ICONIC CLONING
The Age of Biotech
"Our intention is to clone Jesus, utilizing techniques pioneered at the Roslin Institute in Scotland... No longer can we rely on hope and prayer, waiting around futilely for Jesus to return. We have the technology to bring him back right now"
-The Second Coming Project
"Because of her uniqueness, Dolly has already been promised to the National Museums of Scotland on her death. However, in the unfortunate event of her catching foot-and-mouth, she would have to be incinerated in common with other infected livestock."
-The Times
ngin comment: Sorry to be facetious (item 2) when FMD and cloning are both so horrendous (see item 3), but in the context of icons and biotech evangelism, the preservation of Dolly from Stott's "nature black in tooth and rot" was irresistable:
1. The Second Coming Project
2. Virus fears put Dolly behind closed doors
3. Human cloning problems - Washington Post
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1. The Second Coming Project
http://www.clonejesus.com/ [thanks to Schnews for spotting this one]
The Second Coming Project is a not-for-profit organization devoted to bringing about the Second Coming of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, as prophesied in the Bible, in time for the 2,000th anniversary of his birth. Our intention is to clone Jesus, utilizing techniques pioneered at the Roslin Institute in Scotland, by taking an incorrupt cell from one of the many Holy Relics of Jesus' blood and body that are preserved in churches throughout the world, extracting its DNA, and inserting into
an unfertilized human egg (oocyte), through the now-proven biological process called nuclear transfer. The fertilized egg, now the zygote of Jesus Christ, will be implanted into the womb of a young virginal woman (who has volunteered of her own accord), who will then bring the baby Jesus to term in a second Virgin Birth.
If all goes according to plan, the birth will take place on December 25, 2001, thus making Anno Domini 2001 into Anno Domini Novi 1, and all calendrical calculations will begin anew.
How Can This Be Possible?
Modern cloning technology enables us to clone any large mammal - including humans - using just a single cell from an adult specimen.
Throughout the Christian world are churches that contain Holy Relics of Jesus' body: his blood, his hair, his foreskin. Unless every single one of these relics is a fake, this means that cells from Jesus' body still survive to this day.
We are already making preparations to obtain a portion of one of these relics, extract the DNA from one of its cells, and use it to clone Jesus.
No longer can we rely on hope and prayer, waiting around futilely for Jesus to return. We have the technology to bring him back right now: there is no reason, moral, legal or Biblical, not to take advantage of it.
IN ORDER TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM SIN, WE MUST CLONE JESUS TO INITIATE THE SECOND COMING OF THE CHRIST.
The Second Coming Project is soliciting contributions and donations to help us is our quest. Time is short! We must have a fertilized Jesus zygote no later than April of 2001 if Baby Jesus is to come to term on the predicted date. Please send all contributions to:
The Second Coming Project, P.O. Box 295, Berkeley, CA 9470
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2. Virus fears put Dolly behind closed doors
by Mark Court - The Times (London) March 8, 2001
EMERGENCY measures have been taken to protect Dolly the sheep, the world's first cloned mammal, from the risk of foot-and-mouth disease, prompting the Roslin Institute to close its doors to visitors in case they inadvertently spread the disease.
The institute, which with PPL Therapeutics, the biotechnology company, created Dolly and other cloned and genetically modified sheep, has taken other precautions to stop the spread of the disease on to its farm near Edinburgh. A spokesman, who confirmed that Dolly had not been vaccinated against the disease, said: "We are not allowing visitors to the farm. We are disinfecting delivery vehicles and taking other precautions."
However, scientists say that foot-and-mouth is unusually stable and can probably be transmitted through the air.
Because of her uniqueness, Dolly has already been promised to the National Museums of Scotland on her death. However, in the unfortunate event of her catching foot-and-mouth, she would have to be incinerated in common with other infected livestock. Roslin has other genetically modified livestock at its farm, including Dolly's offspring. An outbreak of foot-and-mouth would be a setback to the scientific advances being made at the institute. PPL Therapeutics, which is also based near Edinburgh, has also stepped up protection of its genetically modified sheep flock in Scotland. The transgenic sheep are capable of producing AAT in their milk -a chemical produced by the human body that can be used in the treatment of cystic fibrosis and of AAT eficiency-related emphysema. PPL has other flocks of the sheep in New Zealand and has frozen transgenic sperm to ensure the flocks' longevity. The Roslin spokesman said that vaccination of livestock against foot-and mouth was not allowed in the UK and the institute did not intend to appeal against the ruling.
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3. Human Cloning Bid Stirs Experts' Anger; Problems in Animal Cases Noted
Rick Weiss, Washington Post - The Washington Post March 07, 2001
"Almost all of the first 100 clones will abort spontaneously because of genetic or physical abnormalities, putting the health and lives of the surrogate mothers at risk. Of the handful of clones that make it to term, most will have grossly enlarged placentas and fatty livers. And of the three or four fetuses that may survive their birth, most will be monstrously big -- perhaps 15 pounds -- and will likely die in the first week or two from heart and blood vessel problems, underdeveloped lungs, diabetes or immune system deficiencies. With access to an intensive care unit, perhaps one of those 100 clones will survive, scientists said. It will bear the hallmark of most animal clones: a huge navel -- a remnant of the oversized umbilical cord that inexplicably develops during most pregnancies involving clones."