In this post, I'd like to examine a question that seems to be increasingly asked in our society and answered in a way I disagree with. That question is: do we have an inherent right to a child of our own flesh?
At first glance, this seems like a no-brainier. Many people will assert that, of course, we do have such a right. I, however, reject that position because I believe it takes us into behaviors and pursuits that are directly opposed to a holy life.
As a clarification, I need to state that I do believe that people (here I am being general to all couples, when I would like to be specific to married couples only) do have an inherent right to attempt to procreate. The only reason I can think of for a couple being denied this right is that one or both of them are in prison. Otherwise, no one should ever be given the power to discriminate against any group in this way. I have heard of people suggesting this sort of action for various groups: those with birth defects or mental retardation as a form of eugenics, the poor to limit the number of children that the government must support, or in China where a form of this is used to curtail population growth problems, etc. This seems to me to be a particularly cruel mentality, which leads only to further mistreating of these groups.
The first reason I believe we do not have an inherent right to a child of our own flesh comes from the problems created by today's reproductive therapy industry, which is driven by this sort of thinking. Many of these therapies require the creation of numerous fertilized embryos to be implanted inside the womb of a mother (and this isn't even always the "real" mother, either). When doctors perform these procedures, they often use many embryos to increase the chances that one will successfully implant. Of course, we Christians who maintain that life begins at conception (even if that occurs in a Petri dish) hold that each of those fertilized embryos is a separate human being valued by God (I do realize that not all Christians will agree with this, but I hold them to be wrong on this issue). This causes problems with these procedures because, even a successful one involves the destruction of many of those embryos. In addition, it occasionally is too successful, resulting in a multiple pregnancy, which doctors often wish to reduce through selective abortion. Even more, in these sorts of procedures, it is cost effective to create many more fertilized embryos than will be needed, resulting in unwanted embryos, which are now being haggled over by certain groups wishing to use them for stem cell research. All of these evil results of reproductive technology are driven by the perceived right to a child of one's own, which is difficult for so many.
Now, to be fair, it could be argued that there is a way to use reproductive technology in a highly controlled and conservative way that is compatible with Christian views. While this is possible, it is simply not the case in practice. In addition, as it is the costs for such therapies are extreme. Further restrictions would enable only the super-rich to use these methods, creating an unattainable hope for nearly all couples suffering from infertility.
A second reason I am opposed to this idea, and I think the most disturbing, is that I believe it is often just one more symptom of the me-centered culture we live in. By this, I mean that many couples (and even some singles) are having children primarily for their own fulfillment. We can see this in celebrities having children as just one more of their entourage, as well as regular parents obsessing over every little detail of their children's lives, from baseball dads beating up coaches and refs to cheerleading moms plotting against their daughters' rivals. This is not to say that having children does not provide some fulfillment to parents. In fact, it does and should, but this is not the only or best reason for having children. The Bible describes children as a blessing and a gift from God, but also as a responsibility. While it is a two-way street, the relationship between children and parents seems to me to be primarily one that flows from parents to children when in its proper shape. Children do not exist to fulfill some need in parents.
I realize that my views here have far-reaching implications for such things as adoption and the problem of evil (why does a good God allow people to not be able to have children of their own in the normal way?). Those would be great topics for comments, as I now have some other things I must attend to.
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6 comments:
If you believe that having children is not a right and that only God should decide who should parent, then the logical conclusion of that is that any form of contraception is equal to abortion and selection. Also that adoption and fertility treatments for married couples would be sinful. So interfering with natural processes in any way would thwart God's sovereignty. hmmm
If His sovereignty can be thwarted, then He isn't sovereign.
Well, I am certainly not trying to make a catch-all condemnation of science/medicine or to deny our right to try to overcome health issues. The Bible has several instances where medicines are used or suggested for people (though, I'm not sure if for this sort of thing). I am arguing for a more thoughtful approach for people facing difficulty in getting pregnant. If they see that child of theirs as their right, something owed to them by God or the world or whatever, then they have every right to pursue whatever means necessary to achieve that goal. However, as I pointed out, at least some of those means are immoral because they create humans, albeit tiny ones, that will certainly be destroyed.
It could be argued that even a couple not using any form of contraception will occasionally create a fertile embryo that will then not implant, for whatever reason. It could the be said that this is no different from fertility treatments, at least in the end result. However, it is different, both in the end result and in the knowledge available beforehand. In the case of the end result, many humans will definitely be destroyed with the fertility treatments described, while relatively few will possibly be destroyed in normal human sexuality. In the case of the prior knowledge, a couple has no way of knowing beforehand or afterward for that matter if their sexual activity created a human that was then not implanted, while doctors involved in these sorts of fertility treatments know full well what the result will be.
As for whether all contraception should be banned by this thinking, I am unsure. Certainly, there are a huge number of Christians who believe that any birth control is sinful (Catholics and others). There is also an ongoing debate among scientists as to whether or not the oral contraceptive pill is an abortifacient agent...whether it can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterine wall. The studies that I looked at while in an ethics class came up with conflicting findings. If it were found with some certainty that the OCP was abortifacient, then it would have to be rejected.
I guess, to directly get to your point, I would say that I am not trying to condemn any and all tinking with the human body or the wider world. It seems that God has given us dominion over the world, which would allow for some changes in the way we do things. I am saying that we must place limits on ourselves and our desires to prevent us from sinning while in pursuit of those desires.
I knew when I wrote this that I hadn't though it all the way out. I think the resulting discussion is good, both for my humility and for learning.
I think that God has called couples to have children. In that way, we have a right to children, but we do not necessarily have a right to a child of our own flesh and blood.
Many couples struggle for years with fertility treatments, and face the dejection that yet another failed attempt brings. If we weren't so stuck on having our own genes passed on (which is somewhat selfish, when we think about it), we'd look to adoption much sooner.
That would solve two problems--the ethical problem of infertility treatments, and the social problem of so many unwanted children.
I'm sure Wanda and Victor would agree with Lydia. Good discussion, Jon.
I always admire those who adopt, yet I never really thought about it as a possibility for myself. I guess I'm pretty enamored with the idea of watching our features represented in our children, oh he has Daddy's eyes and Mommy's thick hair, etc. I guess that's selfish, too, huh?
Have you heard of those organizations that sell unused embryos to families who can't afford fertility treatments? I want to say they were in the news a while back... controversial discussions about the real parents not wanting more "kids" out there that they didn't know about. It's kind of like adoption, though, isn't it?
Wow....your posts are....long!!
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