Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line?

By COGwriter

What are chimeras? Is all that science is working on good? Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues?

What are Chimeras?

Notice the following from the University of Minnesota:

Chimeras are animals composed of cells that originate from two (or more) different species. In the research lab, chimeras are created by introducing cells from one species into the developing embryo or fetus of another. Now, researchers are developing human-animal chimeras to study disease processes, test new drugs, and develop organs for future transplant patients. The chimeras are produced by introducing human stem cells into developing animal embryos…Hybrids and chimeras are biologically different. A cell from a chimera contains the genetic material of either one parent species or the other. While each cell from a hybrid animal,such as a mule, contains genetic material from both parent species…Because human-animal chimeras contain human cells—or even tissues or organs that are primarilyhuman—ethical concerns surround the question of just what or who chimeras are. Because they were created under laboratory conditions for research purposes, are chimeras lab animals? Or, will chimeras eventually be developed that are too human to be considered otherwise?  http://www.ahc.umn.edu/img/assets/25857/chimeras.pdf

So, chimeras are a combination of genes from two species which somewhat make a new species.

There have long been concerns that this is wrong.

Back on January 31, 2006, then US President George W. Bush proposed banning genetic experiments involving humans with animals.  Here is what he said to Congress in his State of the Union address:

Tonight I ask you to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of medical research — human cloning in all its forms, creating or implanting embryos for experiments, creating human-animal hybrids, and buying, selling, or patenting human embryos. Human life is a gift from our Creator – and that gift should never be discarded, devalued, or put up for sale.  https://www.nrlc.org/federal/killingembryos/sotu2006bancloning/

That ban never happened in the USA.  Now more and more experiments are happening to produce what are called chimeras. 

Over in Tokyo, they are developing artificial wombs for humans from goats:

The artificial womb exists. In Tokyo, researchers have developed a technique called EUFI — extrauterine fetal incubation. They have taken goat fetuses, threaded catheters through the large vessels in the umbilical cord and supplied the fetuses with oxygenated blood while suspending them in incubators that contain artificial amniotic fluid heated to body temperature. ...

And Arthur L. Caplan, director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania, takes it a step further. Thirty years from now, he speculates, we will have solved the problem of lung development; neonatology will be capable of saving 15- and 16-week-old fetuses. There will be many genetic tests available, easy to do, predicting the risks of acquiring late-onset diseases, but also predicting aptitudes, behavior traits and aspects of personality. There won’t be an artificial womb available, but there will be lots of prototypes, and women who can’t carry a pregnancy will sign up to use the prototypes in experimental protocols. Caplan also predicts that ”there will be a movement afoot which says all this is unnecessary and unnatural, and that the way to have babies is sex and the random lottery of nature a movement with the appeal of the environmental movement today.” Sixty years down the line, he adds, the total artificial womb will be here. ”It’s technologically inevitable. Demand is hard to predict, but I’ll say significant.” (http://worldtruth.tv/the-artificial-womb-is-born-welcome-to-the-world-of-the-matrix/ viewed 02/23/15)

A lot of GMO plants are chimeric in that they include animal genes to originally produce:

Now it appears that GMO crop failures are growing. Do we face the risk of famine as well?

In 2009 the South African Corn Crop Failure was linked to GMO seeds(1). “On January 17 [2010], internationally recognized plant pathologist Dr. Don Huber, wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack warning of the discovery of a new pathogen and a possible link between Roundup Ready® (GMO) corn and soybeans and severe reproductive problems in livestock as well as widespread crop failure.”(2)This past March, scientists with the Natural Society called for immediate action to stop the GMO crop failure threat(3).

The USDA did nothing...

The Biotech system, that provides through “user fees” most of the FDA and USDA budget, can never be questioned.

Could it be, though, that GMO cloned monoculture itself is to blame? Are these chimeric species failing when they face stressed conditions?...

GMOs literally invade natural species and infect them with “alien” DNA. We need to rid the planet of these dangerous species that could lead to famine if not checked. (Bert G. Famine in America. July 11, 2012. http://drrimatruthreports.com/gmo-corn-crops-failing-in-the-usa-famine-to-follow/ viewed 06/05/13)

More on GMOs can be found in the article GMOs and Bible Prophecy (there is also a YouTube video ).

But this article will focus on chimeras that are generally two or more animal species.

Chimeric Experiments Have Included Human DNA as Well as Primates

February 6, 2014

Humans may be the next GMO frontier, thanks to Chinese scientists and their mutant monkeys

Something major just happened in China: Government-backed researchers turned two macaque monkey embryos into adorable newborn mutants.

It’s the first time anyone’s pulled off this kind of gene-editing in primates using Crispr, a technology that has been used on mice, rats and zebrafish. And it means scientists can use Crispr to program monkeys with the gene sequences of human illnesses…That’s a big deal. But the really huge implication isn’t about watching sickened monkeys. It’s about what this means for genome-editing in humans.  http://qz.com/173827/humans-may-be-the-next-gmo-frontier-thanks-to-chinese-scientists-and-their-mutant-monkeys/

Scientists all over the world are creating extremely bizarre human-animal chimeras. Over the past decade, there have been some absolutely stunning advances in the field of genetic modification. Today, it is literally possible for college students to create new lifeforms in their basements…According to LifeNews.com, researchers at the University of Wisconsin have successfully transferred cells from human embryos into the brains of mice…

Can you imagine what kind of sick, mad and twisted experiments are taking place in the dark corners of secret labs that nobody knows about? This is the stuff sci-fi movies are made from and what happens if these creatures get out into the wild and starting mating? At that point, it would be nearly impossible to “put the genie back into the bottle”. Scientists seem very eager to test the limits of what is possible, but what they are unleashing may have consequences that none of us ever dreamed possible.  http://www.riseearth.com/2014/02/pandoras-box-has-been-opened-dangerous.html#.UvQ4ZPldWO4

Transhuman species are apparently in progress.The GMO field is going in the wrong direction and there will be a price to pay.  Frightening, franko-monsters, are apparently being worked on in labs.  Yet, God made everything to reproduce after its own kind (Genesis 1).

Notice also the following:

—The Humanzee—

“Chimps share 98% of the human genome, and a fully mature chimp has the equivalent mental abilities and consciousness of a four-year-old human. Fusing a human and chimpanzee embryo—which researchers say is feasible—could produce a creature so human that questions regarding its moral and legal status would throw 4,000 years of ethics into chaos. Would such a creature enjoy human rights? Would it have to pass some kind of ‘humanness' test to win its freedom? Would it be forced into doing menial labour or be used to perform dangerous activities?” —Jeremy Rifkin “Are you a man or a mouse?” March 15, 2005 The Guardian. Available online at http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1437701,00.html

Notice that China has mixed human and simian brain tissue:

6 And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:6-7)

4 “But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”  (Daniel 12:4)

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!  (2 Timothy 3:1-6)

How much ‘love’ do scientists have for the inter-spliced animal-human entities they are sometimes creating?  Do they not brutally experiment and then destroy most of what they are currently creating that way?

This is going the wrong direction. We need to turn away from such.

Perhaps I should mention that both former US President Barack Obama and his last Republican challenger for the presidency, Mitt Romney were backers of GMOs of various types. Chimeras are not what the world needs. Jesus, repentance, and the Kingdom of God is.

More 'Progress' and Some Ethical Issues Some Have Raised

The Economist reported:

The creation of part-human, part-monkey embryos will discomfit many

April 17, 2021

Physics is famous for mind-bending ideas. Subatomic particles can be in many places at once. The flow of time depends on how fast you are moving. But because such ideas are confined to the realm of the invisibly tiny or the inhumanly vast, most people regard them as little more than diverting curiosities.

Biology has mind-bending ideas, too. Since they may concern the everyday world of living bodies, their impact is often felt much more viscerally. One example is “chimeras”, organisms which, a bit like the mythological beast, are formed from cells of two distinct species. Scientists have already produced goat-sheep and mouse-rats. Now a group of American, Chinese and Spanish researchers has reported significant progress in the quest to create chimeras using human cells—in this case, combining them with cells from monkeys to form functioning embryos. https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/04/17/the-creation-of-part-human-part-monkey-embryos-will-discomfit-many

Sadly, the above article considers this good as it also stated “But the potential benefits outweigh the risks.”

Yet, that is wrong on so many fronts. As a published scientist, let me flat out state that 1) Humans cannot possibly know all the risks and 2) There are other ways to accomplish what the claimed goals are, but they tend to be ignored as they are not as potentially lucrative.

The Bible warns:

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, (1 Timothy 6:10a)

Do not be deceived–there are ethical ways to greatly improve human health that do not require blending human DNA with monkeys or other creatures. But, because it is not considered sufficiently profitable or academically desirable, many helpful interventions are not pursued.

22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, (Romans 1:22)

Yes, intellectual vanity is a reason certain helpful interventions, including various preventative steps related to COVID-19, have not be pursued.

Anyway, here is more about what is going on related to humans and monkeys from another source:

April 15, 2021

For the first time, scientists have created embryos that are a mix of human and monkey cells.

The embryos, described Thursday in the journal Cell, were created in part to try to find new ways to produce organs for people who need transplants, said the international team of scientists who collaborated in the work. But the research raises a variety of concerns. …

Such mixed-species embryos are known as chimeras, named for the fire-breathing creature from Greek mythology that is part lion, part goat and part snake.

“Our goal is not to generate any new organism, any monster,” Belmonte said. “And we are not doing anything like that. We are trying to understand how cells from different organisms communicate with one another.” …

But this type of scientific work and the possibilities it opens up raises serious questions for some ethicists. The biggest concern, they said, is that someone could try to take this work further and attempt to make a baby out of an embryo made this way. Specifically, the critics worry that human cells could become part of the developing brain of such an embryo — and of the brain of the resulting animal.

“Should it be regulated as human because it has a significant proportion of human cells in it? Or should it be regulated just as an animal? Or something else?” Rice University’s Matthews said. “At what point are you taking something and using it for organs when it actually is starting to think and have logic?” https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/04/15/987164563/scientists-create-early-embryos-that-are-part-human-part-monkey

There are other ethical issues that some people have raised. The following is from the University of Minnesota:

Opposition to Chimera Research

There are those who are convinced that human-animal chimera research should not be performed at all. The following are their reasons for opposing all such research:

1. Because it involves research on human embryos. Even if the embryos are not destroyed, the research combines human and animal genetic material with unknown and perhaps unknowable results. Richard Doerflinger, Deputy Director of the Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told the The Boston Globe regarding human-animal chimeras: “I think it would be basically immoral to create a human whose status we could not determine. We'd have an unresolvable dilemma about how to treat this animal.” xvi William Cheshire, a Mayo Clinic associate professor of neurology in Jacksonville, Florida, and a member of Christian Medical and Dental Associations expressed his concerns in National Geographic: “Research projects that create human-animal chimeras risk disturbing fragile ecosystems, endanger health, and affront species integrity. We must be cautious not to violate the integrity of humanity or of animal life over which we have a stewardship responsibility.” xvii

2. Because it disregards the welfare of animals and animal species involved: The Humane Society of the United States (online at http://www.hsus.org) communicates its opposition to all chimera research in the position statement, “ Genetic Engineering of Animals”: "The creation of chimeras (organisms composed of cells from individuals of two or more species) involves serious ethical concerns that should be taken into consideration. Creation of chimeras contributes to the debasement of animals, as humankind manipulates nature by combining cells of an array of organisms. As far as current application of chimera research goes, The HSUS is concerned about pain and distress that the animals may undergo and calls on the research community to carefully address the welfare of these animals and to minimize any pain and distress resulting from this type of animal use.”

3. More specifically, because it disregards the welfare of higher primates involved. Higher primates, especially chimpanzees, are closely related to humans and thus may be seen as ideal research subjects in chimera experiments: Jeremy Rifkin, noted biotechnology activist, opposes chimera research because it crosses species boundaries. In his view, animals have the right to exist without being tampered with, especially because he finds that other research methods could lead to the same medical advances. xviii (Rifkin is the author of The Biotech Century , a best-seller about the biotech revolution.). Together with Dr. Stuart A. Newman, a professor of cell biology and anatomy at New York Medical College, Rifkin applied for a patent on chimera research techniques, including ones that would combine human and monkey or ape cells into a single humanzee embryo. In another, human and mouse cells would form a humouse embryo. Their goal was to challenge biotechnology efforts that would produce these chimeras. Rifkin and Newman were pleased when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) turned down their application. “By applying for a patent on the humanzee, humouse, and other part-human embryos and animals, we hoped to alert the general public to the need for regulations and restrictions in this area,” Newman said in an interview with Science and Theology News . While the PTO has been issuing patents on living organisms since a 1980 Supreme Court Decision, the human chimera application was rejected in 2005 primarily because the PTO has no way to determine how “human” an organism can be before it is not patentable by the 13th Amendment's prohibition of slavery, according to Newman. xix It is still legal to produce these chimeras without a patent, but may not be financially feasible for a biotech company to develop products based on techniques that are not protected by a patent...

Concerns About Chimera Research

While not completely opposed to the research, some experts and interested members of the public raise concerns about techniques and possible outcomes if initial problems are ignored. Their major concerns are the following: 1. Could chimeras have human brains? If a chimera's brain is comprised of mostly human neurons with an appropriate structure, experts are questioning whether a human brain—and mind—could develop within an animal or human- animal body. The National Academies Guidelines for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research cautions that experiments in which there is a possibility that human cells could contribute in a "major organized way" to the brain of an animal require strong scientific justification. xx Projects such as the following give rise to questions regarding chimeras with human brains:

μ Researchers at Stanford University are injecting human neural stem cells into mouse fetuses to study development of neurologic diseases (see project description in Definition section, above). Initial results were mice with brains that were about 1% human, but researchers could increase that percentage to 100% human brains in the laboratory mice. They anticipate that the structures of the brain, and certainly the size, would still be mouse-like even though the neurons of the brain would be 100% human. Responding to concerns that the experiment could result in brains that were more human than mouse, Stanford University's ethics committee has approved the research on the condition that if the mice developed indicators of human intelligence, such as improved memory or problem-solving, it would be time to stop the project.

μ At St. Kitts Biomedical Foundation in the Caribbean, scientists are transplanting immature human brain cells into the brains of vervet monkeys, generating a human-monkey chimera. xxi This kind of research could create human-primate chimeras, with human brain cells. An expert panel was convened by John Hopkins University in 2005 to study the potential for just such human-primate experiments to significantly change the cognitive and emotional capacities of primates—in effect, to humanize them. The Working Group on Interspecific Chimeric Brains consisted of primatologists and other scientists, ethicists, and lawyers. They concluded that any shift in brain capacities toward the human end of the spectrum would be more likely to occur if human brain cells were introduced early in the development of the brains of great apes. Experiments in which small numbers of human cells were grafted into healthy adult brains of the most distantly related monkey species were the least likely to raise concerns. xxii

—The Working Group on Interspecific Chimeric Brains— "Many of us expected that, once we'd pooled our expertise, we'd be able to say why human cells would not produce significant changes in non-human brains. But the cell biologists and neurologists couldn't specify limits on what implanted human cells might do, and the primatologists explained that gaps in our knowledge of normal non-human primate abilities make it difficult to detect changes. And there's no philosophical consensus on the moral significance of changes in abilities if we could detect them." — Mark Greene, Ph.D., professor at the University of Delaware and Working Group member. In: Johns Hopkins Medicine - Office of Corporate Communications. Experts discuss use of human stem cells in ape and monkey brains. July 14, 2005. Available online at http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/Press_releases/2005/07_14_05.html 2.

What is being done is wrong and many scientists have already crossed one or more ethical lines. There is little moral consensus because many have rejected the Bible as the standard to assist in moral judgments.

Some Scientists and Governments Are Pushing for More Chimera Research

Some scientists believe that steps related to making human chimeras needs to go further:

September 10, 2015

It is "essential" that the genetic modification of human embryos is allowed, says a group of scientists, ethicists and policy experts.

A Hinxton Group report says editing the genetic code of early stage embryos is of "tremendous value" to research.

It adds although GM babies should not be allowed to be born at the moment, it may be "morally acceptable" under some circumstances in the future... disease-free children or "designer babies" may be on the horizon...

There have been calls for a moratorium on such research, which has left many asking where to draw the line - should any embryo research be banned, should it be allowed but only for research, or should GM babies be permitted?

A meeting of the influential Hinxton Group, in Manchester, acknowledged that the rate of progress meant there was a "pressure to make decisions" and argued embryo editing should be allowed.  http://www.bbc.com/news/health-34200029

Some might consider this to be a step in the creation of Frankenstein-like creatures.  Some might also recall the 1973 science-fiction movie Solyent Green where humans ended up in the food supply.  Now, scientists keep working to somehow get human embryos modified to be part of medical supplies (some have claimed that already has happened with vaccines, see Human Fetal Tissue Being Used for Vaccines?).  Do not be surprised if some combination human-animal product ends up in the food supply--scientists have already been working on putting human genes in cows to make special milk--so this is not far-fetched.

The Brit’s moved ahead on this type of perversity:

February 1, 2016

Britain’s fertility regulator has granted its first license for the genetic modification of human embryos for research into the causes of infertility and miscarriages.

The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority said Monday, “Our license committee has approved an application from Dr. Kathy Niakan of the Francis Crick Institute to renew her laboratory’s research license to include gene editing of embryos.”

The embryos will not become children.

Some researchers welcomed the news. University of Edinburgh professor of animal biotechnology Bruce Whitelaw told the Science Media Center the research should “assist infertile couples and reduce the anguish of miscarriage.”

But critics say the research likely raises too many ethical questions and could eventually result in genetically modified human babies. http://www.voanews.com/content/britain-approves-license-for-gene-modification/3171397.html

This is outrageous. They are going to kill numerous unborn human babies.

And for what purpose?

Well, basically they claim it will provide new ‘human’ organs.

But another reason is so they can become modern Dr. Frankensteins by attempting to create a new form of ‘human’ life!

In 2015, British researchers also proposed pig-human genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) (see Pig-Human GMOs proposed). Notice also the following from 2017:

An animal that is half-human, half-pig

The quest to create animals with human organs has a long history – and it is now becoming a reality. Has science taken a step too far?

5 January 2017

"Frankenstein scientists developing part-human part-animal chimera," exclaimed the UK's Daily Mirror in May 2016. "Science wants to break down the fence between man and beast," the Washington Times declared two months later, fearing that sentient animals would soon be unleashed on the world.

The hope is to implant human stem cells in an animal embryo so that it will grow specific human organs. ...

For millennia, chimeras were literally the stuff of legend. The term comes from Greek mythology, with Homer describing a strange hybrid "of immortal make, not human, lion-fronted and snake behind, a goat in the middle". It was said to breath fire as it roamed Lycia in Asia Minor.

In reality, chimeras in science are less impressive. The word describes any creature containing a fusion of genetically-distinct tissues. This can occur naturally, if twin embryos fuse soon after conception, with striking results. ...

The mixed bag of animals from Greek legends certainly cannot be found in nature. But this has not stopped scientists from trying to create their own hybrid chimeras in the lab. ...

In 2010 Hiromitsu Nakauchi of Stanford University School of Medicine and his colleagues created a rat pancreas in a mouse bodyusing a similar technique. Pigs are currently the preferred host, as they are anatomically remarkably similar to humans.If it succeeds, the strategy would solve many of the problems with organ donation today.

Some scientists are trying to grow human organs inside pigs ...

A particularly emotive concern is that the stem cells will reach the pig's brain, creating an animal that shares some of our behaviours and abilities. "I do think that has to be something that is taken into account and discussed extensively," says Rossant. After all, she found that her chimeras shared the temperaments of both species. It would be truly horrific to create a human mind trapped in an animal's body, a nightmare fit for Wells. ...

John Evans, a sociologist at the University of California San Diego, US, points out that the very discussion of human-animal chimera focusses on their cognitive capacities.

For instance, we might decide that it is okay to treat them in one way as long as they lack human rationality or language, but that train of logic could lead us down a slippery slope when considering other people within our own species. "If the public thinks that a human is a compilation of capacities, those existing humans with fewer of these valued capacities will be considered to be of lesser value," Evans writes.  http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170104-the-birth-of-the-human-animal-chimeras

Some have claimed that 'men are pigs' and with more research, this could become more literally correct. Of course, this research will be promoted as something good and helpful.

The USA is also going in this direction:

August 4, 2016

A plan to mix human stem cells with animal embryos to create chimeras – those creatures that have part animal and part human elements – soon will be getting taxpayer funding, under a new proposal from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The federal agency said Thursday that it is requesting public comment on its plans to open the door to public funding of the concept that could result in “animal models with human tissues or organs for studying human development, disease pathology, and eventually organ transplantation.”

The National Institutes of Health had announced a moratorium on the funding last year, but the change now is being proposed due to the interest in mixing human and non-human cells, and seeing the results.

National Public Radio said there have been concerns over the potential work.

“One issue is that scientists might inadvertently create animals that have partly human brains, endowing them with some semblance of human consciousness or human thinking abilities. Another is that they could develop into animals with human sperm and eggs and breed, producing human embryos or fetuses inside animals or hybrid creatures,” the report said.

But NPR said scientists argue they could prevent those outcomes. ...

“I am confident that these proposed changes will enable the NIH research community to move this promising area of science forward in a responsible manner,” said Carrie Wolinetz, the NIH’s associate director for science policy.

But LifeNews commented, “The Obama administration today announced it has flung the door wide open to scientists making grisly human-animal hybrids. After overturning the Bush administration limits on forcing taxpayers to fund embryonic stem cell research, this is the latest move by President Barack Obama to manipulate and destroy human life in unethical experiments.” http://www.wnd.com/2016/08/obama-gives-green-light-to-make-human-animal-hybrid-monsters/#VqRYaevo7zYbxSkA.99

The world, including the British and Americans, are losing normal sensibilities, and moving into areas that are wrong. A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What's the difference?

Let me state here as a scientist, that there are other ways to deal with health research that do not involve human-genetic modification nor the destruction of human embryos.

In 2017 Chimeras Have Been Produced

Pig-human chimeras have been produced and destroyed:

January 27, 2017

In what’s being hailed a scientific “tour de force,” American researchers have succeeded in creating human-pig chimera embryos with the ultimate goal of one day growing human organs in animals for transplant.

So far, none of the interspecies embryos have been allowed to grow beyond four weeks. However, the experiments are raising profoundly sticky moral and ethical issues — including the remote but not impossible risk human cells intended to morph into a new liver, pancreas or heart could wend their way up to the animal’s brain. Could that part-human chimera somehow develop human consciousness?

The more human-like we make living organisms the more valuable for research purposes they become, says Timothy Caulfield, Canada Research Chair in health law and policy. “But of course the more we humanize an animal, the more we raise questions about animal ethics,” he said. …

Next, 41 surrogate sows received between 30 to 50 of the hybrid human-pig embryos each, resulting in 18 pregnancies. After 21 to 28 days, 186 embryos were harvested.

Half of them were abnormally small. However, a few dozen were normal size, said co-author and Salk scientist Jun Wu in an interview. “And in some of them, we observed human cells were there.”

Not only did the human cells survive, “they turned into the progenitors for many different tissues and organs,” Wu said. http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/scientists+create+human+chimera+embryos+grow+human+cells/12788210/story.html

Human-pig ‘chimera embryos’ detailed

Embryos that are less than 0.001% human – and the rest pig – have been made and analysed by scientists.

It is the first proof chimeras – named after the mythical lion-goat-serpent monster – can be made by combining material from humans and animals. …

The process appears very inefficient – of the 2,075 embryos implanted only 186 continued to develop up to the 28-day stage.

But crucially there were signs that human cells were functioning – albeit as a tiny fraction of the total tissue – as part of a human-pig chimera.

“This is the first time that human cells are seen growing inside a large animal,” Prof Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, from the Salk Institute, told the BBC News website. …

Salk researchers argue that making chimeras with more human tissue could be useful for:

• screening drugs before human trials
• studying the onset of human diseases
• understanding the earliest stages of human embryo development.
• explaining differences between organs in different species (1/26/17 http://www.bbc.com/news/health-38717930)

I warned about this before it happened. I even made a sermonette video about this on January 7, 2017: Half human, half pig: What’s the difference?

After I did this, the anti-Church of God website, Banned by HWA, posted the following, including vulgarities, about me:

Do 21st Century Christians Need To Worry About Man-Pigs? COG Prophet Thinks So!

I never cease to be amazed at the weirdness that continues to leak out of the minds of foolish Church of God leaders. …

Now we have our very own Doubly Blessed buffoon preaching a sermon about “man-pigs.” Yes, that is right.  Almost arrested, Elisha, Elijah, Amos Joshua, Habakkuk Bob Thiel felt the need to preach a sermon about “man-pigs and humanzee’s.” …

Thiel adds the title “Dr.” to  the front of his name he looks like a complete blithering idiot.  No “Dr.” in his right mind nor real theologian would ever preach such utter bullshit in a sermon.  This kind of idiocy is what occupies the mind of those that cannot and will not acknowledge Jesus.  The idiots are embarrassed to preach any thing that has to do with Jesus.

Just because the liar and certified false prophet waves his big thick Bible at the beginning of his video does not make himself an authority on the book he waves.

Maybe his 1,997 members in Africa might find his sermon slightly interesting due to the fact so many are still steeped in tribal myths and legends, but no Christian today has this topic occupying their mind.

So, I am insulted, called names, and challenged for warning against the possible production of human-pig chimeras, and told no Christian would care about this horrible thing.

Yet, even people of the world see that there are ethical and moral issues involved.

Are Christian leaders supposed to keep quiet about the sins of the end-time descendants of Israel?

According to some anti-Church of God critics, apparently so.

Yet, according to the Bible, there is an obligation to do otherwise:

3 Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub, where it had been, to the threshold of the temple. And He called to the man clothed with linen, who had the writer's inkhorn at his side; 4 and the Lord said to him, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done within it." (Ezekiel 9:3-4)

1 “Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

Chimeras are an abomination! I have personally been warning/crying out against chimeras for years (e.g. see February 7, 2014 post: Russia looking at total GMO food ban; the frightening chimera research).

Now it has been reported that they are being produced.

God has a plan for humans–and that plan is not for animals.

Chimeras are about humans producing the creation in their own distorted image and stopping life from reproducing after its own kind. This clearly violates Genesis 1:22. But that is what chimeras are about.

Notice also that intercourse with animals is also biblically prohibited:

19 “Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 22:19)

15 If a man mates with an animal, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the animal. 16 If a woman approaches any animal and mates with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them. (Leviticus 20:15-16)

Some believe that certain sexually-transmitted diseases began to infect humans because some violated those biblical admonitions. What is going on mixing human DNA with pigs and other animals is not good either.

Notice something that was prophesied:

1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,

7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  (2 Timothy 3:1-7, KJV)

Those who wish to destroy human embryos with this type of research LACK NATURAL AFFECTION. They are appealing to people's loving of their own selves for support. They are hoping to appeal to selfish lusts to get others to support their horrific agenda.  They claim to be learning, but they are failing to come to the knowledge of the truth.

And what is the truth?

First, much research could be done with animal tissues, rendering the so-called need for human embryo destruction unnecessary. I have personally worked with animal tissues to improve the lives of humans for decades. It is much more cost-effective, much safer, and not immoral. However, since much of what I have worked on is NOT patent-able, pharmaceutical companies, with their financial-focus, does not pursue many treatments along that line.

Second, much disease is the result of sin.  Sin in the form of greed that affects the food supply and environment. Sin in the form of sexual immorality, which harms the body (1 Corinthians 6:18). There are also other sins.

Third, while national repentance would go a long way to reducing many diseases, the only real solution is the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

Genetic manipulation of human embryos is not what humanity needs.

US Government Funds 'Humanized Mice' Project

In October 2018, the US government funded a project to combine aborted human tissue with mice. It then extended the contract:

HHS Extends Contract to Make ‘Humanized Mice’ With Aborted Baby Parts for Another 90 Days

The Department of Health and Human Services says it has granted a second 90-day extension to a contract it has with the University of California at San Francisco that requires UCSF to make “humanized mice.”

These creatures are made by implanting mice with human tissues taken from late-term aborted babies.

The HHS’s multi-million-dollar contract with UCSF that requires the construction of these “humanized mice” creates a demand–driven by federal tax dollars–for tissue taken from late-term aborted babies. According to an estimate it has published on its website, the National Institutes of Health (which is a division of HHS) will spend $95 million this fiscal year alone on research that–like UCSF’s “humanized mouse” contract–uses human fetal tissue.

Under the new 90-day extension, the contract—which the government calls “Humanized Mouse Models for HIV Therapeutics Development”–will run through June 5. 03/01/19 https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/terence-p-jeffrey/hhs-extends-contract-make-humanized-mice-aborted-baby-parts-another

This is not some far-out conspiracy theory.

Notice what even the mainstream Wikipedia says about this:

A humanized mouse is a mouse carrying functioning human genes, cells, tissues, and/or organs. Humanized mice are commonly used as small animal models in biological and medical research for human therapeutics. Immunodeficient mice are often used as recipients for human cells or tissues, because they can relatively easily accept heterologous cells due to lack of host immunity. … Two mouse strains, called MITRG and MISTRG, were described in which human versions of four genes encoding cytokines important for innate immune cell development are knocked into their respective mouse loci. Such humanized mouse models may be used to model the human immune system in scenarios of health and pathology, and may enable evaluation of therapeutic candidates in an in vivo setting relevant to human physiology. (Humanized mouse. Wikipedia, retrieved 03/02/19)

Furthermore, I looked over what appears to be the original “Statement of Work” from the US government HHS on the project CNS reported about and the project is actually called “HUMANIZED MOUSE MODELS FOR HIV THERAPEUTICS DEVELOPMENT RFP-NIAID-DAIDS-NIHAI2012153”–hence yes, the US government has been spending money to have scientists “humanize” mice.

Here is a section of the specifications from the US government:

The abortion industry has long pushed for the use of baby parts for health research as another type of pressure to expand ‘abortion rights.’ It seems noteworthy that CNS mentioned the use of “late term’ aborted babies. These are babies that, with proper assistance, could have lived outside the womb.

Abortion is wrong. Combining human and animal DNA is wrong.

Animals are Not Humans

Consider that there are differences between animals and humans.

As far as the difference between human and monkey brains goes, it is more than some tissue differences.

Notice what the Bible teaches:

8 But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding. (Job 32:8)

Notice something from the old Worldwide Church of God:

Have you ever wondered why? Have you ever thought about the vast difference between animal brain and human mind, and what could possibly account for it?

Animal Brain vs. Human Mind

There is a great, uncrossable GULF between animal brain and human mind. The evolutionary theory assumes that humans are animals. But one thing evolution can never explain is the total difference between animal brain equipped with instinct, and the human mind with creative reasoning powers of intellect and devoid of instinct in the strict sense that animals possess it.

Some animals have physical brains as large or larger than man's brain, and with similar cerebral cortex complexity — but none has the powers of intellect, logic, self-consciousness and creativity.

The physical brain of a dolphin, whale or elephant is larger than the human brain, while a chimp's is slightly smaller.

Qualitatively the difference between them and the human brain is very little — not enough to remotely account for the vastly superior intelligence and output of the human brain. The gap between animal brain and human mind is incredibly vast!

When God molded Adam out of the dust of the ground, he was made in the "likeness" — the out ward form and shape — of GOD himself (Gen. 1:26). God didn't make any of the other creatures to be an exact clay replica of himself. This unique form and shape was given to man alone. This is because man was created with the potential to become God!

Each animal was created with a brain suited for its particular animal kind. But animals do not have the potential of MIND and CHARACTER that God gave only to man. No animal was ever given the gift of mind power — ability to think, to reason, to make choices and decisions as was man!

It is this very SPECIAL ATTRIBUTE OF MIND AND CHARACTER that separates men from animals!
Animals possess what we call instinct. Their brains are programmed, so to speak, by God with particular instinctive aptitudes to live and perform in a certain way. They follow instinctive habit patterns in their feeding, nesting, migration and reproduction. Thus beavers build dams, birds build nests. These aptitudes are inherited — they are not the result of logical, cognitive or thinking processes.

For example, thousands of birds flock south each year as winter approaches in the northern hemisphere. They don't stop to reason why, they don't ask themselves whether they should, they don't plan ahead an itinerary for the trip. At a given internal signal — like the preset alarm of a clock — they leave their summer feeding grounds in the north and travel thousands of miles south. Scientists don't fully understand why — they merely observe the operation of this animal instinct.

Each species or kind of bird builds different types of nests, feeds on specific kinds of foods, and migrates at different times to various destinations. But none of these actions is planned in advance by the birds as humans would. Birds merely have the capability and proclivity to do that which Almighty God built into the instinct of each at creation.
But man's mind is vastly different from animal instinct. Man is able to devise various ways to do any one thing or to achieve a predetermined goal. Man can acquire knowledge and reason from it. He can draw conclusions, make decisions, will to act according to a thought-out plan.

Man can design and build different types of houses, using different designs and different building materials. Some houses are built of wood, some of brick or stone, and some people living near the North Pole even live in ice houses called igloos. Men also eat different foods, prepared in many different ways. Men may live entirely different life-styles from one another.

And if a man wants to change his way of life — he can! Man is not subject to instinct. He is not governed by a set of predetermined habit patterns as animals are.

Man can choose — he has free moral agency. He can devise codes of conduct and exercise self-discipline. Man can originate ideas and evaluate knowledge because he has a MIND that is patterned after God's own mind! Man can devise, plan and bring his plans to fruition because he has been given some of the very creative powers of God!

Man alone can wonder, "Why was I born? What is life? What is death? Is there a purpose in human existence?" Man, unlike the animals, not only "knows" how to do certain things, but he also KNOWS that he knows — that is, he is aware that he has "knowledge. " He is conscious of the fact. He is self-conscious, aware of his own existence as a unique being.

These attributes of mind and character make man God's UNIQUE physical creation. God has shared some of his own qualities with man. And God expects man to develop and become conformed to the spiritual "image" of God's perfect mind and holy character (Matt. 5:48) — just as man now is formed in the physical "image" of God.

"Human" Spirit Makes the Difference!

Man was created to have a special relationship with God that is utterly nonexistent with animals. Man was made in the similitude of the GOD kind. He was made in God's image so that he might one day be born into God's divine family!
God's purpose in making mortal man after his own likeness demanded mind power in man patterned after God's own mind. That is why the most remarkable thing about man is his mind.

What is it then that separates humankind from the animal kingdom? What gives him this God-plane power of intellect?

It all boils down to a nonphysical component in the human brain that does not exist in animal brain. It is this nonphysical component that makes man so vastly different from animals. It is what makes man truly UNIQUE!
Man does not have an immortal soul within him that enables him to live on apart from his body after death (remember man is a mortal soul). But the Bible nevertheless does speak of a "spirit IN man" (Job 32:8, 18; Zech. 12:1:1 Cor. 2:11).

Many passages of Scripture show that there is a "spirit" IN man! This spirit is not the man — it is something that is IN the man. Joined with the physical brain of the man, it forms human MIND. It imparts to man's brain his unique powers of intellect and personality — the ability to think rationally and make freewill decisions. It imparts the ability to learn mathematics, languages or other types of knowledge such as music, art, carpentry, flying.

But that's all. The spirit that is IN man has no consciousness of itself. It is not an "immortal soul." This spirit is not the "man."

The spirit that is IN man can be called "human" spirit, for it is in each human, even though it is spirit essence and not matter. It is not a "ghost," spirit being, or the Holy Spirit. It is not the man, but spirit essence IN the man. It is NOT a soul — the physical human is a soul.

The human spirit, added to every human being at birth, does not supply human life — the human life is in the physical blood, oxidized by the breath of life (Lev. 17:11). But the spirit in man does impart the power of intellect to the human brain. This nonphysical component in the human brain does not exist in the brains of animals.

The spirit in man is spirit essence; just as in the material world air is a gaseous essence. But this "human" spirit cannot see. The physical brain sees through the eyes. The human spirit in a person cannot hear. The brain hears through the ears. This human spirit cannot think. The brain thinks — although the spirit imparts the power to think far above the level of brute animals' brain function. Without such spirit animals cannot do original thinking.

The "human" spirit acts as a computer. Whatever knowledge enters the brain through the five senses is instantly stored (memorized) in the spirit within the person. It enables the brain to have instant recall of stored-up knowledge in the spirit, and thus enables the brain to utilize bits of related knowledge in the process of THINKING and REASONING.

The human spirit imparts the power of intellect to the physical brain in two ways: 1) it gives the brain instant recall of whatever the brain calls for in the knowledge stored in this memory — or "human computer"; 2) it supplies the brain whatever energy is needed to cause it to think — that is, to put the pieces of information stored in the spirit together in the process we call "thinking," "reasoning" and "drawing conclusions. " The human spirit also is the means God has instilled to make possible a personal relationship between human MAN and divine GOD. (Sedliacik R. WHAT IS MAN? and what makes him unique? Plain Truth, November-December 1982)

There is a difference between humans and animals that those that do not understand the Bible do not understand. Many 'wise of the world' are fools:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man — and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Romans 1:18-25)

Humans are not the same as animals.

Notice something else about humans:

6 But one testified in a certain place, saying:

“What is man that You are mindful of him,
Or the son of man that You take care of him?
7 You have made him a little lower than the angels;
You have crowned him with glory and honor,
And set him over the works of Your hands.
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” (Hebrews 2:6-8)

Humans were made a little lower than the angels are to rule over the creation, including the animals.

Cyborg Brains!

It has not been enough to immorally blend humans and animals, now cyborg brains are being produced and tested.

Microsoft Network reported the following:

16 lab-grown brains run world’s first ‘living computer’ in Switzerland

Swiss technology firm Final Spark has successfully launched Neuroplatform, the world’s first bioprocessing platform where human brain organoids (lab-grown miniaturized versions of organs) perform computational tasks instead of silicon chips.

The first such facility hosts the processing prowess of 16 brain organoids, which the company claims uses a million times less power than their silicon counterparts. …

Replacing silicon chips with bioprocessors could lead to drastic energy savings. Final Spark allows research labs to experience the power of biological processors on the Neuroplatform.  …

Final Spark has made working these varied components possible through an innovative setup called Multi-Electrode Arrays (MEAs), where the three-dimensional masses of brain tissue are placed.

Each MEA has four brain organoids that interface with eight electrodes. These electrodes perform the dual role of stimulating the organoids and recording the data they process. 4w (date not listed, but accessed 06/25/24) https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/16-lab-grown-brains-run-world-s-first-living-computer-in-switzerland/ar-BB1ncgwI

So, now they have a computer brain that is part human brain!

Here is something posted at Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence about this “breakthrough”:

Wetware computing and organoid intelligence is an emerging research field at the intersection of electrophysiology and artificial intelligence. The core concept involves using living neurons to perform computations, similar to how Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) are used today. However, unlike ANNs, where updating digital tensors (weights) can instantly modify network responses, entirely new methods must be developed for neural networks using biological neurons. Discovering these methods is challenging and requires a system capable of conducting numerous experiments, ideally accessible to researchers worldwide. For this reason, we developed a hardware and software system that allows for electrophysiological experiments on an unmatched scale. The Neuroplatform enables researchers to run experiments on neural organoids with a lifetime of even more than 100 days. To do so, we streamlined the experimental process to quickly produce new organoids, monitor action potentials 24/7, and provide electrical stimulations. We also designed a microfluidic system that allows for fully automated medium flow and change, thus reducing the disruptions by physical interventions in the incubator and ensuring stable environmental conditions. Over the past three years, the Neuroplatform was utilized with over 1,000 brain organoids, enabling the collection of more than 18 terabytes of data. A dedicated Application Programming Interface (API) has been developed to conduct remote research directly via our Python library or using interactive compute such as Jupyter Notebooks. In addition to electrophysiological operations, our API also controls pumps, digital cameras and UV lights for molecule uncaging. This allows for the execution of complex 24/7 experiments, including closed-loop strategies and processing using the latest deep learning or reinforcement learning libraries. Furthermore, the infrastructure supports entirely remote use. Currently in 2024, the system is freely available for research purposes, and numerous research groups have begun using it for their experiments. This article outlines the system’s architecture and provides specific examples of experiments and results. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence/articles/10.3389/frai.2024.1376042/full

Sadly, the above article considers this good.

Michael Snyder posted the following:

They Are Using Lab-Grown Human Brains That They Have Enslaved Called “Organoids” To Run Computers

June 23, 2024

A company in Switzerland known as “Final Spark” has constructed a bizarre hybrid biocomputer that combines lab-grown miniature human brains with conventional electronic circuits. This approach saves an extraordinary amount of energy compared to normal computers, but there is a big problem. The lab-grown miniature human brains keep wearing out and dying, and so scientists have to keep growing new ones to replace them. Stem cells that are derived from human skin tissue are used to create the 16 spherical brain “organoids” that the system depends upon. I realize that this sounds like something straight out of a really bad science fiction movie, but it is actually happening. …

But what about the lab-grown human brains that are being enslaved to run the Neuroplatform?

Each of the 16 mini-brains is made up of approximately 10,000 living neurons, and they are kept alive by a “microfluidics system that supplies water and nutrients for the cells”…

Rather than merely integrating biological concepts into computing, FinalSpark’s online platform ‘taps’ into spherical clusters of lab-grown human brain cells called organoids. A total of 16 organoids are housed within four arrays that connect to eight electrodes each and a microfluidics system that supplies water and nutrients for the cells.

The approach, known as wetware computing, in this case harnesses researchers’ abilities to culture organoids in the lab, a fairly new technology that allows scientists to study what are essentially mini replicas of individual organs.

During their short lives, the mini-brains are literally trained to perform certain tasks using a reward and punishment system…

If the enslaved mini-brains do what they are supposed to do, they are rewarded with lots of pleasure.

If the enslaved mini-brains do not do what they are supposed to do, they are hit with lots of “irregular electrical activity”.

In other words, these miniature human brains are tortured until they learn to obey.

Reading that should literally make you sick.

What these scientists are doing is so incredibly evil. …

Final Spark insists that the processor that it has created will use a million times less energy compared to a normal silicon chip.

There is just one enormous problem.

The mini-brains keep dying and must be regularly replaced. …

These “organoids” are literally worked to death.

They are hooked up to electrodes and worked until they can work no more…

Creating miniature human brains and using them to power a computer may be a way to save a lot of energy, but it also perfectly illustrates how far our society has fallen.

We are crossing lines that should never be crossed, and eventually we will pay a very great price for the crimes that our scientists are committing. https://endoftheamericandream.com/they-are-using-lab-grown-human-brains-that-they-have-enslaved-called-organoids-to-run-computers/

Yes, that is wrong on so many fronts.

The Apostle Paul warned about those that do not want to retain God in their knowledge would become inventors evil things:

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, (Romans 1:28-30)

Now we are seeing human brains merged with electronics--that is evil. Back in 1960 term cyborg was coined by Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline related to a being with both organic and biomechatronic body parts.

As well as something that reminds me of the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Here is something from Wikipedia about ‘The Borg’ accessed 06/25/24:

So, we are seeing a type of enslaved cyborg now being developed to run computers.

This is not good.

Chimeras Go Against the Creation

When God created everything in Genesis 1, He said everything He made was good:

31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)

Notice how God made the creation:

20 Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens." 21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." (Genesis 1:20-22)

24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:24-25)

Chimeras are about humans producing the creation in their own distorted image and stopping life from reproducing after its own kind. This clearly violates Genesis 1:22. But that is what chimeras are about.

Two videos of related interest are available: Human-Monkey Embryos and Death and Half human, half pig: What's the difference?

Thiel B. Chimeras: Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? http://www.cogwriter.com/chimeras.htm (c) COGwriter 2014/2015/2016/2017/2019 /2021 /2024 0625

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