Not really. It's the same baby, just at a different time in it's development. Why should age be the determining factor in whether it's OK to end a life or not? It's murder when it's any other stage of someone's existance. When age is the determining factor in deciding someone's humanness, the slippery slope has begun, like it is now.
I'm wondering how you would feel if the embryos in question were not destroyed but were also not implanted.
Some people on this thread believe that the 8 celled embryos have a soul and therefore cannot not be destroyed without moral consequence. But not destroying them does not require that they also be implanted.
Suppose the parents in this case simply chose to allow the seven remaining cells in the blastospheres with severe genetic problems to live until they died a natural death over a period of days, weeks, years, decades, or whatever time period that might be. In this scenario the parents take no active steps to harm these seven cells.
When the last of the seven cells dies naturally, the soul would presumably move on the same as any other soul departing a fully grown person, correct? And the parents and medical establishment will have avoided the murder of an innocent unborn, correct?
Or does the mere creation of a blastosphere morally require implantation to avoid being deemed a murderer?
jas3
It's only eight cells in a petri dish. It's only a small "fetus" (ie unborn human baby). It's only a defective baby who won't live anyway. It's only a sick child who will have no quality of life. It's only a mentally ill person who has no enjoyment of life. It's only a retarded person who can't care for himself. It's only an elderly person who has no future ahead anyway. It's only a sick elderly person who can't care for herself.
It's only a Jew. It's only a Christian. It's only a native. It's only a (fill in the blank).
I hear that... I love the better than statements too.
Maybe it would be better knowing you have this trait not to have children? Maybe they should have discussed that in depth way before? Nevermind... I guess that's too cruel for the adults.
Satire rant note:
Like my terrible two toddler that's getting on my nerves? I could call it a ten trimester post abortion. Or my teenagers... oh boy... outta here. Or my grandma, who left me something in the will... is ill and I just can't take care of her anymore? Plus the meds and other bills... Gone.
What the hey, since they're screening... maybe they can take the spare parts... it's all relative. "It's for the good of the people... it could be worse you know.
It's like the new "ethical" "embryonic" stem cells. Remove one cell at the eight cell stage (nevermind how many more times it had to multiply... we're stupid you know), and state it could go on to grow normal... yep, that cell that would have divided a few more times was there for no reason... yep, I believe that... ethical... embryonic. Nothing lacking.
The search for perfection... screen out all abnormalties... that really worked out well for Hitler... and Margaret Sanger is the mother of many diseases, broken marriages, adultery and no responsibility for the bad 'private choices' (that could be thought about ahead... but that would be too easy), paid for by the taxpayer in most cases. See the rates of suicide, drug use and general non-existant self-esteem for young girls and women, and the get out of jail free/no responsibility card for the men. Don't get me started on the underage rapes... after all, you don't have to take them to the abortion clinic now, you can go purchase Plan B for the underage tot and no one's the wiser. Yep... see the elderly and disabled taken out (their lives are not productive, they're faulty). Brave? New World.