Should Scientists Be Playing ‘God’ with Our Food?
Fruit salads will never be the same again—at least, that’s what the scientists at a biotech company are promising. Their latest breakthrough? A genetically altered banana that doesn’t turn brown for 24 hours after being peeled.
“‘No more slimy, brown bananas!’” declares Gilad Gershon, the company’s chief executive. He assures consumers that these bananas taste, smell and feel just like the real thing—except they last longer. According to “The Mail on Sunday,” British scientists have figured out how to disable the genes responsible for browning without introducing foreign genetic material. That means a fresher, more visually appealing banana that could be sold in the U.S., Canada and several other countries as early as this month.
At first glance, it seems like an exciting development. Who wouldn’t want bananas that stay fresh in their fruit salads?
But is it really that simple?
Or are we venturing into dangerous territory by altering the very DNA of the food we eat?
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When God Made Bananas, He Said They Were Good
From the very beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, He declared all things good—including the fruit we eat. The banana, in its natural state, was designed to nourish and sustain life, just as every other plant He gave for food. But in our modern age, mankind is determined to improve upon what God has already perfected.
The scientists at Tropic, of Norwich, England, insist their method isn’t the same as genetic modification; rather, they describe it as “like evolution on fast-forward.” When we begin tinkering with God’s creation, even in small ways, we must ask: what are the consequences? As reported by the “Daily Mail,” these bananas may seem harmless now, but we don’t know the long-term effects of altering their genetic structure. What unintended consequences might arise from consuming fruit that has been manipulated at the genetic level?
The Risks of Playing God
History is filled with examples of mankind’s overconfidence in its own ability to control nature. Whether it’s pesticides that turned out to be carcinogenic, pharmaceuticals that led to unforeseen side effects or artificial sweeteners linked to health issues, time and again we’ve seen the dangers of altering what was naturally given.
What happens when we interfere with the natural processes of fruit ripening and disease resistance? Are we on the verge of opening Pandora’s box?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now serving as Secretary of Health and Human Services, has long championed the fight for clean, untainted food. He ran on a platform of improving the quality of the food Americans eat and believes he was placed in this role by God to protect the health of the people. He has warned about the dangers of unregulated genetic interference in our food supply.
So, we must ask ourselves: is there a spiritual battle being fought over the food we eat?
A Spiritual War for Our Health
Scripture reminds us that the enemy comes to “steal, kill and destroy,” (John 10:10). One of the most effective ways to weaken a people is to taint their food. If what we eat is no longer natural, if it is manipulated and altered beyond recognition, are we unknowingly stepping into a trap?
The push for gene-edited bananas is just one piece of a much larger movement to alter our food at the molecular level. While scientists claim these changes are safe, history warns us to be cautious. The question isn’t just whether these bananas will taste good—but whether they are good for us in the long run.
Should we embrace this as progress, or should we be wary of what happens when man decides to play God? The answer isn’t just about bananas—it’s about the future of our food, our health and whether we trust God’s design or man’s manipulation. The choice is ours, but the consequences may be greater than we realize.
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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
