In the past 10 days or so, a small group of “sky-watchers” claimed to have cloned a human baby, which caused a brief but understandable scrambling-around of the media, bringing up again the disturbing issue of human cloning.

Now the human clone proclaimed by the group was quickly debunked as fake, but the question remains is it only a matter of time before we can clone a human being? As far as technology goes, we’ve got it: personally I have cloned carrot cells, and a sheep was cloned a few years ago by European researchers. So let’s say that it can be done, is it the right thing to do? It is currently illegal in the United States, along with the stem-cell research that was considered by some to be a moral alternative to organ harvesting. The administration decided that it was un-Christian, and pushed the issue aside. But instead of ignoring the question in hopes that it will go away, we should address it head on: is cloning morally corrupt?

I suppose it would mean a thorough examination of the purposes behind the creation of the clone. Is it the rich newlywed couple who wants to have the “perfect baby”, or creating the clone as a living insurance policy against an unseen disease, or childhood accident? Or how about a business that will clone your son or daughter at birth, and for a modest fee, keep that clone cryogenically frozen against the day that your offspring may need a heart, kidney, or bone marrow transplant?

Maybe all of these questions have easy answers for those of us fortunate enough to have never battled serious injury, life-altering illness; who have not been suddenly struck down in the midst of our lives. But what about the thousands of decent men and women who are waiting for a matching blood or tissue donor? Could this new technology help them? And if it could, then is it morally right to withhold this technology regardless of any possible benefit?

The questions I pose are not easy, and there is quite possibly no good answer, but we are going to have to decide something. And most likely sooner then we might like.