a) Man's Dependence of Earth

"God blessed them, saying:
'be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all living things that move on the earth.' " (Gn 2:28)

Indeed we have multiplied over the face of the earth, 6 billion people and counting, but our increasing power of dominion which our scientific way of thinking has given us has been driven by a desire for profit, acquisition of goods and greed. So, today we face the ecological crisis: deforestation, depletion of sea life, air and water pollution and the extinction of animal species. Every time a life form goes out of existence we become poorer because our vision of God's glory has diminished.

We have forgotten that our bodies are made of cosmic-earth elements and that our health and survival on the planet depends on air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. We were placed in the garden of Eden to care for it, but instead we seek complete dominion which is not ultimately possible because "The earth is the LORD'S and all it holds, the world and those who live there". (Ps 24:1) In the structure of reality, God has placed built limitations on man's activity over the earth, a natural law which says, "destroy the environment and you will cause your own sickness and death".

b) Man's Dependence on God Design of Human Natural Dynamics

We read in Genesis that man was created in the image of God, male and female as the way to reproduce. Now by means of cloning man aims to make man in his own image. At the same time it is the eating of the forbidden fruit of Eden . Modern man is listening to the the serpent's promise "You will be like gods". (Gn 3:5) This unilateral approach to procreation would disfigure the Trinitarian dynamics of love and life.

Cloning, if allowed, would have disastrous consequences for human society.

Is it my child or is it me?

President George Bush Council on Bioethics (July 2002) foresees the following consequences of cloning:

1) The identity of the cloned individual would suffer. To be a biological copy of someone else means to diminish individuality and dignity.
2) The individual would be considered a product of human design and manufacture and not a "gift".
3) It would become a vehicle of human desire to promote outstanding genetic traits and the individual would be valued primarily for his traits.
4) Family relations would be disfigured. Father and child would be "twin brothers" and if a woman begot her genetic self she would be the "twin sister" and grandparents would also be the "genetic parents" of their grandchildren.
5) Finally, one generation would exert control over the next generation.
Conclusion: "For some or all of these reasons, the Council is in full agreement that cloning-to-produce-children is not only unsafe but also morally unacceptable, and ought not to be attempted." (see www.bioethics.gov)

Regardless of the consequences,

cloning is intrinsically wrong
because it is not in accord with the order of things established by God.

This is the Natural Law.

Purpose of Life