What have we wrought?

The traditional number of parents is two, right? Turns out that *is* merely tradition. Heather McDonald, at NRO has an excellent piece on Reengineering the Family . I highly recommend you go over there and read the entire piece. Here are a few snippets:

"To the extent that a gay couple wants to retain the traditional number of parents in the home, it must exclude one biological parent from inclusion in the family unit."

"Infertile heterosexual couples unwilling to accept a biological limit in their lives spurred the ever-increasing array of gamete- and womb-swapping technologies that now includes sperm banks and complicated surrogacy arrangements."

And, the two money quotes:

"When a heterosexual couple or single woman (and occasional single man) makes use of someone else's sex organs, biology is severed from parental responsibility no less than when a homosexual couple engages in that process."

"The institutionalized severing of biology from parenthood affirms a growing trend in our society, that of men abandoning their biological children . . .The negative consequences of this family breakdown for children include higher rates of school failure and lack of socialization. Moreover, in a culture where men are not expected to raise their children, boys fail to learn the most basic lesson of personal responsibility and self-discipline."

Ms. MacDonald also refers to NYT writer, Adam Cohen's recent consideration of the possibility that these technologies will results in ever-multiplying genetic contributions resulting in what he terms, "fractional parents". It is important to note that Ms. McDonald does not appear to be a Christian.

What is astonishing is that the world is now noticing these connections while those in the church still try to deny them. In 1930 the Lambeth Conference became the first Christian ecclesial body to affirm the use of birth control as a good. Prior to this, we were all Catholics - no Christian denomination or body had affirmed the use of birth control as *anything* other than sinful.

In less than 100 years they have all caved and Rome stands alone on this, as a body. There are a few pastors who care enough for their flocks to preach and teach consistently on this, but not many. In fact, the last time I approached a pastor (who subsequently became president of an evangelical seminary) on this topic, his answer was to avoid an answer.