This article reports some differing theological opinions about the question of genetically modified foods. Have you given any consideration to this important contemporary problem?
Religion used to justify not only wars but GM too - sigh. Greed and squandering of resources by the wealthy create poverty. I'm just a regular Greeny vegan member of RAGE.
This is a difficult one, here in Tassie which would like to have a reputation as a GM-free state. Because of greed we are running out of fish as a source of Omega-3 so CSIRO scientists here are working on GM food that will contain Omega-3 extracted (I think I remember rightly) from seaweed. Maybe this falls into the "tilling the earth" mandate?
I hope we just keep our eyes open and think about it. So many times when we have developed new technologies, we have been shortsighted about their long-term effects. In this case, we can't afford to make major mistakes because the products are living: self-replicating, competitive for goods. Our testing has to be better than ever before. Technology/innovation don't really have a QA department ... (an internal one). I suspect the GM discipline isn't mature enough to let its products loose yet. If nobody can really tell you what will happen 20 years from now if this gets loose / interacts with other species / competes with other species, then we probably ought to hold off til we get a clue.
This issue is discussed in the very provocative new book Colossians Remixed .
ReplyDeleteI'm using the book right now as I preach through Colossians.
Religion used to justify not only wars but GM too - sigh. Greed and squandering of resources by the wealthy create poverty. I'm just a regular Greeny vegan member of RAGE.
ReplyDeleteThis is a difficult one, here in Tassie which would like to have a reputation as a GM-free state. Because of greed we are running out of fish as a source of Omega-3 so CSIRO scientists here are working on GM food that will contain Omega-3 extracted (I think I remember rightly) from seaweed. Maybe this falls into the "tilling the earth" mandate?
ReplyDeleteMarion
I hope we just keep our eyes open and think about it. So many times when we have developed new technologies, we have been shortsighted about their long-term effects. In this case, we can't afford to make major mistakes because the products are living: self-replicating, competitive for goods. Our testing has to be better than ever before. Technology/innovation don't really have a QA department ... (an internal one). I suspect the GM discipline isn't mature enough to let its products loose yet. If nobody can really tell you what will happen 20 years from now if this gets loose / interacts with other species / competes with other species, then we probably ought to hold off til we get a clue.
ReplyDelete