I have long said right here on the Bible Answer Man broadcast that it is an established scientific fact that human life begins at conception, that an embryo has a distinct human genetic code, that an embryo exhibits metabolism, development, the ability to react to stimuli, and that an embryo demonstrates cell reproduction; therefore, discarding embryos or destroying them through experimentation is the moral equivalent of killing innocent human beings. When you extract a stem cell from an embryo, you are killing a human being. I’ve always understood that intellectually, this weekend I began to understand that in a real life experience.
I met a little girl named Alysse. She is 4 ½ years old. She was a frozen embryo for two years. That embryo was thawed, implanted in the uterine wall of her mother, and she today is a beautiful, bright, bubbly little girl that I held in my arms, and I was able to read Bible stories to. If I ever had an experience of ideas having consequences, it was this weekend holding that little girl, and seeing that that embryo could have been discarded, except that her parents recognized the reality that life begins at conception. So they got involved in a snowflake embryo adoption program, and little Alysse, 4 ½ years old, is snowflake number 94. I met her, and I told her, “You know what my favorite number is? It’s 94.” And she smiled knowingly.
What an incredible thing to see, a child that came out of a frozen embryo. What a warning to us that we should not in a cavalier fashion discard embryos as though they’re simply microscopic blobs of Jell-O. No. They’re among the most ordered complex structures in the entire known universe. David said it well,
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
When I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
Were written in your book
Before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:14-16, NIV)
This is a warning to Christians, really quite frankly, that we need to know what we believe and why we believe it, because it has real practical implications. It’s not about ivory tower theories. No. What we believe has real practical dynamic and life giving reality associated with it. Know what you believe and why you believe it, particularly when it comes to the sanctity of human life.
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12 comments:
Amen!!!
Thanks so much for posting about Embryo Adoption/Donation as there are 500,000 embryos frozen in the US alone!!!
As the two Moms of 14 adopted blessings, 3 of whom were adopted as embryos, we are spreading the word about the blessings of Embryo Adoption through our blog: http://3babes2jens1cause-embryoadoption.blogspot.com/.
We are available and willing to share our stories in hopes of encouraging more Embryo Donations and Adoptions. Please feel free to contact us if we can help spread the message!!!!
Sincerely,
2 Jens
hank i have been listening to your show on 103.3 for quit some time now and love every minute. I realy apreceiate how passionate you are about saving human life. I wish I had the knowledge of the bible that you have . I respect and admire all that u and your staff do at cri.
It was very edifying reading this text. For me, especially as a student of medicine, was just amazing. I confess that I was touched to read about the girl who was once a frozen embryo.
May God bless you, dear brother,
Gileade Fernandes
(Criciúma city, Brasil)
Hello,Hank! I have been listening to your radio broadcast for over 10 years now! I use to watch trinity Broadcast (TBN) all the time, but you have enlighten me about the Word of Faith and the Pin the Tail on the Anti-Christ message they peddle! I will alway appreciate what I have learned from you and keep up the Good work! You'll be rewarded for it in Heaven!
God bless,
Jimbo
Why do about 25 percent of pregnancies end in miscarriages? Because someone ate from a magic tree when they shouldn't have?
Why does your God waste so many human embryos with miscarriages?
What do you all think should be done with all those frozen embryos?
Boris, twenty-five percent is probably a little high. One in six pregnancies, of which a woman is aware, results in a spontaneous abortion. Prior to that point it is a little more difficult to estimate.
We live in a fallen world. Would you choose to have it otherwise? We live in a world where we are able to choose between good and evil. Would you prefer to be an automaton, where you had no choice concerning your actions? After all, dogs act like dogs(all of the time), and they seem quite happy with that arrangement. Humans on the other hand are given the privilege of chosing their own behavior. You can act like a man, or you can choose to act like a dog. Why you seem to resent this is beyond me.
Great story Hank! This is why we must all support Personhood, so that all precious children are protected from the beginning of the biological development!
Please visit http://personhoodusa.com to learn more.
Being as intelligent as you think you are Boris, you should know the answer to that one. It is quite simple really.
While you are at it look up Michael Grant, who was a respected historian of the Roman period and not a believer, accepted as historical all this and more, including:
*welcoming "sinners" was part of his teaching and he claimed to be able to forgive people's sins
*he believed his death would be redemptive
*Jesus' tomb was found empty
That is a fairly impartial start to any discussion about Jesus and history, and pretty supportive (as far as it goes) of the christian case, surely?
I always enjoy reading other people's points of view even when I disagree with them. I appreciate each person who will engage in a discussion similar to this: the Christians who chime in to share their faith and the unbelievers (or at least those who disagree with the premise presented) because at least they are getting involved. Of all of the things I have noticed about Hank's interaction with people, I really appreciate the way he treats all of the callers with respect and dignity. Surely Jesus' love shines more brightly when we offer our explanation for what we believe with "gentleness and respect" as communicated in I Peter chapter 3. We should also remember that if someone comes to church or otherwise asks questions about our faith, agreeing or challenging our beliefs, they are seeking for something and I believe Jesus' love is that something and Jesus is that someone. So, thank you, anyone who will come and join in the conversation as we all "work out our own salvation with fear and trembling" as the Word teaches us to do. Larry
Well if life begins at conception then you are correct. I don't think we should murder. So many times people tell me I have no evidence for moral absolutes but I think I have finally found some arguments for some moral absolutes. I think the following premises are true and hold together. If it is objected that psychopaths wouldn't accept them (without giving a good reason why they aren't true) then all that shows is that the psychopath is irrational. That is, until there can be shown a good reason why one of the premises is false we are justified in accepting them.
1. If life is held both in common and uniquely by all human beings then human life should be preserved, protected, and valued. We should have a reverence for life and an acceptance of natural death.
2. Life is held both in common and uniquely by all human beings.
3. Therefore, human life should be preserved, protected, and valued. We should have a reverence for life and an acceptance of natural death.
Which naturally leads us to this:
1. If human life should be valued then we ought not murder others or cause significant pain and suffering to others for our own pleasures.
2. Human life should be valued
3. So, we ought not murder others or cause significant pain and suffering to others for our own pleasures
Despite all the differences among us there is still a way to discover some goods. As I have shown one of these goods is love. Human life should be valued. Since the above moral truths are unchanging they must be eternal. Why? Well, the whole universe and everything in it is in motion and therefore changing or evolving. Since these moral truths don't change and the universe does then these truths must exist outside our universe. They are not subject to the laws of decay. They are eternal and transcendent. This is the case with love.
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