DNA and the Soul

Tough Question for Christians #20—Chimera
Tough Questions #20

AZ asks a question of people with a particular theology of the soul. Namely, that the soul is created at conception. He asks, “What about a Chimera, which is the rare occurrence when two separate strands of DNA in the womb merge to create a unique human being?” Or, he asks, similarly, about identical twins that have one DNA that split and become two separate persons? Does a Chimera have one soul or two? Do identical twins have two separate souls or a single soul?

This question doesn’t disturb or really interest me because it has no bearing on New Testament biblical theology. The Bible doesn’t speak to the issue of when a soul attaches itself to a person, and the question doesn’t really interest me. The only interest has to do with abortion legislation.

Normally, I would ignore this, but I can give an opinion. I am pro-life because I believe that every human being should be protected from conception, not on a theological basis, but on a philosophical one. I believe that the definition of murder is the “killing of an innocent human being”. Thus, eating meat isn’t murder because we aren’t killing a human being. Killing in capital punishment (which I also oppose for different reasons) isn’t murder because you aren’t killing an innocent person (unless, mistakenly, you are). Abortion, however, does fit the qualification. A human being, at the very least, is a complete individual being with it’s own DNA. Every feutus in the womb has that. They are innocent, as they have not yet committed any crime. And they are certainly being killed, not be accident, but with intent. This is murder.

So what about our two cases? The import is not whether they have a soul. A soul-giving isn’t told to us, except for Adam’s. We know when he got his soul. But other than that, we have no clue. But when do know when a child becomes human—it is when they have their own DNA and begin the process of growing. That is at conception. This isn’t theology, just science. And I don’t want to get into the details of that, or possible exceptions.

However, if you want to discuss this issue, I’d be happy to let you comment. Just don’t be mean. :-)