[Polycarp]

Cloning advocates such as Clonaid can't possibly believe in the biblical concept that God creates unique human souls in His own image. Even assuming they can precisely duplicate a human being physically, what about his spiritual aspect? Will he/it have a soul?

I do not think it will have a human soul.

God is not a genie in a bottle that our physical manipulations of cloning can conjure forth and force to create a soul when by our monstrosities we happen to create a physical body.

If it lives, however, it must be animated by a spiritual force.

If no human soul is provided by God, then another opportunistic animating force will fill the vacuum.

My personal opinion is that clones will not have a human soul but will be perfectly demonically possessed, though I have never heard an educated guess from a Catholic well versed in these matters.

Catholic Caucus, any thoughts?

[Petronski]

I know of no Catholic teaching that would tell us it would not have a soul, and I do not believe God would withhold a soul from a being because of the sins of it's 'engineers.'

Test-tube babies have souls, yet in vitro fertilization is contrary to Catholic doctrine.

[B-Chan]

A clone is an identical twin -- not an artificial being or android. Just as a natural twin is genetically identical to its counterpart, so too is the clone. The only difference is that the twin is created by the natural sexual activity of two persons, while a clone is artificially created from the DNA of a single individual.

In a sense, cloning is the ultimate form of masturbation -- a self-centered act of pleasure, utterly devoid of passion, and ultimately narcissistic. The fact that such a horrific practice is fundamentally disordered goes without saying.

[go star go]

If it lives, however, it must be animated by a spiritual force.

If no human soul is provided by God, then another opportunistic animating force will fill the vacuum.

So non-human animals are demon possessed? You don't own a cat do you?

[watchin]

I have quietly speculated the exact same scenario. I don't want to be a "flat earther", but I fear we're creating monsters.

[jwh_Denver]

My personal opinion is that clones will not have a human soul but will be perfectly demonically possessed, though I have never heard an educated guess from a Catholic well versed in these matters.

Who would know about matters dealing with the soul? You think the Almighty God, the Father of Creation might know?
The article was written with NO Scriptural references to back up his opinion. Therefore, it is just an opinion. So where would one go to maybe seek out the Creator's point of view? Just maybe His written Word? The Bible? Just maybe?


Gen 2:7
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (KJV)

Adam was nothing but a nicely packed body of dust until the Father of Creation breathed into him the breath of life and Adam became a living soul. Now that Adam was a living soul (as opposed to a dead one) God took part of Adam and his living soul to make Eve. Now both were living souls from the the original soul life breathed into Adam. Later with the wonderful Father of Creation's Adam and Eve got the hots for each other and bore another living soul of Cain, then Able, then a whole lot more kids.

The point is that man creates nothing. Not dust or life, not anything. But man has learned to take "life" from something that is living and do remarkable things with it. As with any good thing man will find a way to do great evil with it, like nuclear power for instance. But cloning in and of itself is something God has allowed man to work with.
Will it be used for good? Yes. Will it be used for evil? Yes.

[Desdemona]

My personal opinion is that clones will not have a human soul but will be perfectly demonically possessed,

From almost every source, I've heard exactly the opposite.

That STILL doesn't make it right.

[Domestic Church]

A soul is a supreme gift from God and God brings us goodness out of bad situations time and time again so I think He, if a clone is conceived through man's sinfulness, would not hold this gift back especially since the suffering of the cloned one would open a huge window to God for that pitiful individual.

[narses]

"I do not think it will have a human soul."

Based on what? Twins sharing the same DNA have different souls, yes? Siamese twins ditto, yes?

[RedWhiteBlue]

My personal opinion is that clones will not have a human soul but will be perfectly demonically possessed

OK, I have never personally witnessed it (that I know of), but I have seen movies and understand what demonic possession is. But what do you mean by "perfectly" demonically possessed?

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

I am definitly not well-versed in all the details. But as a Bible believing Roman Catholic, I can offer my two cents.

I believe life begins at conception, when the sperm and the egg come together the life is born and at that moment it is given a human soul.

Cloning is different, it doesn't have that act of conception really. Cloning in my opinion is photocopying the genetic material, but the genetic material is just the earthly body, their is so much more, the soul, which comes from God. The Scientist cannot grant a soul, it is only from Him who made us.

I do not believe the clone has a soul, and that is precisely why this scares me so much. Once we take creation out of God's hands we are creating a whole new Tower of Babel. God Bless

Vocatus Atque Non Vocatus Deus Aderit (then again, this statement might imply something)

[RightWhale]

clones will not have a human soul but will be perfectly demonically possessed

What branch of religious faith did this idea come from?

[Aquinasfan]

I do not think it will have a human soul.

The key to understanding the issue lies in Thomistic/Aristotelian philosophy. The human soul is the substantial form of the human body. If a living human body exists then it must have a substantial form or soul.