition, the toads were poisonous and began to kill off native predators. This is an example of new species upsetting the balance.
Each species was created for a purpose by God. Each of these species has a right to live. When humans merge human and animal DNA, they cross the line between these purposes. They kill embryos to better themselves. Though these experiments may be helping to develop cures for diseases, they are destroying a life that could have been. No creatures should be forced to die for another, be they human, animal or something in-between. Humans should not play the role of God for they have no right to create new life or take it away.
Lisa Hilburn
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