Argumentative Essay On Down Syndrome

The author of the article, J. P. Meyer (2011), addresses the issue of the sanctity of life and the potential bearing these tests may have in several ways. First, in a poignant statement describing the response of the hospital staff to their Down syndrome baby, “Instead of congratulations, we were told, “I’m so sorry.” In place of flowers and balloons, the hospital sent a chaplain” (para. 8). He goes on to describe the beautiful life that his daughter, who struggles with Down syndrome, lives. He also quotes Alberto Costa, associate professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, responding to new tests that could reveal Down syndrome in unborn children,

‘The parent in me definitely feels sad,’ he said about the new test that
These people are viewed as somehow less than fully human and, therefore, not as deserving of life.

What are the benefits of prenatal testing? What are the potential risks?

Berger (2014) suggests that a potential benefit would be deciding whether “to begin or to abort a pregnancy” (p. 89). If the risk of a genetic disorder is high, a couple may avoid pregnancy or seek other options, such as adoption. Another benefit may be for possible treatment of a condition as early as possible. Aside from planning ahead, however, treatment for genetic disorders seems minimal.

One risk that Berger (2014) mentioned is that they are “not always accurate” (p. 88). She goes on to tell how one of her students received a negative prognosis only to have a perfectly healthy child. Misinterpreting the information is another risk. What does the data really mean and are the probabilities accurate? Finally, Meyer (2011) states that some tests carry the “risk of miscarriage” (para. 11).

How does a Biblical understanding inform your views on the sanctity of life? What might a Christian response to the issue of prenatal testing look
Isaiah 49:1 says, “Before I was born the LORD called me” (The New International Version). Passages like these seem to indicate that the unborn are fully human.

How do we respond to prenatal tests that give accurate results and are interpreted correctly that indicate a genetic disorder? The individuals in these circumstances are certainly faced with some difficult challenges. Those who choose to care for these children should be given as much support and encouragement as can be provided. What about those who do not want to take on the challenge of caring for a developmentally disabled child?

James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (NIV). Why widows and orphans? In those days, women were seen as inferior to men and widows could not get jobs or receive inheritances. If their family did not take care of them, they were reduced to begging, selling themselves into slavery, or worse. Widows and orphans were viewed as the dregs of society. They contributed very little and only consumed resources. Yet, God loved them enough to give his life for them. So James is saying that they are to be respect-ed, cared for, and given