Top U.S. Evangelical Leader: All Involved with IVF Responsible for "Vast Human Tragedy"

LifeSiteNews ^ | 1/11/08 | John Connolly

[wagglebee]

LOUISVILLE, January 11, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A leader of the evangelical movement in the United States recently came down hard on the effects of in vitro fertilization on his blog, decrying the destruction of millions of embryos for the sake of IVF.

Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the primary school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world, called the destruction of embryos in IVF a tragedy, after reading a report in the London Times that over one million human embryos have been killed in IVF procedures (See LifeSiteNews coverage: http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2008/jan/08010201.html).

"Human embryos are being produced, almost factory-like, and then routinely destroyed or indefinitely frozen," he observed. "This phenomenon might be described as an unintended complication of the IVF technology.  Nevertheless, all involved in this technology are responsible for this vast human tragedy, intended or not."

"Far too many evangelicals seem to turn a blind eye to this reality," he continued.  "While we celebrate the birth of a child and the gift of life, we cannot blind ourselves to the harsh and grotesque reality that this technology also means the destruction of human life. Many evangelicals fail to see what many proponents of human embryonic stem cell research have noted - a glaring inconsistency in condemning the destruction of human embryos through stem cell research, while ignoring or dismissing the destruction of embryos in IVF clinics."

Dr. Mohler has been recognized by such influential publications as Time and Christianity Today as a leader among American evangelicals. Time.com called him the "reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S."

Mohler hosts a daily live nationwide radio program on the Salem Radio Network., and is a leader in the Southern Baptist Convention. He has served in several offices, including a term as Chairman of the SBC Committee on Resolutions, which is responsible for the denomination's official statements on moral and doctrinal issues.

See Previous LifeSiteNews Coverage:

UK IVF Clinics Have Intentionally Killed over One Million Human Embryonic Children
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2008/jan/08010201.html

Chicago Court Rules Dead IVF Embryo a "Human Being"
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/feb/05020706.html

UK Authorities to Allow Mining of IVF Designer Babies for Stem Cells
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/jul/04072203.html

Dying Church of England Now Ordaining More Women Than Men
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/nov/07111502.html

Evangelical Leader: Young Protestant Couples Rejecting "Contraception Revolution"
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/nov/06110302.html

Protestant Group Advocates Leaving Fertility in God's Hands - No Birth Control Artificial or Natural
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/nov/06111605.html

BAPTIST SEMINARY CHALLENGES CULTURE OF DEATH
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/jan/03011008.html

[JerseyHighlander]

What kind of foolish punditry website considers Time.com to be an influential publication?

Dr. Mohler has been recognized by such influential publications as Time and Christianity Today as a leader among American evangelicals. Time.com called him the "reigning intellectual of the evangelical movement in the U.S."

[wagglebee]

The cost of trying IVF on one egg would be far too prohibitive (each procedure is over $10K and most couples who are successful spend closer to $50K).

[wagglebee]

Time certainly has a leftist bias (odd since the founder, Henry Luce was anything but a liberal) and circulation is down, but it is still read by millions of people.
http://www.forbes.com/business/2007/08/13/magazines-audit-circ-biz-cx_lh_0813mags.html?feed=rss_business

[CindyDawg]

Money shouldn’t be a factor in determining ethics.

[airborne]

Money is a factor in determining many things, but ethics isn’t one of them.

Sadly, money is more important to some than anything, including ethics.

[wagglebee]

Unfortunately, many people are very selfish and are either not concerned with or ignorant to the ethics of IVF. They want their baby and they want it as quickly and inexpensively as possible (they aren’t going to spend well over $100K and wait several years, when they can spend half that in half the time).

[CindyDawg]

The poster had a good point. It’s expensive and people want the highest % of success. I can understand that . If you don’t have a choice though prices will come down or people will pay the fees, if it’s what they really want.

[airborne]

I’m not questioning the motives of people who want to have children so much as I’m questioning the method used that treats human embryos inhumanely,as no more than profitable commodity.

[wita]

This procedure, cannot be compared in any way to a fertilized egg inside the womb, that is terminated through abortion. To believe otherwise is to completely ignore the reason for the procedure.

Without getting into pinhead mental exercises regarding this I reject the idea that anyone ought to be castigated or caused to feel shame for an act of killing because a fertilized egg does not take.

In fact I reject the idea that abortion itself is murder. That idea alone is what pro-choice folks fear most about pro-lifers and what perpetuates the abortion debate when it should have been resolved years ago.

The over the top, unbending, unchristian attitude of many pro-lifers does nothing to educate the public that the overwhelming majority of abortions are for financial and cosmetic reasons, and less than 1 percentage point relate in any way to rape incest or health of the mother! Some Mother who would knowingly end a pregnancy for money or IOW selfish reasons.

The State of SD made significant progress in the debate by doing a state wide study of abortions. The results of the study were made available to all parties.

The fact that some chose to ignore the study, and vote their emotions only proves that to some the scare tactics and leftist talking points though lies and deception, got more press than the facts in the study.

Can we say mainstream media bias. I believe the vote was basically 60/40 against. Not bad for the first state out of the blocks to end something that is a blight on the nation and it’s people. The IVF debate pales in comparison and my point is, there is no comparison.

[wagglebee]

In fact I reject the idea that abortion itself is murder. That idea alone is what pro-choice folks fear most about pro-lifers and what perpetuates the abortion debate when it should have been resolved years ago.

So, you are pro-death. The fact that abortion is murder is the crux of the debate between the pro-life and the pro-death groups.

[CindyDawg]

Women can get pregnant and never know because for some reason the embryo didn’t implant. IVF isn’t killing a baby if it doesn’t take. Abortion and disposing of the ones not selected is killing a baby though.

[rose]

Because the majority of Protestant Ministers, Evangelicals, etc. do not speak about IVF as he has done. The Catholic Church has for years.

I happen to be Catholic(21 years), I am a well educated person in scripture and religion and I also was a baptist growing up.
I always attended and studied with scripture oriented churches.

Certainly no offense, I am highly complimentary to the Minister.

[WKB]

No Problem
I was a little confused.
I have days like that.
My shrink says it’s because
I get in a hurry too fast. :>)

[rose]

Hey, we have a lot in common, sounds like me too. My husband is very funny and kids me a lot, he will say, “Just remember when you get to St. Peter’s Gate, keep your mouth shut.” ha ha It is true is why it is funny.

[MHGinTN]

The commoditization of human beings at their earliest age in a lifetime has been easy to sell to the human species ever since the move to artificialize the conception process with the ‘turkey baster’ approach. The dehumanization of the little ones at embryo age was all that needed to be tossed out. Now humans are commodities at earliest age, and as the Terri Schiavo case shows us, the other end of the spectrum is now in the sights of the death cultists with her dehumanization before execution and disposal. Liberalism is so productive don’tchaknow.

[MHGinTN]

If the embryos are humans then there is no goodness authority to make such a specious differentiation as you seek to promote.

[MHGinTN]

Incidentally, once fertilization has occurred, there is no longer an egg, so try using correct terminology if you’re going to defend this evil.

[dixiechick2000]

;o)

[mbraynard]

It can’t, the IVF procedure would never work, and that is why many religions are against the procedure since more than one embryo is created during the procedure.

This is false. You can specifically request that two eggs be fertilized and be implanted at a time. Or just one. Yes, it costs more, probability-wise, but it doesn't mean you can't do it.

Dr. Laura Schlessinger has advocated this on her show as an alternative to the mass-destruction embryo method.

[mbraynard]

In fact I reject the idea that abortion itself is murder.

Then what it?