Real Life Character Customizations?

In many video games today the player of the game gets to customize the character they play as. The player gets to choose hair color, skin color, eye color, hairstyle, likes/dislikes, abilities, and in some cases shortcomings. For video gamers this provides a sense of immersion and ownership of the character they play as, and helps make the game feel more real and helps you to care about this character you have created.

What if this process could be brought to real life? What if we could customize the type of child we would produce? Instead of just hoping that we have a blonde haired, blue eyed child, what if we could choose those characteristics? What if we could choose what our children will be good at, and what they will like or dislike? What if we had the power to make our child the most popular kid in school? What if we had the power to make our child outgoing rather than shy? All these questions are being asked right now in medical circles. They are being asked not because it is wishful thinking, but because doctors and scientists believe that we have the ability to make those choices.

Using the information gleaned from the Human Genome Project and other genetic research, doctors now have the information necessary to begin poking around in the largely unexplored area of human gene alteration. It is certain that doctors have the information necessary to alter genes and begin experimenting with various combinations, but there is a question at hand that is far more important than "Can we do it". Any time someone says, "I CAN," the question that ought to immediately follow is, "Should I?"

The question of "Should I" asks us to go beyond a simple examination of whether or not we have the strength to do a thing. It asks us to explore the realm of right and wrong. Whatever thing we have discovered that we are able to do may or may not be a right thing to do. For example: I have the ability to kill innocent people by hitting them with my car. That's the answer to the "Can I" question. The answer that directs whether or not I will actually do this thing, however, is "Should I". "Should I kill innocent people by hitting them with my car?" No. It would be wrong to take that action, even though I have the strength to take it.

In the same way, we must not only ask "Can I" of human customization, but also "Should I". Is it right in the eyes of God to begin delving into the creative process that makes us who we are? Is that a place we belong?

I will give you about a week to think about this question, and then I will give you my thoughts on the matter. Feel free to voice your thoughts in the comment section.