Answer to your question on cloning and soul

This is in answer to your question on genetic cloning of humans.

Your question: 

>Ok, we have a cloned sheep in Scotland 
>     we have a cloned monkey in the US
>     as we move up the ladder and clone a human
>     is God prepared to give them a soul ?

Answer: 
 
Yes, the soul is given by God. The soul is given to humans at 
birth as a seed, the seed being the child of God. 
 
This seed is conditioned by (1) original sin, or not; (2) 
ancestral situation; (3) personality or inheritance of the 
parents; and (4) ambient conditions during pregnancy. 
 
The aspect corresponding to the true spiritual life of the child 
is not determined by the physical makeup or genes. That is a 
soil or ground upon which the soul (spirit) is given. The spirit 
baby is preformed in Heaven by God through His Logos, 
according to His Heart and Divine Personality, Divine Image. 
Of course there is a relationship -- like subject partner (the 
spirit from God) and object partner (the genes and physical 
inheritance). 
 
Okay, now, in the case of a cloned person, he or she will also 
be given a soul, from God, in accordance with the Principle of 
Creation. This soul (spirit person) is independent and unique, in 
spite of the physical resemblance to the former person. 
 
This may be compared to two instances: (1) The case of identical 
twins, which anyway have identical genetical makeup, but 
independent spirits (one may join the Church and the other not, 
for example); and (2) parents, who give the life to their child, 
but the soul (spirit) of the child comes from God and does not 
ultimately "belong" to the parents. Thus, the child is an 
independent spiritual and legal entity (existence), and may not 
be handled by the parents merely according to their whim, for 
good or for evil. The genetic makeup comes completely from the 
parents, nevertheless the spirit does not. Same with a clone. 
 
Yes, the clone does have a soul, and no, it does not belong to 
the original owner of the body from which it originated. 
 
Also, as you mentioned: 
 
>I guess this goes to the definition of what IS a human being.... 
 
Interestingly, this topic struck many people as VERY important, 
and other people made comments or asked questions very similar 
in reference to the cloning article. Here is a comment by Dima 
Shishkin: 
 
>....again, that question, what is it that really makes us human? 
>
>If it is our DNA as some suggest, then could you say that a 
>clone of me "belongs" to me? 
 
I think such ethical questions are very healthy to ask, and are 
being asked by outside people of all walks of life, and are very 
important, and relate to Principle. I think this will bring out 
more and more how necessary Divine Principle (Unificationism) is 
in order to solve these fundamental ethical questions. 
 
Now, by the way, if human or other genes are used in vitro or in 
animals or plants in order to duplicate organs for the use of the 
original owner to prolong or save his life, that is perfectly all 
right, because the organ is not belonging to another person who 
has a spirit who would die without being able to protest this 
decision (or to sacrificially offer himself on the other hand). 
 
Thank you for your interesting observations and thoughts, Mike! 
 
God Bless you all 
ITPN 
William