In the last column I talked about Genetic Engineering taking over the world and life, just as computers did in the 80's and 90's. By 2010 we will have cloned organs possible and by 2020 Genetic Engineering will be so common we won't even think about it anymore.
Is that scary to you? It's not to me. I do believe that we have to come up with some moral boundaries for the science just as we have computers and video. Just think about what this will do to the Olympics. This year the Summer Olympics will be in Athens and athletes from all over the world will compete to see who is the fastest and strongest. Will Genetic Engineering make the Olympics obsolete? Think about it. Now we test for drugs and steroids in our athletes but how do you test for genetic enhancement? When they are your own genes, only better? Infertility will no longer be a problem and neither will abortion both will be controlled by genetics.
Still not scared? Me neither. By 2020 our food will be genetically engineered to our particular needs and wants without making us fat and with making us stronger and healthier. Our clothes will adjust to our needs. Our genetic code will eventually become our ATM password and bank signatures.
Scary? I don't think so. Not because there is no hazard in the whole science of Genetic Engineering, there are a lot of hazards here. A lot of "mistakes" can and will be made and people will die because of it, people will be forced into VERY tough decisions of life and death because of it, and people on both sides will carry the debate to extremes. Meanwhile, the Goliath-like progress of Genetic Engineering will trudge forward.
David controlled Goliath with a few small stones. We need those in our sling-shot bag too. In his book of songs, David said that we have been known since before we were "knitted together in our mother's womb." That smooth stone assures me that this whole genetic thing is not a surprise to our Creator. We cannot, as humans, take off into an area where our Creator has not already "been there" and "done that." That takes my fear away and gives me hope for our future.