Just to give a perspective of someone who actually went through IVF and is a Christian…my husband and I went through IVF this year as we tried for two years to get pregnant and desperately want a child. We aren’t casual Christian’s by any means and this was a big decision for us. Ultimately - after prayerful consideration, we made the decision to only fertilize a portion of the eggs we retrieved. My doctor retrieved 20 eggs and we chose to only fertilize 7 as statistically this would get us around 3-4 embryos and it did. We have 4 embryos that have been frozen and that we chose to do absolutely no genetic testing on. We WILL be implanting all 4 of these embryos over the course of the next 5 years. We are letting God decide which embryos he blessed as children. There ARE ways to honor God in IVF and I feel confident that my husband and I have done that. More embryos = better chance of a baby so we trusted God over science by choosing a much smaller number of embryos than most. From the beginning, we said that whatever number we get we will implant whether it was 7 embryos or 2. For those that have never done IVF, I caution you against thinking everyone who does IVF is choosing to fertilize as many eggs as possible and subsequently discarding unused embryos. There are a lot of women like me out there and a lot of women who selflessly donate their embryos.
The issue is that you are still participating in a heavily immoral industry, while also believing that you are entitled to a biological child. 10 years of fertility issues here, 6 miscarriages, and one stillbirth later, I realized God was not giving me a biological child for a reason. I lost weight, fixed as many health issues as I could, but could not reverse the effects that birth control and heavy metals did to my body. Which was all a BLESSING, because it gave me and my husband our 4 beautiful children that we adopted. I know it’s a tough pill to swallow, but you are participating in an unethical and very anti-God industry. I know that you will be receiving wonderful children from it, but when you realize the truth it will weigh heavily. Just don’t dwell or be steadfast in that denial ✌🏿
@@manwe6829No one is entitled to a child. they are entitled to procreate. IVF gives couples, who are unable to biologically conceive, a way to have children. IVF is not anti-god. IVF is pro life cause it has resulted in the creation of 8 million people today who would not have been here if not for ivf. It's anti-life to say if ivf should not exist because that questions the existence of 8 million people. If god did not want these people created then he would not have allowed these people to be born in the first place.
@@manwe6829That’s your opinion. Not God’s. You cannot speak for him. Only he knows her heart. It’s also not the unforgivable sin. We are to repent and have faith and trust that it was finished at the cross. Sin is sin. We all sin. Doesn’t mean we won’t go to heaven. She’s not taking this casually. I also don’t think it’s very Christian to try to shame her. There are plenty of Christian kids running around that are alive through IVF and you and I wouldn’t know it. I have to do IVF and this is serious and not to be taken lightly. You don’t know the reasons for the issues. I will be doing the genetic testing on my embryos and I’m choosing a girl.
I spent 10 years in agony due to fertility issues. From the moment I was able to walk and talk it was obvious God intended for me to be a Mom. I fought with everything in me to get my miracle. I tried naturally for 10 years. Never did I for one second find myself doubting that I was supposed to have a child. I never felt at peace. I prayed and I sobbed and I screamed and I sat in my car bawling and crying to God until I was sick because my heart broke a little more each month. And yet He carried me through it. He said follow Me and I did! He never indicated that He had closed the door, I begged Him to bring me peace, I begged him to let me be ok without a child of my own, I promised Him and showed Him that I would love Him even if I never got a child of my own. I know I was tested and I know I failed at times but I always came back! I stopped pulling away from God, I stopped being angry at Him and I took the wall down brick by brick, the wall I’d thrown up between us…I became closer to God than I had ever been in my life and I was raised in church/Christian’s School and I LOVED me some Jesus..but I got angry and bitter and He brought me through that….He loved me through that. He held me through that. And slowly I let myself get close again and now my relationship with My Jesus, with My God, is unlike one I have ever experienced. And my son, he’s 4, he loves him some Jesus! And he gets so excited to learn his memory verses and go to church and read his devotionals with me every night. So don’t tell me that it’s evil. Or a sin. It’s people, humans, who make it that way. God didn’t intend for it to be that. He never intends anything He creates or allows to be created for bad…we do that. But I didn’t and most don’t with IVF. We want babies. We want to multiply and bring future Christian’s into the world. So save your judgment and ask God for discernment before you say things.
Did you consider adoption? What made you come to the conclusion IVF was the right choice for your family? Did you try any other fertility treatments? It’s totally okay if you don’t feel comfortable answering 😊
AMEN!! I couldn’t have said it better myself. I’m tired of women who have never struggled with infertility passing judgement. I prayed my way through my ENTIRE IVF journey and felt God’s presence through every step. I’m so glad to hear God blessed you with your son❤
@addisonsimms1095 I struggled for 10 years. I prayed daily for the will of God on my life, not a child, but Gods will be done . Another 4 years later I was blessed with a child after 14 years of waiting patiently . As christians we face trials and tribulations and lean on Christ, not science. Making a baby in a lab is pure science not the will of God. If I hadn't got pregnant I'd still be praising God daily not making babies in petri dishes
Exactly. Plus, if we are the light in the world, this isn't the way to lead by example. It literally opened the door to all the wickedness of IVF used by anyone for any reason... led to the renting of wombs. I often wonder how many adopted kids would have gone into Christian homes had families let that call lead them instead.
Soooo, surrogacy isn't unBiblical. That's literally how half the nation of Israel got here (Blah and Zilpah were surrogates). We can't make something sin that the Bible doesn't. I believe infertility is a.disease like any other. If you're willing to get cancer treatment or even receive an organ donation then you need to really reconsider your stance on IVF.
YES it seems obvious to me that God has made some people not fertile for a reason. And all the kids in need of a home seems obvious to me as what non fertile Christians should be pursuing. I would be adopting kids instead of trying to play God and force my own demands of having a biological child due to selfish demands.
@@OlgaSmirnova1 what scripture do you have that makes it very clear? What experience do you have that makes this obvious? There are IVF docs who don't/won't fertilize more eggs than the mother plans to transfer. But regardless, to question another believer's salvation over this issue is divisive. Read Romans 14- If a believer does something in faith before God, then don't judge them. If you don't believe it's right for you, then don't partake. Paul makes it very clear how the church is to operate in love in the issues.
Urgent emergency Please join me in prayer for all those affected children families animals suffering hurting all around the world having all medical problems having difficult situations paying bills homeless can't pay rent evictions hungry fighting to survive keep the faith God will show you the way in the end we will be victorious with the Lord praise God praying for everyone everyday God bless you all 🙏🙌🙌🙏
I think a lot of Christians do not understand the process that the IVF journey is for most families. The majority of those are only able to fertilize a few eggs at a time, not dozens. Wanting to have a family is a natural design God placed in us, yet we live in a fallen world. Infertility is a medical problem & IVF is one of the more affordable treatment methods for this issue. Think using medical technology is wrong? Fine, but if you're diabetic I hope you just let nature "take its course" instead of utilizing modern insulin methods. Only God can create life. To insinuate that IVF is of the devil or that Christians are in sin when they participate in this medical practice are so far out of touch with not only God's power but also His grace. Nonbelievers & Christians alike can pervert a good thing, this always happens somewhere. IVF can be abused & precious embryos discarded. Yet God knows the heart & He has chosen to bless many families with children through this method, whilst others He has chosen to allow countless miscarriages whether they participated in IVF or not. Don't forget the countless families blessed through adopting leftover embryos. If you believe that only God can create life, then you shouldn't have an issue with IVF but an issue with those who abuse it. The same way a married couple can conceive naturally but give birth to a drug addicted baby, they did not put their child first or try to take care of them from the start. Not to mention those who conceive naturally & then abort. Christian families who struggle with infertility put more prayer & biblical application into their children than most Christian parents do on a daily basis. Be thankful to God if you've never experienced it & stop judging the majority of Christian families who do this when those who abuse this method aren't believers to begin with.
I wish she'd talk to Christians who chose IVF and Christians who didn't and truly seek to understand what God spoke to each of those families and why they chose to pursue the route they ultimately chose. There are definitely two sides to this "debate" and an opinion without experience isn't necessarily helpful.
Just because it's affordable and it seems right to many ppl, it doesn't make it morally acceptable to God. The desire to have a family is natural, but that doesn't excuse ppl from doing things God's way. Homosexual couples use IVF to have children too, so by that logic you're arguing from a hypocritical point of view. If it's ok for heterosexuals to use IVF to have kids, then you have to argue that its ok for homosexuals as well.
@@theeternalsbeliever1779 then we also have to question what other medical treatments are "not God's way"- chemo therapy, organ donation/transplant, Tylenol for fever, C-section for complicated births. If your argument is God's way doesn't involve science, that's a very ignorant argument. The fact is Scripture isn't clear on this topic. It falls under the category "disputable matter" hence so many Christians dispute it. If your conscience doesn't allow you to do IVF then absolutely don't, but don't demonize other believers who have prayerfully chosen this path as a way to fulfill the command be fruitful and multiply. Romans 14- what one believer sees as acceptable to God another may not, we can't judge others based on our personal convictions if it's not founded in the Word of God.
@@theeternalsbeliever1779 That's an incredibly stretched argument & in no way aligns with what I said. As I stated before, humans can pervert anything. Is adoption wrong just because non-Christian heterosexuals & homosexuals can adopt too? Of course not. An IVF procedure, just like an adoption, can be judged on a case-by-case basis of what could be deemed "morally acceptable." Everyone who thinks scientists have all of this power to control things is forgetting that only God & God alone can create life. If He did not wish to allow life through IVF, then we wouldn't even be talking about it because it would have never become a practice in the first place. Any trial would have failed but it didn't. God has used IVF for many people & for some, it is even a part of their testimony. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that outside medical assistance is a sin. It does says that marriage should be in between a man & a woman - the nuclear family. When people intentionally destroy embryos, that is most definitely an equivalent of abortion without a doubt yet what is insinuated here is that a couple whose embryos don't make it through the process, that they are the ones at fault since their child shouldn't have existed in the first place. When couples are trying for a baby naturally & miscarry, do you say that? Couples shouldn't try because it might not work? Seriously? The argument is seriously unbelievable.
I love hearing from producer Bree. She has a calm, reserved spirit that contrasts nicely with Allie's more assertive personality, but Allie still always listens to her and takes in her opinion.
Go back far enough and children of Caesarian sections were deemed unnatural. God's power doesn't stop at the petrie dish. He is always in control and the author of life - regardless of the process.
Totally agree! Infertility is a disease and if people are willing to treat cancer or even receive organ donations then don't demonize those who choose to try IVF
@@peaceandlove544 what the OP is saying is that it USED to be seen as unnatural and not God's will. Now, it's seen for what it is- a means to a healthy baby. What's it God's original design, no, but does it have a purpose in fulfilling God's larger design- it sure does.
@@lollnr3447 Thank you, that is exactly what I meant. God is always in control, uses everything to His glory, so I have faith that the HS breathes life. Man never creates it.
Yes, he provides for us in many ways! We are listening to differing opinions on this subject; meanwhile I was just thinking of Lot's daughters getting him drunk so they could get pregnant, and I think that is outrageous! UGH
On IVF, as the Church says children are a gift and a responsibility. Not a burden. Not a right. Agreed, there are ways that are LESS problematic to medically (instead of the natural way) become pregnant. But it seems to me the industry is talking God’s job into their own hands more and more as technology advances. Not great. Let God be God, and let us be happy with what blessing He does AND doesn’t give us. Don’t say “easy for me to say” plz, because I’m not blessed with children and walking this myself along with my husband and my Jesus.
I believe infertility is a disease just like anything else. If you'd be willing receive cancer treatment or even an organ donation then maybe consider why this disease is the only one you're condemning (it's all part of the fall of man). If it's not for you, then that's fine, but don't demonize those who choose to receive treatment
We used IVF(3 rounds) because I had fertility issues and just needed help getting over that hurdle. I can’t look at my first 3 kiddos and think they are mistakes or a wrong choice. 🤷🏻♀️ They are such blessings to us. Our 4th was a God-surprise and a natural pregnancy in our older age that we didn’t think was possible. In our state embryos are not destroyed and we didn’t have any left over anyway thankfully. I totally understand the moral and ethical issues surrounding this sensitive topic. If I had it to do over again, I would. They have made our family. They are so loved. 🤷🏻♀️ We didn’t make these decisions lightly, we wrestled with the idea that we could be playing God somehow. But ultimately we used the tools available to us and the provision God blessed us with to be able to do it and left it in his hands. I think it’s good that you are discussing these topics, but at the same time, I know what it is like to be the one needing options and making these monumental decisions. The process was brutal physically, emotionally, on so many levels, but worth it.
That's great! But did you lose any embryos? It concerns me that people who have 'successful' ivf stories refuse to acknowledge the loss along with the gain....
@@eijo5792 through miscarriage, 4/7 implanted didn’t stick. From what they said, the few not implanted were wonky (either growing too fast or too slow) indicating they were not viable (would be miscarried if implanted, this happens naturally also and people don’t usually know it because they miscarry too early to be detected). 🤷🏻♀️ We trusted the experts on that one. If they would have been healthy and could have been frozen for later, we would have done that. I didn’t have a crazy number like some folks do and none left frozen. All of my viable ones were given a chance (implanted 2, 2, then 3). 🤷🏻♀️
@@eijo5792 after the fertility journey we went through, years of poking and 6 unsuccessful tries with lesser forms of intervention, six - pregnancy tests and seeming impossibility, we tried IVF and got the first + ever. That one didn’t stick, but I call that baby Hope because I was DONE by that point. That one gave me hope that it was possible. The next one gave us our first miracle baby, the second twins. The entire process was gut wrenching and emotionally so very difficult. There is no discounting the worth of the ones that didn’t make it, but I don’t live there. I live thankful, grateful, and blessed to be a mother.
Congratulations to you and your family. Of course your children are not mistakes. In our case, we have already made the decision that we would not be "destroying" any leftover embryos, but that we would put them up for adoption. I am also happy that we use a clinic that will transfer any embryo as long as it is alive.
Thank you for addressing IVF! I am shocked at how uninformed Christian’s are on this topic. I have simply encouraged Christians to research the theology and ethics of this issue as well as what ‘big fertility’s’ aims are as an industry. I have gotten attacked because of these simple statements. It is a sacred cow even among very conservative Christians. Absolutely love the quote on your shirt as well. My hero Elisabeth Elliot said this so often. I have the quote on a TShirt as well.
You obviously didn’t come out of the womb understanding the issues with IVF. Over time, you had exposure to the types of information and influences to get you to think and learn about it more. And it still took time. It’s not a reflection on a Christians identity if they don’t have that same perspective right now. Not everyone has had that in regards to IVF. If you have faith that a Holy Spirit is working and see how He’s worked on your own understanding, if you know what’s true about you and your standing with God, then there’s no validity to your shock over their ignorance or attacks.
It is a sacred cow :( And unfortunately, big fertility seems to trap Christian women in the area where they are likely to be most vulnerable - the desire to have children. Thank you for encouraging women to research - there is so, so much out there if they are willing to dig a little. Even if it is just to research the risk of cancer for both themselves and potential children. Or the almost-guarantee that they will lose at least one baby in the process - meaning, in order to meet their child, they must consent to the death of their sibling.
And don’t accuse people of playing God with IVF if you ever taken medication, had a medical procedure, are ok with organ transplants or prosthetic limbs, chemo….
I am a Christian who has experienced ivf. First, God will bring children into this world however He chooses and is more than capable of using medicine to do that. Doctors can introduce the components but can never ever create the life. If you're a Christian thinking of doing ivf, pray. Pray unceasingly. He will let you know if He allows certain treatments or not. Next, find a doctor that respects your spiritual beliefs and be up front with your values. There is something called "limited fertilization" where a small number of your choosing of eggs are fertilized so as to not be wasteful. Not all doctors do this, so find one that does. Also, if you dont want to genetically test, you do not have to. Finally I'll say that is sadly oftentimes "christian" mothers who gatekeep this topic and speak when they have no experience. If you've never experienced infertility, believe me, you have absolutely no idea how you'd react. I was surprised when the lord put ivf on my heart. It felt like an act of obedience. Remember, victory over infertility is not a baby. Victory over all human issues is the lord's work on the cross.
This. I prayed to do God’s will and asked for a sign we should proceed with IVF or give up and do something else with our lives. Two days later I got a postcard in the mail Mis-addressed to the name we’d always agreed on for a boy. We did IVF. We had a beautiful boy. And another on the way. Using all our embryos, and no regrets. Thank God every day for these babies and for the sign we needed to push through.
Allie, CFA does fry all their breaded chicken in peanut oil. It's the waffle fries that are not fried in peanut oil. As the parent of a child with a peanut allergy, I can attest to this fact.
This is why I dislike the term “chemical pregnancy “ it suggests you haven’t lost anything. It means an egg was fertilized but didn’t implant. So a child was created! That loss is a real loss.
I agree with the sentiment you are expressing, but that is not quite right. A chemical pregnancy is when you get a positive pregnancy test (either at home, or via blood test) however this pregnancy is lost before it can be confirmed via ultrasound. Meaning that the embryo *did* implant. Once it is confirmed via ultrasound, it is called a "clinical pregnancy." But I agree it is a real loss.
@@MrsMathews I was repeating was told to me in the ER by a doctor. But that is my fault for repeating something I hadn’t confirmed. Thank you for clarifying.
Hi Allie! I know you have views against Catholicism, but you may want to read "Humanae Vitae" by Paul VI (Paul the 6th). This addressed issues of human sexuality. I don't immediately recall if IVF was addressed or even on the radar at the time it was written, but it does have some excellent thoughts on human sexual ethics in general. For more specific discussion on IVF, you might want to look up Dr. Janet Smith.
Private school is no assurance that it’s “better”, just like Christian schools are not immune from going woke. Parents still need to be vigilant as to what their kids are being taught.
From my experience, most people who rail against IVF aren't familiar with the process, the typical experience of a couple going through IVF, and how it compares to a natural pregnancy. When questioned, they usually fall apart. And unfortunately these people often use the rarest and most extreme cases to argue that IVF should be banned for everyone. Instead, I think more conversations should be had about how the process can be done more ethnically which would be far more fruitful.
I have 2 kids from IVF and used all my embryos, but it was a hard process. I don't know how I'd be if I have to donate any. They are my kids after all. I feel that doctors should only make 1 to 2 embryos at a time instead of as many as possible. But then insurance companies would have to be on board. The risks though are prolonged use of fertility meds this way. Ivf clinics want good outcomes so that means implanting normal embryos and not using or discarding abnormal ones. That is the unethical part to me. Thankfully, I found a doc in NYC to let me use both my abnormal and normal embryos.
IVF has enabled children to be created and put in homes/environments that are harmful and wrong for them. Putting the issue with playing God aside, anyone who has the money can buy sperm/eggs or both and get a child. Unlike the adoption and foster care system, there are no background checks with allows for children to be in harmful situations. As a conservative Christian, I don’t think children should be created for and placed in homes that are not with a mother and a father. I’d highly recommend looking up Jennifer Lahl and Them Before Us. Ultimately, I don’t believe it’s Biblical for a child to be conceived outside of the sexual inter course. Not to mention the fact that there are so many children in adoption and foster care (and frozen embryos), it seems wrong and selfish to create new life through an unnatural process.
I have two beautiful grandchildren we got through IVF. I thank God for them every day. We prayed and they went through the IVF treatments for years to get these babies.
@@Nan-Elle That is amazing that you have two beautiful grandchildren, and those who are talking about the ethical issues about IVF are in no way taking away from the God-given value that those conceived through IVF have. I would encourage you to listen to Allie’s other videos on IVF issues with Jennifer Lahl from the Center for Bioethics and Culture and look at the website Them Before Us. While IVF may have originally intended to serve married couples suffering from infertility, it has enabled children to be conceived for parents or single parents who should not be having a child. There are no background checks for IVF and as long as you can afford the cost, you can get a baby. Children are not products to be massed produced because adults want them. They’re gifts from God. The fertility industry has turned the wonderful gift of children into a big business to make millions of dollars off of egg/sperm donors, couples using IVF, and surrogacy. The hard truth is that no one is entitled to a baby, and IVF has sold the lie to people that children are products that can be bought and sold.
Most people are woefully ignorant about human reproduction. Your average couple is going to make tons of embryos that never turn into a pregnancy, and more still that end so early they may never have known it implanted. IVF simply recreates the experience in a visible, quantifiable way. As long as you’re willing to use all the embryos you created, I see no issue being pro-life and doing IVF.
Jesus Christ died for our Sins According to the scriptures and that he was Buried and that he rose again the third day praying for everyone everyday God bless you all 🙏🙌🙏🙌
My husband and I were blessed with two daughters which were both naturally conceived in my late 30s. One of the things my husband and I both decided is that if we did not become pregnant that we would not take the IVF journey. My OB/GYN at the time said it would be best if we wanted to have a second child to not worry about becoming pregnant and let things happen naturally and not track my monthly cycle. IVF is a big no for me it opens a door that says what do you do with unused embryos. A life is a life.
I was 36 when Victoria was born and 37 when Jessica was born. The only thing I had done was a procedure where my OB/GYN performed a Fallopian Tube Recanalization. It clears out the fallopian tubes so that a released egg can pass easily. @@MacMommy2019
Allie, you have to try raw milk! It tastes so much better than any other milk I’ve ever had. Most milk tastes like it has chemicals in it compared to raw milk. And it’s so so good for you! 10/10, highly recommend 😁
I believe God can still work through modern medicine and He gave us the technology and resources to do amazing things. I’ve never walked through infertility myself, but my parents did and many of my friends have, and I would never want to take an option away from them. I was adopted. I’m blessed and grateful my parents chose to do that and God ordained the whole thing. However, they also tried several rounds of IVF because they were so desperate to have children. I just think that unless a person has walked through infertility themselves, they shouldn’t judge someone else going through it.
What you believe isn't the same as looking at God's actual position on the matter. If it isn't supported in scripture, then you're using human reasoning to assert that God has to be ok with it since it's ok with you.
@@theeternalsbeliever1779 did I miss the scriptures that specifically say IVF is a sin? Was there an eleventh commandment…An excerpt from the Sermon on the Mount I missed? Tell me where the Bible condemns IVF….
A dad here. Our family decided that I stay at home and teach our kids at home. We started this year. I am glad my wife and I got out of debt so we could afford one income so I could stay at home. It would be harder in this economy to do what we did.
Thank you for going to bat for the kids. It's a harsh time we live in where they're usually put on the front line. My eldest of 5 is now 2nd generation of homeschooling. We're both so thankful for Allie Beth!
My husband is paraplegic and the only way for me to get pregnant was to use IVF with his sperm which was extracted by stimulating his prostate with electric vibrator. IVF is if you put 15 ovums and at least 1 million spermcells in a petri dish. Then you put it 3 days in an oven by 37 degrees and see if some ovum got inseminated and cell divison has taken place. It can happen that nothing happens. If 16 cell division has taken place you call it embryo and these embryos, max 2 of them will be tranferred to the uterus of the woman by a long syringe tube. After 2 weeks you hope that the embryo has been implanted in the endometrium of the uterus. Otherwise you menstruate and it is over. If you are lucky you are pregnant. ICSI is one step further if you have less than 1 million sperm cells. There they inseminate one sperm cell into the ovum under a microscope. The rest is the same as IVF. I am lucky that I was able to have 2 healthy children via ICSI. Otherwise there was no other way for me to have children. I have no idea why IVF should be forbidden if it helps people to reproduce themselves. And I also don't understand the logic after that way of thinking that only born by insemination via coitus that one has a soul and the ones who were born by a human aided technology has no soul. Isn't it a discrimination? Life is life. Period.
First, I want to say that I’m sorry that you had to go through that with your husband. However, there are other ways to have children-either adoption or adopting an embryo that had already been created. I know that we have the natural desire to procreate and have biological children, but I think at a certain point that natural desire can be made an idol. For those who cannot have children naturally, there are lots of children who have been born in the adoption and foster care system who would love a two parent family, as well as many many frozen embryos in banks that can be adopted if you have the desire to experience pregnancy.
I think because they are souls people get upset about it due to embryos being in a freezer. That is not ethical. Also, choosing the "healthy" embryos over other ones.... that is discrimination, not what you mentioned. Glad you have two healthy children, and their lives certainly matters. At what cost though? At the end of this all, it is monetizing children, putting a women's body through hell, and leaves human souls in a freezer. If you argue that life is life period, you should feel convicted about tossed out embryos that are deemed less than perfect, or abandoned ones in a freezer.
@@72586jejonesexactly, that was Allie’s point, she doesn’t think it’s ethical for living beings to be left in a freezer and most likely won’t survive the thaw or even worse destroyed altogether
Catholic here who absolutely loves the Alli Beth show! Catholic medical Ethical teachings completely agree with Alli Beth on this one. We have an in depth faith based analysis of IVF and the moral and ethical problems with it. It boils down to: the ends do not justify the means. Just because you may want something, doesn't mean you have a right to get it. Life is a gift, not something to covet and aquire at all costs. Its important to be clear that of course the children conceived in IVF are God's children, but at the end of the day, children are not acqusitions, but are gifts. To treat them as aquisitions and products affects the human being in subtle and not so subtle ways. In short, it can be a form of idolatry as another commentor mentioned. The are other major ethical questions with regards to surrogacy and discarded embryos, but Allie Beth has already done an excellent job going into that as well. Im not sure Allie Beth will see this reply, but I highly recommend she take a look at the Catholic view of IVF, as I suspect she would see alot of her Christian intuitions align with Catholic Church teaching.
I worked at Chick-fil-A for nearly 4 years and can confirm that the nuggets are just chopped up chicken breasts/white meat. All the fried chicken is done in 100% peanut oil and the fries and hash browns are done in canola oil.
I put my daughter in private Christian education but I always worry it will have the opposite effect on her and she will rebel against it when she is older. I went to public school and was very worldly and had worldly views until I came to know Christ. Part of me is worried my daughter will turn out the opposite, hopefully it's not a super common thing 😅
I grew up in a private Christian school, even had friends that went to the local public schools, but I didn’t rebel. Now I appreciate my schooling more than ever. So from a person who actually went through it, I am very thankful that my parents were able to send me.
I went to a Christian school and rebelled. I came back to Christ in my mid 20's. Everyone's story is different and the most important thing is to try to live out your faith authentically at home instead of relying on a school or church to be the influence. There are no guarantees, that's why we need to pray for our kids!
Its incredibly common and there are stats on it. I went to a private Christian school and some of the kids were not even from Christian families, and any school that accepts any government funding in some jurisdications/countries are then subject to certain govt programming, even if it clashes with the schools ideals. Its a huge risk. Most kids will be agnostic or completely apostate when they graduate high school. Homeschool them if you can. Never ignore those nagging feelings of worry or guilt.
Every single time I have visited a chic-fil-a in the past 4 years has been absolute trash. Idk what quality control issues have been going on but the chicken is always extremely dry, the nuggets are tiny and overcooked, even the fries have been soggy 😢 this has been at multiple locations across the U.S.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I dont even know you, but I'm thankful for your family. Christians shouldn't demonize other Christians on this topic that the Bible is pretty mute on- it's devisive and unproductive.
I used to be all for IVF until a few years ago when I was speaking with friend and they posed some legitimate questions about the ethics surrounding left over embryos. Also the practice of "design" babies. Just because medical advances make it possible doesn't mean we should. As technology continue to advance we will face more and more ethical questions.
This message is for women on this page who may be navigating infertility, or seeking answers about IVF. I struggle with equating IVF to eschatology. With eschatology, as long as all Christians are open to the idea that the Christian life may mean suffering even unto death, the stakes don’t seem as perilous (if you are post-millenial vs pre-millenial, or mid-tribulation versus post-tribulation). However, the stakes of IVF are literally life and death, and if life from a Christian lens is defined as beginning at conception, then the vast majority of the time, IVF requires parents to consent to the death of their child(ren), or to at least consent to the possibility that their child’s life will end via IVF intervention. While I believe that every child’s life has incredible value, I think women who identify as believers should separate themselves from this dystopian technology, and think Christian women should be a voice for the defenseless, as they are with abortion and so many other things that destroy or marginalize children. Here is how I believe IVF doctors should preface these “treatments” to women: 1. “Are you okay with consenting to the death of your child if it means that their sibling can be born? Especially if you’re over 40, since the odds of a completed birth upon first IVF attempt is only 12% (for women ages 40-42), and 4% for women over age 42?" (Glamour, 2015 - citation of JAMA study) This is indeed what happens a large percentage of the time, due to termination by freezing, selective reduction, implantation failure, etc. 2. “Did you know that a review of over 70 studies identified a link between ovulation-inducing medication and subsequent development of ovarian cancer for mom (since these medications can lead to OHSS and ovarian cysts that can develop into cancer)? Did you also know the current survival rate for ovarian cancer is under 45%, the lowest of all gynecological cancers?” (In other words, I can promise you a child, but it may mean that my work later robs that child of his mother). 3. “Did you know that our technology has an ‘illustrious’ history, and that we can pretend to have power over life and death? In fact, the co-inventor of IVF [proudly and defiantly] concluded that it wasn’t God who was in charge, but him!” (Per an interview he granted to “The Times” of London, Dr. Edwards described IVF as “a fantastic achievement but it was about more than infertility...It was also about issues like stem cells and the ethics of human conception.” Edwards continued to describe how this existential struggle culminated: “I wanted to find out exactly who was in charge, whether it was God Himself or whether it was scientists in the laboratory….[according to the interviewer, Edwards concluded with a “triumphant” smile] ‘it was us.’” In describing his innovation, Edwards seems to ascribe himself god-like attributes; The Times quoted him as saying “earnestly”: “‘This is life itself, life itself. When a baby is born, you have organised [sic] it all. That’s a [omitted for crude language] of an achievement.’” It is not an understatement to suggest that Edwards maintained a grandiose opinion of himself, and equated his ability to facilitate IVF technology with creating life itself and usurping God’s role. How are those who follow in his footsteps any different?) 4. “Can you put your biblical beliefs in the backseat, and disregard every biblical narrative that ever dealt with infertility?” (In other words, ignore the surrogate warning of Abraham and Hagar, don’t plead and pray to God for a child as Hannah did, don’t humbly accept older motherhood as Elizabeth did, and totally disregard any warning that may accompany the story of Onan). 5. “Consenting to IVF may mean that your child is at far greater risk of pediatric cancer, and a host of other developmental issues. Is that okay?” [Research from Norway (Euronews, 2022) found that those children conceived following frozen embryo transfer evidenced a 1.6 - 1.7 times greater risk of pediatric cancer. Also, it is understood that all children born with a birth defect are at an increased risk of pediatric cancer. However, for children born via IVF who had a birth defect due to a chromosomal abnormality, their risk of cancer was 39x greater than their IVF counterparts with no birth defects - while the risk for naturally conceived children was only 15x greater. It is possible that the mechanics of IVF cause epigenetic changes that predispose these babies to future cancer risk - NIH, 2020: “Science Update: In vitro fertilization may increase cancer risk among children with birth defects, NIH-funded study suggests]. 6. “I’m really in this for the babies. I mean yes, IVF is projected to become a $37.7 billion dollar industry by 2027, but I do it for you.” (And some may genuinely believe this on some level, but if they dissect the morality at all, it should become clear that IVF capitalizes on a woman's grief, often ignores root causes that may be causing infertility, and hurts her children, her body, and often, her marriage). If you are a woman who wants children, please, please, take it to the Lord in prayer. Search the scriptures - they are replete with accounts of women or couples who were infertile (Hannah, Elizabeth & Zechariah, Sarah, Isaac & Rebekah, Samson's Mother, etc). He can do far greater than we could ever imagine. I have lived the horrors of artificial hormones (about a decade on OC), and experienced my baby's death as a (very likely) result. Please trust the Lord with your fertility.
It's so fascinating that the origin of ivf was not to solve infertility but more so to practice eugenics. Now it does some of both. There's a book by some guy from Google called 'the end of sex and the beginning of reproductive technologies' I'd like to read it. Some folks are pushing this for the eugenics part. Christians shouldn't ignore that. Be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.
@@eijo5792 Yes! I'll plan to look into that book, thank you. I have encountered the eugenics aspect, in regard to the origins. It is eerie. And yes, we are to be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves!
Wise words about education, Allie! I regret I didn’t have this passion about Christian/home education when my children were younger but I sure do now and it’s never too late.
That's literally abandoning your children. Children have a right to their biological parents. Obviously biology was important to parents who did ivf or why didn't they adopt or foster? It's so unfair to think these babies will be fine being 'donated'. No human should be 'donated' to someone else. This will not be easy for the child to wrestle with as they age. I think all babies on ice should be rescued off ice in the same way I wish every orphan loving parents.
Not all children have a right to biological parents. What about parents that abuse and/or are constantly on drugs? Every child deserves a parent but not all parents deserve a child
In foster care, the biological parents are always put first... because they recognize that biology matters. If the parents can in any way rise up the the occasion of parenting their own it is put first for the sake of the child. The same should be done for embryos. 'we feel our family is complete' is not a good reason to give away a child you intentionally concieved. It's is so true. Every child deserve parents. Parents don't deserve a child. Of course they should have safe parents. A donated embryo I sure hope doesn't have abusive bio parents. That means their other kids should be taken too
@@eijo5792what Bible verse do you have that says all children have a right to biological parents? It's wrong of you to demonize people who raise children that aren't there's.
Have y’all been to Chili’s recently? They removed the original chicken crispers (beer batter breading) from the menu. 😭😭😭 They were the best and no other restaurants make them similar or as good. I’m too mad to try the Crispy Chicken Crispers. Maybe I’ll try the CCC and dunk them in the Queso…that sounds yummy. 🤣
Idk...I'm a teacher in a public school and would never teach anything that goes against my Christian values. My kids go to the school I teach at. I talk to my kids about Jesus and we read devotionals and watch christian kid videos. I just think it's wrong for Christians to paint everyone with the same brush and to essentially demonize every single teacher/student there.
Ok to answer your question about good rancher's...I live like 2 miles from fresh market...like to shop local. Lots of Black angus cow farms near me...Support the local community. Nothing against Good rancher's...I like the company...
Bri!! I also hate when sweet and savory mix!!! People make fun of me, but I can’t stand kettle corn. Allie Beth, I can’t stand ketchup!! BBQ sauce on fries all the way.
I agree with Brie, I don't know if I spelled it wrong... I dislike the smell of honey, it makes me want to throw up. I know it is super healthy, but just the smell of it... 🤢Almond milk tastes horrible too... sorry, if it is not cow milk... I am adding it to my coffee, or adding it to cereal, for example.
I you like breadless Grilled or even cooking wise...use a bit of lemon pepper and teaspoon of white vinegar for that nice zing...very tasty...We got a restaurant down the road called Pistol Pete's...great food...
Allie, how do I get that shirt you are wearing. I love Elisabeth Elliot and I teach weekly at 2 local prisons and I'm always telling them to Do the Next Right Thing. I would love to get that shirt and wear it for them!!!
If the prolife position is that life of an image bearer begins at conception, and that all humans have equal moral value, then the freezing or killing of embryonic human beings is as wrong as the slaughtering of an adult. That is why the criticism of the prolife position on IVF - as you have just elucidated - is absolutely hypocritical. If IVF is a liberty issue (oh how winsome, coz it wouldn't affect church membership, no church discipline, no questions about one's salvation etc), then the Holocaust is likewise a liberty issue. By the way, IVF murders far more image bearers than Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot put together. And yes, it's a liberty issue for you.
I don't like honey either!! And I completely agree, I DO NOT like my sweet and savory mixed. Also hate kettle corn...and i don't drink milk. First other person I've heard agree with me haha
All that talk about chicken nuggets and fast food was making me gag. Why would anyone want to treat their temple like that? It’s all poison for the body.
Do you believe that Jesus died for your personal sin? Did you repent of all sin, and put your complete faith in Jesus? Now if you have go into the whole and preach the message of repentance and salvation found only in Jesus.
I think discussing fast food and being so knowledgeable about places to obtain it is frivolous Especially when someone like Brie is overweight It's not productive. It's like telling someone with anorexia to diet. This is not to hurt Brie shes great ,but no one wants to point out the obvious.
If no one can lose their salvation and we all get to heaven being wrong, then what is the point? Why even be a "good person"? Why not just do what we want? Why be against abortion, gender and race issues and everything else you talk about? God will forgive us and as long as I pray the sinners prayer, I'm saved forever... ? That doesn’t sound Biblical, Allie.
Saying a “sinners prayer” doesn’t always mean someone is saved. True saving is one who is repented and changed…. A changed person would not think they are “good person” or would support ideas that would violate scripture. A saved person has new desires and also labors to fight their natural desires and wants . It seems you may need to revisit your understanding what God means by becoming a new creation in Christ.
@@angiestarmer8265 I believe that a person can lose their salvation. Accepting Jesus is not a one time thing. We must choose daily to follow Him. A person can be "saved" at 16 and then go on to kill someone. How is that person still saved?
IVF reminds me of the story of Abraham and Sarah. Not believing that God will give them a child so they took things into their own hands. Essentially you are playing God and taking things into your own hands. I also wonder if for people who haven’t been able to conceive if that’s God saying to adopt because there are so many orphans. Like what if that is Gods plan for families who can’t conceive?
