There are two very different Christian views on infertility. The Roman Catholic view is that life is given by god and only god, therefore no one has the right to children. Although the Catholic Church does feel great sympathy towards childless couples, it does not allow any unnatural methods which threatens the sacredness of life, therefore this means that all embryo technology id banned. Some of the reasons for this attitude are listed below:-
- All forms of Artificial insemination or surrogacy involve masturbation by the male, which is a sin for Catholics.
- IVF involves fertilising several eggs of which some are thrown away; this is considered the same as abortion.
Other Christian churches have major concerns about embryo technology; although none have actually been banned by the churches, the churches do allow IVF and AIH because the egg and sperm are from the husband and wife, it is also good to use technology to provide couples with the joy of children.
The Islamic view on infertility is that most Muslims accept IVF and AIH when couples are having fertility problems because they are simply using medicine to bring about the family life which all Muslims are expected to have. Islamicaly if a man’s wife does not bring him children the alternative instead of fertility treatment he may marry again but not only a second time, he may marry up to four wives. “And if you feel you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice.” (An Nisa 4:3)
Although most Christians agree with transplant surgery and many Christians carry donor cards so their organs can be used for others after their death. Some Christians are apposed to transplant surgery using organs form dead people, but except transplants using organs donated by living relatives. They do not allow such organs to be paid for; the attitudes towards this argument are as listed below:-
- Organs being transplanted from the dead to living are usurping the role of God, and humans have no right to act as God.
- The belief that organs such as the heart are an intrinsic part of the individual who has been created by God.
- The act that exploiting the poor is banned by the bible and paying for organs is committing that act.
Some Christians do not agree with transplants at all and will not carry a donor card. The attitudes towards this argument are that the believe transplants can ignore the sanctity of life and the belief that transplanting organs is usurping Gods role, and it is wrong to play god.
Some Muslims allow transplant surgery using organs from a living donor as long as the donor is a close relative, although some Muslims have this attitude, there are still most Muslims who are apposed to transplant surgery and will not carry donor a donor card. They believe that transplanting organs from one person to another is against Gods will. Some of the reasons for this attitude are as listed below:-
- The Qur’an says that god has created the body of a person and so to take parts from one body and to put them into another is to act as God, which is the greatest sin of Islam.
- Muslims believe in the sanctity of life so only God has the right to give and take life.
- The shari’ah teaches that nothing should be removed from the body after death and so as well as just post-mortem being apposed so is removing organs from dead Muslims.
“Only God has the right to interfere with our genes”
There are many different Christian attitudes towards this point. Some Christians, mainly Roman Catholics believe that genetic engineering is permissible as long as it is only used to cure diseases and does but use human embryos. Although they agree with genetic research, they disagree with the use of embryos because killing an embryo is like killing a human life which is the same as murder so it is a great sin as murder is considered to be. Another reason is that life begins at the moment of conception whether in a womb or a glass dish.
Some Christians, mainly liberal Protestants have the same view but do allow the use of human embryos because an embryo can not be regarded as potential human life until it is fourteen days old.
Some other Christians are opposed to any form of genetic research at all, one reason for this attitude is that they believe genetic engineering is ‘playing God’ and that is considered a great sin for them.
I agree with the view that some Muslims are apposed to genetic research in any form at all because they believe that the genetic make-up of each individual person has been established by God and only God can alter that make up, so altering the genetic make-up is ‘playing God’ which is the greatest sin. They also accept many non-religious arguments against genetic engineering.
Some other Muslims believe that genetic engineering is a good thing as long as it is done for the cure of disease and not to produce ‘perfect humans’. One reason for this attitude is that the Qur’an and Hadith teach that Muslims should do all they can to cure disease.
