Religion and science have never been one to find a common ground on various things, and one of them is the question of scientists’ research, studies, and experiments: ‘Are scientists playing the role of God in conducting unlimited scientific research?’

One of the many stances taken on this topic is that scientific research is not able to reach the role of God and that there is necessary research that greatly benefits humans. However, I disagree, and I believe that scientists in today’s society are playing the role of God, by parroting His power of creation, and attempting His doings in the Bible with many scientific failures and little results. 

In this essay, ‘the role of God’ refers to the position of empowerment and creating life that God is able to do, ‘unlimited’ refers to the almost unrestricted and vast access to science, and ‘scientific research’ refers to the study and experimentation of various things on the earth in the name of science. 

To further elaborate, this essay will explore and analyse scientists’ views and whether they imitate the role of God scientifically, politically, and religiously: how the advancements of scientific technology have allowed scientists to create life, something that is part of the role of God; how current scientific research has overstepped its boundaries and become morally and ethically wrong with little results; and finally, how scientific experiments such as cloning are an act against God and His power.

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Scientists have interfered with the natural creation of life, with the advancement of cloning and technology. It has and always been God’s main role to create all living things in nature. After humans found the formula to life and learnt the processes and concepts involved, they began to put it into practice, and experiments began, which create results like ‘lab-grown chicken’ and the famous ‘test-tube baby’, where the female gamete is fertilised under a very controlled condition inside a laboratory. These go against the natural course of life that God has planned, and put the same power of creation into scientists’ hands. Therefore, scientists have interfered in God’s creation and now play the role of God simply by being able to create life where humans should not have been able to.

The scientific experiments that today’s scientists are now morally and ethically wrong in the eyes of the church. Many see it as an act of ‘stealing’ the role of God. Though the results could be desirable and benefit humanity’s future greatly, the ends do not justify the means. Scientists may keep insisting that they are only trying to help our world have a brighter future, but behind those walls hides a tempting behaviour:  to play God. Even if a good result comes out of these experiments, what about the hundreds of plants and animals (and sometimes, humans) that died because of this experimentation? Scientists need to keep in mind the ethical aspect and responsibility on the living subjects they test on, and yet, with more living creatures die as a result of their unlimited research to ‘surpass’ their limits.

With cloning now possible in reality rather than simply being part of science fiction, scientists are now able to play the role of God as humans even more. Cloning is a process which naturally happens between single celled organisms like bacteria, producing exact copies of themselves for reproduction, which has extended to other multicellular organisms such as animals, with the most known example of cloning being Dolly the sheep. According to Christianity, God gave life to living creatures as a gift, therefore cloning goes against that act. This same idea that life is a gift that is given to nature and humans is very widespread, so many other religions have strongly rejected cloning, believing that any act towards cloning is an act against their deity or deities’ creation and power. All in all, this type of extreme science could endanger those cloned creatures in many risks including to feel inferior for the Bible stated that those who are not born of Spirit cannot enter God’s Kingdom.

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However, even the act of cloning, cannot be argued as completely usurping the role of God, and cloning itself has been successful and able to save endangered species. Dolly the sheep is an example of a successful cloning. Researchers have reason to believe that cloning can even resurrect a beloved pet animal and one day try to resurrect an extinct species such as the woolly mammoth. In fact, if used to save endangered and extinct species, cloning protects and revives the animals and plants created by God, Himself. However, cloning humans is still not yet possible, so it can be argued that cloning has not completely overtaken the power of God. So, even if cloning mimics the power of creation, it has not reached the full extent that it clones humans and prevents them from extinction.

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Some scientists like the genome-mapping pioneer J. Craig Venter said his project,  Celera Genomics, a genomic research institute, paves the way in designing organisms that will work differently from the way nature intended. This could help in creating a wide range of uses such as creating a new evolution, but more importantly, it designs organisms that will be able to cope with the changing climate being brought about by climate change and global warming. Natural resources are declining, and at one point, the environment will not be able to sustain more life of its own if things do not change. So, by designing organisms that, for example, are able to absorb the greenhouse gases and make use of it to produce oxygen and other needs, it is possible to create organisms that will work towards solving climate change. Even if it creates life and imitates the role of God, what good is it to rely only on God and not let humans take steps for themselves? Climate change is an ongoing problem that needs to be solved by humans, and if this science experiment that only partially imitates God is a step forward, then this should not be feared. 

Without realising it, scientists and anyone involved in the countless experimentations being conducted around the world often play the role of God. They claim to be pushing right on the edge of the boundaries of science, yet they have questionable motives at times. Dating back to animal experimentation practices, it can be clearly seen that scientists and their colleagues continue to do what is in their best interest in order to pursue personal gain whether it be through money or even fame and esteem in their respective professions. This is what ultimately causes people involved in these scientific researches to be short sighted with little to no self control, only thinking of what they stand to gain from conducting these questionable experimentations. As time goes on, there might be no end in some scientists playing God, whether they deliberately do it or unawarely do it.  Scientists today and of the future will often play the role of God and the world can only hope there will be no repercussions as a result of their actions.

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