October 11, 2010
I can never get to bed before midnight. Tonight I didn’t do any of the housework…I am sure it will be there waiting for me in the morningJ
I stayed up doing some homework for an online bioethics class. (Surprisingly) I am very interested in the required reading from our textbook.
Reading the bible in the strange world of Medicine (not sure how to site that)?
It guides us through chapter by chapter about the moral & contradictory issues that technology has provided us with. The last chapter was on human suffering. A few of the points made were about how we use technology to try and eliminate suffering from disease and illness instead of suffering through something with others as Jesus commanded. It’s too long winded to discuss now, awesome views on healing the sick contrasted with our modern medical advances- maybe save it for another time.
Tonight’s assignment discussed the Human Genome, genetic reductionism & using genetics to predetermine gender & eliminate birth defects. Pretty dangerous road to travel on I would say, a little too gray.
A few things stood out to me. First about our very liberal culture & its desire to ensure everyone has “freedom” so long as it does not interfere with the freedom of others. The author made a good point about how we seek to overcome nature & all its shortcomings (think genetic defects, illness’ & the unfit “slow” variety). Our culture reduces the sacredness of God creating our genome, our world & then sending his son to suffer & die with & for us. We want to ensure that our culture is “diverse” and allow the disabled to be mainstreamed but science dictates that we should eliminate these less than ideal from the population. The first chance we get we try to ensure that only the “perfect” industrial, useful, brilliant genetically altered fetus’ make the cut. We want all the freedom of doing what we want without considering the moral consequences or obligations that follow. It leaves out all the rest to be said about the subject of genetic reductionism & selection. This leads in to the topic of the eventual products of these genetics, which are children. How do we view them?
More importantly how does God view them? The author made a good point that we tend to view our children as achievements instead of a gift from God, as a basis of hope in our own lives instead of a gesture of our hope in God. Hmm…
Our children are then turned into these products of technology & personal achievements.
God intended children to be a gift, which means we should accept them as given.
It is probably not a mistake that parenting is difficult, that we have much to learn from these wonderful & sometimes frustrating gifts. We are to love the imperfections as God loves our imperfections. I think of God as our Father. We are his children. Just as I struggle with Carter & helping him to understand to listen to me- because I want what is best for him, what will keep him safe & what will make him accountable, God does the same with me. God tries to get me to listen, to keep me from danger & hold me accountable for my actions. He is also merciful. He forgives me, he is patient, he is long suffering (I understand what this means because of Carter), he will always forgive me and make a way for me in his home. I will do the same for my children.
So the point of all this is that I am going to try to accept the gift of my children as they are- no matter how trying & difficult they may be. Because god knew them while they were being woven in my womb, they are gifts to me. Thank you Lord for the wonderful gift you gave me in Carter, Heidi & Garrett.
Carter @ 7 months- my most favorite picture of him as a baby
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