What do you guys think about this baby(ies?) that was supposedly cloned by the Raelian (sp) group? I heard they have some 'far out' beleifs, too. As far as I know, this cloned baby has yet to be verified, but I don't like it at all!

Kell

Is there more information on it?

Cloning is a tough subject. It's one of those things that you don't know if it is a really bad thing or a good thing till you do it and then it is too late. Will they be soulless creatures? Should they have rights like people born from embryos?
My guess is they would. But we won't know till we try.

Nakis, I believe there are some good uses for cloning, such as advances in health/medicine. If they can grow new hearts for people, I'm all for it. I just don't like the idea of making whole clones outright. What's the purpose? Just to make new citizens? We do a good job of that all by ourselves! And as you said, the rights issue comes into play. Will there be a part of the populous that sees clones as 'below' them and it may end up in another 'race war' of sorts. *sigh*

Here are the articles from CNN concerning both baby clones (there is more reading there on it as well).

First baby clone - Jan. 1st[/URL]
Second baby clone - Jan. 6th[/URL]

Their website: Raelian Revolution[/URL]

More info on Raeliens: The Watchman Expositor: Raelian Profile[/URL]

Kell

I saw a documentary about them trying to make clones about a year or more ago.
I think the clones are real. As far as I can recall, they were just looking for a place where they could set up lab and not be harrassed.

Personal views on the subject: Against it. Messing around with genes, what new diseases could we bring upon ourselves? Giving birth to a genetic replica of yourself could be construed as incest (that is if you want yourself to be cloned).

I see the upside, but unfortunately we're not supposed to live forever and I just see too many ethical and moral issues.

When it took them over 180 tries to successfully clone a cat - what of the rest that died? Also, no offence to the cat population but we got too many strays and we can't look after the ones we have.

We need to put our efforts into curing disease and feeding the people already here before adding to the problem.

What is the point of having a genetic replica of yourself or a loved one when you cannot duplicate the outside forces that went into your development?

Diversity and adaptation are the things that keep this planet going despite us. Uniformity will be our destruction. The sad part is diversity is not considered a plus in many cultures.

For every good use technology has there is a way to exploit it for less than ethical purposes. There is a line, but who draws it and where?

I feel cloning, parts, people or animals makes life seem that much more disposable.

If you've ever known anyone who has been on a transplant list, you know it is a sad victory to know that you're getting a chance to live because someone else had to die. I thank the family of my son's kidney doner for their unselfish act and pray that more effort is made in the area of cloning organs.

I remember reading, hearing, or watching (media overload) that a primate had been cloned. So, it wouldn't surprise. I question why. I have issues with organ transplantation. But I believe in the freedom of choice for those who want to give and receive organs, and I understand the emotions behind a parents' desire for their child to live. I also realize that most of these fabulous medical advances are not available to the poor and disenfranchised. So, in my mind these are the perks for the rich and priveleged, and are not to the greater good all. I've heard a story or two about rich celebrities that have had more than one liver transplant because they drank through the original part, and it's replacement. Urban myth or truth?

Connie, I can totally understand why you would support cloning organs. To recieve happiness from someone elses sorrow must be difficult indeed. Blessings on the families that allow their tragedy to become someone elses hope.

Kathleen has a point, the poor and disinfranchised are not the recipients of these technologies. And call me paranoid but I do believe the wealthy can and do get around the protocols governing who gets a transplant.

I think that if they were just cloning organs, I could accept that. But I believe that these spare organs would be cloned in a host body and harvested. That may make for a cheap supply of parts but, transplants would still be beyond the means of most people.

Honestly, I do not know what I would do If I found myself or my family in the positon Connie was in. If it was my life at risk, I think I would take my chances rather than use a technology that I had such issues with. But with a child (and I do not have any) or loved one. I am not so sure.

I don't want to offend anyone but I feel cloning of individuals is just wrong. I can agree, however, that in cases of organs being cloned there could be benefits. My mind keeps thinking of several things.

First, if terrorist groups or war minded individuals were to start cloning themselves or their associates, there wouldn't be any kind of decent or sane people around for any amount of time to speak of. Those of us who are not into all the violence would be taken out solely because we are not of use to these individuals to begin with.

Secondly, does anyone really know how the emotional and psychological aspects of individuality are going to be affected by the cloning itself. How can a mind be cloned?

In my oppinion these doctors and staff members don't know what they are getting themselves into or setting the rest of us up for. I see no logical reason to clone a whole individaul. I have a great belief in God and the hereafter and my faith just can't seem to get cloning as being something that my heavenly father would really want. He has made us who we are and given us what it takes to procreate naturally. Somehow I cannot bring myself to believe that he really wanted an exact replica of me running around for someone else to credit himself for.

Please, don't take offense to any of this as it is only my opinion and I firmly believe we ALL have a right to that. I just have to wonder what puts these things into the minds of those who do this type of thing.

Hmmm my thoughts on cloning...... The thought of cloning a human being just makes me shudder. I think it's a bad bad idea. However my thoughts on the psychological impact, well for one a mind cannot be cloned, yes the person would be an exact replicia of a preexsisting human being however so many factors go into the formation of personality the cloned person wouldn't think the same as the person who they were cloned from. In my thinking it would be impossible to recreate the exact life experiences that make a person who they are. Goes back to that whole nature vs nuture thing. Of course the unethical side of me says hmmmm this would be a way to end that debate, then I suppose we could see. I am not supporting cloning in that last statement it was simply something that came to mind. As for this group of people who claim they have cloned a human, my only thought on that is show me the proof. I"ll believe it when I see it. From what I understand the main scientific community is scoffing at their claims. But you never know.