Gene Pool Manipulation

We, as human beings, are called to reflect God's handiwork.  He has designed each of us with an enormous amount of capability, and our very existence demonstrates the hand of Almighty God.
Consider these verses from Psalm 139:
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

God has gifted us with an incredible mind - the human brain is so intricate, and our actions, the functions throughout our bodies, the decisions we make, are all controlled by that vital hub. Humanity has sought to improve on the power of the brain and the function of the body, sometimes through unethical or immoral means, and we can continue to trust in and rejoice in our all-wise God, who has crafted the human body, who has given us a spirit and a soul, and intends to express Himself through those He has created.

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Our God is all-powerful and has created us with the intent to bring honor to His name.  There is the
reminder in 1st Corinthians chapter 6:
19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

There are plenty of questions regarding the mysterious death of Jeffrey Epstein, who died in what has been called a suicide over the weekend.  He rubbed shoulders with the rich, famous, and politically-connected, and his exotic tastes and erotic escapades caught up to him.  The latest round of charges, according to ABC News:

....he "sexually exploited and abused dozens of minor girls at his homes in Manhattan, New York, and Palm Beach, Florida, among other locations," using cash payments to recruit a "vast network of underage victims," some of whom were as young as 14 years old.

Over 10 years ago, he had faced a "53-page federal indictment on sex crimes charges that had been drafted by FBI investigators and could have sent him to prison for life." But, according to the story:

Epstein served just 13 months of an 18-month sentence in county jail after reaching a much-criticized plea deal, known as a "non-prosecution agreement" (NPA) with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami, then led by Alexander Acosta, who recently resigned as President Donald Trump’s labor secretary.

Epstein, at the time of his death, was being held in a prison in New York, without bail.

No doubt, this is someone who had been involved in immoral practices for some time.  And, there's another dynamic of his life that has not received nearly as much scrutiny, but should be highlighted because it is indicative of a mindset that is gaining greater traction in the scientific community.

As Wesley J. Smith of National Review reports, Jeffrey Epstein was a transhumanist.  Smith writes:

Transhumanism is a solipsistic social movement that sometimes borders on the narcissistic. Adherents think they are so important that they should live forever. They want license to genetically enhance their offspring and to redesign the human race into a “post-human” species made in their own image.

And, it's gaining more widespread acceptance.

Smith, who has been a guest on The Meeting House, quoted from a New York Times story:

Mr. Epstein’s vision reflected his longstanding fascination with what has become known as transhumanism: the science of improving the human population through technologies like genetic engineering and artificial intelligence. Critics have likened transhumanism to a modern-day version of eugenics, the discredited field of improving the human race through controlled breeding.

Smith writes: "Apparently, Epstein was as good at insinuating himself into the elite community of scientists — such as Steven Hawking, and top researchers and science advocates — as he was politicians and cultural leaders."  Epstein, based on the Times report, had donated $6.5 million to Harvard to start what was called the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics.

And, as Smith relates, in a sad and narcissistic twist, Epstein "wanted to 'seed his DNA' throughout the world population — definitely not the usual transhumanist dream."  The Times reports that, using his New Mexico ranch, he would impregnate women with the hopes of creating some sort of "super-race" of human beings.  As the Guardian puts it:

Epstein’s field of study was labeled “transhumanism” but was an updated version of eugenics. Lawyer Alan Dershowitz, who defended Epstein in 2008 and has been named in a civil suit brought by Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, told the Times he was appalled by the financier’s interest in genetic manipulation, given the Nazis’ use of eugenics in the 1930s.

Smith concludes by saying, "Dreams of immortality can be very seductive and, for some, excuses many sins. So too, apparently, does the prospect of reaping a pot of gold in research funding and hanging out with society’s movers and shakers."

Eugenics is not an uncommon field of study and practice.  The founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, was noted for her belief in eugenics.  Arina Grossu, writing for Family Research Council, states:

Sanger shaped the eugenics movement in America and beyond in the 1930s and 1940s. Her views and those of her peers in the movement contributed to compulsory sterilization laws in 30 U.S. states that resulted in more than 60,000 sterilizations of vulnerable people, including people she considered "feeble-minded," "idiots" and "morons."

The article says:

That she generated enthusiasm among some of America's leading racists says something about the content and tone of her remarks.

In a letter to Clarence Gable in 1939, Sanger wrote: "We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members..."

Grossu notes that "79 percent of Planned Parenthood's surgical abortion facilities are located within walking distance of black or Hispanic communities."  Isn't it amazing that politicians, including Presidential candidates enthusiastically support the work of Planned Parenthood, which was built on the foundation of racism, devoted to reducing the population of people of color?

A few thoughts occur in relation to this peculiar aspect of the sad story of Mr. Epstein.  For one thing, there does certainly seem to be a thirst for immortality, for invincibility.  To live long and healthy.  But, those who are devoted to that cause pursue it with mortal means.  Certainly, there are wonderful developments in science and medicine that can enable us to live longer, and perhaps function better in the case of injury or disability.  But, when you begin to engage in questionable activities to manipulate outcomes and supersede the work of our Creator, you are on dangerous ground.

We can admit that mortal ideas may have moral deficiencies.  That is certainly the case with transhumanism as a whole - such as manipulating the gene pool or merging the beauty of humanity with such notions as artificial intelligence, a questionable merger of man and machine.  You may try to be a step ahead of our created state, but there could be some dire side effects.  The field of eugenics is rife with ideas that run contrary to the Biblical teaching of the value of the individual.  We can remember that alternatives to God's perfect design fall short.

All in all, we certainly could stand to get our eyes off ourselves.  We realize that our life is given to us by God, and for those of us who choose Christ, we belong to Him, and should be devoted to doing all things for His glory - we are not called to pursue the glory of humanity, but to reflect the handiwork of our Creator and to give Him praise, for we are fearfully and wonderfully made.