The following comes from a May 8 story in Crisis magazine by Richard Becker.
Culture of life, culture of death – how big is the divide? Here’s one measure.
The other day I caught a story on NPR about researchers identifying genetic markers for mental illness in utero. The following is a quotation from the transcript. Read it, and then jot down the first word that pops in your head:
Having a map like this is important because many psychiatric and behavioral problems appear to begin before birth, “even though they may not manifest until teenage years or even the early 20s,” says Dr. Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health.
OK, what was your word? “Provocative,” perhaps? “Fascinating,” or “Wow!” even?
How about “Abortion?” That was my first thought, and my wife reacted similarly when I brought the story to her attention. If you’re committed to building a culture of life, I imagine that was your reaction as well.
But could it be that we pro-lifers just tend to be a bit paranoid? Could it be that my wife and I simply overreact to stories like this, discerning nefarious anti-life implications where none are warranted?
I don’t think so.
To begin with, it comes as no surprise that the story itself is unabashedly rooted in abortion. The researchers obtained the brains they studied from four aborted fetuses, “a practice,” the NPR story notes, “that the Obama administration has authorized over the objections of abortion opponents”—you know, paranoid pro-lifers like you and me. So, even if the research does in fact lead to life-affirming therapies, it will be forever and inexorably tainted by it’s life-destroying origins.
And what of those potential life-affirming therapies? The NPR report is curiously silent on this point. Perhaps that is not unusual since this is ground-breaking research in its earliest stages. Nevertheless, there are telling gaps in the story where at least some speculation regarding future clinical applications would’ve been appropriate—maybe even expected. Take, for instance, this observation regarding autism, including a comment from Ed Lein of Seattle’s Allen Institute for Brain Science:
[T]he map shows that genes associated with autism appear to be acting on a specific type of brain cell in a part of the brain called the neocortex. That suggests “we should be looking at this particular type of cell in the neocortex, and furthermore that we should probably be looking very early in the prenatal stages for the origin of autism,” Lein says.
We all know that autism awareness and advocacy is very prominent these days, so shouldn’t a report on these exciting brain mapping developments include some kind of comment regarding the possibility of a prenatal cure? Instead, what follows in the NPR story is a discussion of how human brains differ from mouse brains, and how fetal brains differ from adult brains. The autism question is sidelined.
In a separate NBC News story, Lein held out a little more hope:
The findings are also in line with other research suggesting that early intervention can make a big difference for children with autism. “There’s converging evidence on a place in space and time where we should be putting our focus,” Lein said.
More hope for autistic children already born, yes, but still very vague with regards to prenatal implications—at least from the researchers’ vantage point. But those of us who follow such stories closely, the prenatal implications are all too clear: Once the genetic markers for mental illnesses like autism are identified and confirmed, and a test is developed that is cost effective from the heath insurers’ perspective, parents will be encouraged to screen their pregnancies accordingly, and babies destined for autism will be eliminated just as Down syndrome children are….
[Crisis] editor’s note: This essay first appeared April 6, 2014 on the author’s blog “One Thousand Words a Week” and is reprinted with permission. Above is an image of a developing fetal brain.
To read the entire article, click here.
All utopians begin with promoting the development of the “perfect” man. When this fails to pan out, they switch to plan B: eliminate the “imperfect”. Utopians differ only in their definition of “imperfect”. For Nazis the imperfect were the racially “inferior”, for Communists they were “clingers” who demanded property and other rights. Fascists (with a Latin logic) called “imperfect” anyone who disagreed with the Leader. Modern elitists are gourmands (a species of glutton, according to some) and want the (physically and aesthetically) best lifestyle they can have. Gourmet food, wine, and cars can now be followed by “gourmet” children – when they want them at all, of course.
Brilliant insights, Mr. Byrne. People forget or never knew that nazis were for the most part perfectionists. I’m especially dismayed at prosperous young people now who really think that everything is just great in this country and that people who point out serious problems are just whiners and losers. Your glutton comment is so true…how often have we heard in ads, etc. ‘You deserve this”. (My generation was told we were lucky to have a hot dinner and a bath once a week. haha) They see this (having control of one’s body, one’s destiny, no consequences that can’t be resolved) all as natural progress of which they are the heirs. It’s been said a million times, a million ways that every generation seems doomed to fail to heed the lessons learned by their parents. From Sirach 3: Children, listen to me, your father; act accordingly, that you may be safe.
For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children
and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons.
Those who honor their father atone for sins; they store up riches who respect their mother.
Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,
and when they pray they are heard.
Those who respect their father will live a long life;
those who obey the Lord honor their mother.”
But does anybody listen? (rolls eyes, shrugs shoulders, looks like Jewish mother)
Dana, I love the book of Sirach. I read about twenty-two chapters of it the other night while babysitting my three small grandchildren when they were asleep until their parents came home. It is filled with common sense and much wisdom. The book of Proverbs is another favorite book of mine — “Go to the ant, thy sluggard, and consider her ways,” has always kept me working hard. Ha! ha!
Read it, and then jot down the first word that pops in your head:
“Appear” – is that word, which is suitably vague in regard to humans examining their own human-ness.
“Having a map like this is important because many psychiatric and behavioral problems appear to begin before birth…”
I have always had a special fondness for the Gary Larson ‘Far Side’ cartoon that depicts a Scientist (genetically determined pre-birth by the presence of markers for white lab coats & pocket pen protectors) peering through a microscope…
Which in turn extends beyond the slide in the viewer and curves back around him in to a long telescope focused on the back of his head.
Author Joseph Heller described the phenomenon quite well in ‘Catch 22’ with the “Flies in His Eyes” paradigm. One of the crewmen is a bad navigator and ping pong player because he has flies in his eyes…
Which are undetectable by him because of the presence of flies in his eyes.
And thus science marches on – kinda like a ‘smart’ phone texter marching in to traffic while solving social dilemmas, like whether to incinerate bodies (pre or post born) for waste heat energy to fuel Horatio Algore’s newest frontier.
BTW – As an early internet user I was not part of the new frontier, but could see the smoke from their campfires on the horizon – kind of like burning tires, only greasier.
” Once the genetic markers for mental illnesses like autism are identified and confirmed, and a test is developed that is cost effective from the heath insurers’ perspective, parents will be encouraged to screen their pregnancies accordingly, and babies destined for autism will be eliminated just as Down syndrome children are….”
Who’s next all those with mental illness ?
Didn’t the Nazi’s start this way?
Why not simply screen people prior to marriage – for genetic problems ? So they can make the decision to choose different partners ?
Why kill a baby ?
Lettie, do would you like this to be yet another Federally mandated law?
Not a law, but the law is headed toward further killing of unborn babies – who are deemed undesireable by the expectant parents.
Reread the article.
Let people get tested if there is a genetic defect, and then not marry each other if it is hereditary.
Each partner has the right to know prior to marriage, and then make their own decisions.
Hmmm. Wonder if there is a marker for ensuing disordered behaviors such as are part of homosexual behaviors? Might they also be addressed? Why do I think NOT!
Recommended reading for all who want to understand what is before us in the advocataing, persecution of those not accepting it, i.e. the homosexual agenda, is the new Ignatius Press publication by Robert Reilly, Making Gay OK. It is essental reading!
Forewarned is forearmed, especially with the addition of prayer and sacrifice as was told to the children at Fatima by Our Blessed Mother.
Yes, Essential reading everyone: “Making Gay Okay” by Robert Reilly
MAN is trying to play God, but God will eventually determine ENOUGH, an MAN will suffer as a consequence!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Tee…If such a marker had been available and my parents had know that 3 of their 7 children would be gay, they would NOT have aborted any of us. Sadly, there are some parents who would. If such a marker exists (I suspect it does) some scientist will want to find it and someone, maybe a follower of Ayn Rand who was both anti gay and pro abortion, would fund it This one reason why I argue to my LGBT friends that we ought to be pro-life.
There is nothing in the genes that makes someone homosexual.
This has been proven by much research over many years and stated by the US Center for Disease Control.
Homosexual Acts are a learned behavior.
(SSA – same sex attraction is merely a temptation.)
MAKE ATONEMENT TO GOD AND HIS MOTHER FOR GRIEVOUS OFFENSES AT DISLOYAL LOYOLA MARYMOUNT (DLMU) AND HARVARD
Last Saturday, a University once known for its Catholicity took one more step into the world of sin. Loyola Marymount actually had the President of L.A. Planned Parenthood as a Keynote Speaker at their Commencement exercises, thus adding to the utter spiritual confusion of its otherwise already greatly so confused student body.
Today, Harvard, a University that was founded on Judeo Christian values, who’s motto is “Veritas”, featured a Black Mass. The sponsors say it will not feature some of the more bizzare things that other Black Masses feature, but time will tell, you cannot invite Satan and expect him to keep your decisions! Those of other denominations should ask themselves why there are no “Black Methodist”, “Black Lutheran”, “Black Baptist”, Black Presbyterian, Black Jewish, Black Evangelical, or closer to home “Black Episcopalian” services!
We are calling on all true believers, including our separated Brethren to make atonement to God and His Mother for these offences. For Catholics, this means Holy Masses, and Rosaries offered up in atonement, and especially Rosaries offered at 5:30 PM PST when it is reported this shameful event will take place. According to the Internet, the President of Harvard will attend Benediction at St. Paul’s to make his own personal statement and atonement to God for this shameless event.
Kenneth M. Fisher
Praise God,
The Black Mass at Harvard was cancelled, now how about Boston College having John Kerry as its Keynoter next Monday.
It seems that a secular Institution has greater respect for Catholic values than does Jesuit Boston College.
The President of Harvard even attended a Procession and Benediction at St. Paul’s to show his support for those opposed to such a Black Mass. Don’t hold your breath waiting for the, I assume he is a Jesuit, President of Boston College to do anything but delight in having the Traitor John Kerry at his once Catholic Institution!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher, Founding Director
Concerned Roman Catholics of America, Inc
We erroneously accept as fact that the average life expectancy of the Modern American is far greater than that of our ancestors from the 19th century. Why is this incorrect? Because NONE of the aborted babies are figured into the “average life span”! If you figure in all of the Americans whose lives are cut short by the preventable act called “abortion” we would find that our life expectancy has actually not increased but rather has declined!
It is now a well known fact that one of the ways March of Dimes is helping to prevent or lower the risk of “birth” defects is by identifying so called “defective” humans in utero in order to have them aborted before they are “birthed”.
You are correct, Tracy, that is why I do not give to the March of Dimes but to pro lifers who help in good ethical research. Stem for Life is one of the Church approved and ethical foundations for adult stem cell research. Their website is http://www.stemforlife.org.
Stem Tech is a company that has attended the Vatican Conferences, and is run by a Devout Catholic. It has done wonders for me, so that I no longer need to us a cane and even went skiing again. Both my 4th and 5th Disc were gone, now an MRI will show that they are back AGAIN!
You can find out more about StemTech by going to my StemTech Web site at: fisherjmj.stemtech.com
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Thank you for the information, Kenneth Fisher. Glad to hear about your successful treatment. I will put the website you gave on my Life Line News Letter that they sent to me.
Oops! Stem for Life and Stem Tech might be two different companies or connected. Do you know, Kenneth Fisher, which it is?
Wow! How is this for timing?! This article just showed up yesterday on LifeNews.com: “NOW President: Babies Wouldn’t Die So Much If We’d Just Kill Them Before They Died” https://www.lifenews.com/2014/05/14/now-president-babies-wouldnt-die-so-much-if-wed-just-kill-them-before-they-died/
Also, Republican Senator Chris Smith of New Jersey does a lot for children with autism. Anyone who needs help in finding good foundations for autism can get on his website and contact his office.
On a party-line vote, sex-selection abortion gets free pass
By Lori Arnold, Research analyst
Sex-selection abortion in California—which has evolved into a cottage tourism industry for women wishing to hand-pick their baby’s gender—will remain a protected practice after the Assembly Health Committee snubbed a proposal on May 6 to end the barbaric trend. As expected, the committee voted along party lines, 13-6, squelching Assembly Bill (AB) 2336 (Grove R-Bakersfield).
In introducing her Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act at the hearing, Assemblywoman Shannon Grove offered statistics…
https://www.californiafamilyalliance.org/
Yet Archbishop Gomez has no problem appearing in front page stories in his Tidings with these Demoncrat supporters of Baby Killing. No wonder so many Latinos and Latinas are so confuse about their Demoncrat “representatives”! Gomez will some day have to answer for this.
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher