“But when we know ourselves as begetters and not as makers, we will seek to shape and nurture only those whom we first accept without qualification.”

Forgetting the religious connotation of this sentence, I believe it to be the most compelling argument of the pieces we read. The ideas behind designer babies and human enhancement revolve around fear. Fear of death, fear of failure, of not being good enough. Humans have a very natural urge to want to control our lives, improve ourselves and alleviate the suffering in others. These are noble intentions, but they can create unrealistic expectations for ourselves about the future and each other. The Christian authors offer the example of a child struggling to accept that he was “designed” and not accepted as is. This idea can be extended even further. For argument’s sake, what happens when humans start living for centuries at a time, or even a millennium? There’s a reason Wolverine from X-Men and every vampire ever are always so grouchy. Not to derail myself here with fantasy but I think the point remains that most people generally agree that a longer life does not equate to a better life. My argument might be closing in on a slippery slope fallacy. Just because some genetic health enhancements are employed, doesn't necessarily mean that people will start trying to achieve near immortality. I think a fear of death is necessary for human life; otherwise we wouldn't care to continue living. At a certain point though, embracing death at the end of a healthy and well-lived life is a point of solace for most that are able to reach it. I would cautiously endorse life-saving genetic treatments, but steer clear of designer babies and human enhancement.