Analysis of the role of the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) on boundaries of life in the modern era of technology and innovation
The National Catholic Bioethics Center was founded in 1972. The primary aim of its establishment was to promote human identity in healthcare and life science. CNBC’s message was derived according to the catholic teachings and faith. Through research, conferences, printing, and education, NCBC was able to achieve its goals. NCBC is believed to play a significant role in the awareness of boundaries of life in the modern technological and innovation era. To achieve this, NCBC stands to the catholic teachings on issues affected by advanced technology such as transgenderism, assisted suicide/Euthanasia, organ transplant, and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
Trangenderism
Trangenderism is the change of one’s sex through the use of modern technology such as surgical procedures. This results when someone thinks he/she belongs to the other gender than what he or she is. For example, a male attempting to change is identity to become a female. According to NCBC, gender transition is condemned by the Catholic teachings as it is believed to violate human identity or closes the boundaries of life. The catholic faith sees the human person as a full-body soul unity and not a spirit inhabiting the body. The church believes that no medical association can overturn the inborn sexuality identity of embodied spirit. The NCBC concludes this by stating that they may alter the behavior like the way of speaking, but no technology can alter inborn sexuality identity.
Assisted suicide/Euthanasia
Euthanasia is the act of the use of certain medications to cause the death of a suffering individual. NCBC has never supported this act and always condemn it. According to catholic health care, no one is entitled to take the life of a person as death should happen naturally. Any person who asks for euthanasia because he or she thinks the suffering is too much should not be provided with it, but instead, the catholic teaching says he or she should be given psychological and spiritual support to live in peace until the right time comes when natural death occurs to them. The church doesn’t believe in euthanasia and has no intention of supporting it either under any circumstance as they believe it is closing the boundaries of life by denying a person right to life (“Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, 5th ed.2009” pg. 60).
Organ transplant
An organ transplant is an act of giving your organ to another recipient. NCBC has no problem with organ transplant that is donated through a morally acceptable decision. However, catholic condemn the act of giving organs for reward, especially in the form of money. Giving an organ for reward expectancy is condemned by the catholic as they term it morally acceptable to consider the human organ as an item of exchange or trade since it violates the dignity of the human person.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
IVF is the extraction of eggs and a sample of sperm, which are then combined manually in the laboratory for fertilization to place. This is common to those adults who don’t give birth as it enables them to have a child. No matter which great this technology can be seen, the Catholic Church condemns it as it regards it as demanding the gift of a child. A child is a gift from the Lord, and no adult has an entitlement to have a child. NCBC terms the act of achieving the child through IVF as something that is taken but not a gift from the Lord. This makes it go against IVF as it violates the boundaries of life or basic human dignity.
NCBC has played a significant role in preserving human identity, ensuring boundaries of life are not closed. This is by following the teaching and catholic faith. NCBC has succeeded in making people, especially those in concerned fields such as medics, to understand what is morally acceptable and what is morally unacceptable according to their faith. I hope people will agree to these perspectives of NCBC as I think it is essential to respect human identity as that is what the Lord expects from the people who serve Him.
Work cited
Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, 5th ed., 2009, pp.
The National Catholic Bioethics Center https://www.ncbcenter.org/