Science Fiction Horror Story

Article by Michael Pearl, February 2010

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Author: By: Michael Pearl
Date: February 2010
Topics: Health Home & Herbs, Bible Teaching
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Which word in the title is erroneous: Science—Fiction—Horror—Story? It’s the word fiction. The food you eat is no longer the food God made for the human body.

Evolutionary scientists have irreversibly changed the DNA of plant, animal, and human cells. They are uncreating God’s creation, rendering staple foods unfit for human or animal consumption.

I recently read two books, and the following article contains quotes from those books (indicated by quotation marks), with some of my own observations. You need to buy and read both of them: Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette by Jeffrey Smith. The converging lines of evidence in these books indicate conclusively that genetically modified (GM) crops are inherently dangerous and may be responsible for the unfolding health disaster in the U.S.A.

All living organisms, whether plant or animal or human, are constructed of cells. Each cell contains the entire DNA chain of information that constitutes an organism―what it is―and differentiates it from all others. Each cell is made of billions of atoms, intelligently designed and arranged to contain and dispense complex information that assures the function, adaptation, survival, and procreation of the species.

Genetic engineering is the process of artificially tampering with these God-given, natural genetic blueprints. Genetic engineering (or bio-engineering) is a technique to splice, delete, add, isolate, and recombine or transfer genes from one organism to another that may be totally unrelated. Alteration of genes and chromosomes causes disruption and disturbance in the biochemical structure of species (plant or animal) and can result in species mutation.

“The discovery in the mid-1970s that scientists could transfer genes from the DNA of one species into that of another was heralded as a major scientific breakthrough. Plants, animals, and other organisms could now become equipped with genes that could never occur naturally and exhibit traits not previously found in their species or even their kingdom.

“Scientists have since worked on some interesting combinations. Spider genes were inserted into goat DNA, in hopes that the goat milk could contain spider web protein for use in bulletproof vests. Cow genes turned pigskin into cowhides. Jellyfish genes lit up pigs’ noses in the dark. Arctic fish genes gave tomatoes and strawberries tolerance to frost. Potatoes glowed in the dark when thirsty. Human genes were inserted into corn to produce spermatocides.

“The single dominant GM trait is herbicide tolerance. Crops are engineered to survive an otherwise toxic dose of weed killer.

“The second popular GM trait is a built-in pesticide. The plant produces pesticidal toxins in every cell. Monarch butterflies are killed when feeding on the corn. If a plant kills bugs, do you want to breathe its pollen, eat honey made from its nectar, or ingest the plant?

“Virtually an entire Filipino village of about 100 people living adjacent to a large field of Bt corn [genetically altered to produce a toxin that kills bugs] were stricken by a disease. The symptoms, which appeared at the time the corn was producing airborne pollen, included headaches, dizziness, extreme stomach pain, vomiting, chest pains, fever, and allergies, as well as respirator, intestinal, and skin reactions. Many if not all of the villagers exposed to the GM-maize pollen in 2003 have remained ill to this day. Furthermore, there have been five unexplained deaths in the village. In total, 96 people got sick. In addition, nine horses, four water buffalo, and 37 chickens died soon after feeding on the GM maize.”

The increase in the number of people afflicted with chronic diseases in the United States roughly corresponds to the period when Americans began eating GM foods.

Proponents of creating Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) try to sell us the lie that what they are doing is just hybridization by a different method. Not so. Genetic engineering is not in any way similar to hybrid plants or selective breeding. “Plant breeders have worked with this system (selective breeding of plants) for thousands of years, selecting parents with desired characteristics, such as yield and disease resistance, in the hope that the offspring expresses both. With genetic engineering, however, a single gene is removed from the DNA of one organism and forcibly inserted into another. This doesn’t happen naturally.

“A pig can mate with a pig and a tomato can mate with a tomato. But there is no way a pig can mate with a tomato. Using genetic engineering, however, pig genes can be inserted into a tomato and vice versa.” This transfer of genes across the natural barriers established by God at creation is an arrogant and reckless confusion of nature. It is introducing chaos into perfect order.

“Another problem is that inserted genes may transfer from food into gut bacteria or internal organs. Animal studies demonstrate that ingested DNA can travel through the body, even into the fetus via the placenta. Trans-genes from GM crops fed to animals have been found in their blood, liver, spleen, and kidneys. The only published human feeding trial on GM food verified that genetic material inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA of our intestinal bacteria.”

Manufacturers of genetically modified organisms assure us that the genetically modified cells are destroyed in the stomach when eaten and cannot be transferred to the host. However, Sidney Pierce spent 20 years studying the green sea slug that eats algae and somehow transfers the plant genes into its body. The slug then possesses the algae’s ability to produce chlorophyll from sunlight—a universal trait of plants but not of animals. The young slugs must eat algae until they accumulate enough of its genes to begin manifesting the plants’ ability to convert sunlight into energy. The slug can then be sustained on sunlight alone, like a plant, without further eating. Pierce says, “It certainly is possible that DNA from one species can get into another species, as these slugs have clearly shown, but the mechanisms are still unknown.”

Scientists have discovered genetically modified cells present in the organs of animals fed GM food. Corrupted DNA never becomes uncorrupted. It is passed on to future generations.

“Lab animals tested with GM foods had stunted growth, impaired immune systems, bleeding stomachs, abnormal and potentially precancerous cell growth in the intestines, impaired blood cell development, misshapen cell structures in the liver, pancreas, and testicles ... alerted gene expression and cell metabolism, liver and kidney lesions, partially atrophied livers, inflamed kidneys, less developed brains and testicles, enlarged livers, pancreases, and intestines, reduced digestive enzymes, high blood sugar, inflamed lung tissue, increased death rates, and higher offspring mortality. About two dozen farmers report that GM corn varieties caused their pigs or cows to become sterile. 71 shepherds say that 25% of their sheep died from grazing on Bt cotton plants (altered to be toxic to bugs), and others say that cows, water buffaloes, chickens, and horses also died from eating GM crops. Filipinos in at least five villages fell sick when nearby Bt corn was pollinating, and hundreds of laborers in India report allergic reaction from handling Bt cotton. Soy allergies skyrocketed by 50% in the United Kingdom soon after genetically engineered soy was introduced; and one human subject out of the few tested showed a skin prick, allergic-type reaction to GM soy, but not to natural soy. In the 1980s, a GM food supplement killed about one hundred Americans and caused sickness and disability in another five to ten thousand people.”

Genetically altered soy, corn, cotton, and canola and their derivatives are found in 70% of all processed foods. If you have ever eaten a corn chip, corn flakes, or a tortilla, you have eaten GM organisms.

Tomatoes were genetically engineered to have a shelf life of months instead of just days. Great for farmers, right? Except that when they fed laboratory rats a diet of GM tomatoes, many of them quickly developed lesions in their stomachs, and about a fourth of the rats died within two weeks. The control group of rats fed natural tomatoes did not manifest any of the negative reactions experienced by the GM-fed rats.

By now you might be thinking, “Well, I will just avoid corn, soy, and canola oil, and eat squash and papaya instead.” They are reengineered as well! Do you avoid sugar, relying on artificial sweetener? Aspartame is the product of genetic engineering. Do you ever drink milk or serve it to your children? What about cheese or yogurt? Cows are injected with genetically engineered growth hormones. It so speeds up their milk production that the cows are used up and discarded in about two years. Many farmers testify that twenty-five percent of their herds don’t live that long. They suffer from infections in their udders, making it necessary to constantly inject them with antibiotics. What do those same growth hormones do when ingested by humans? Just examine the statistical rise in breast cancer in the last 20 years.

Eat more chicken? It, too, is injected with GM organisms. As the breasts on chickens get bigger, so do the breasts on young boys eating the chicken, and breast cancer continues to rise.

Wild animals will repeatedly reject the GM crops in preference for natural corn and soy. Deer and elk will walk through a large GM field to get to a small plot of natural corn. If geese, squirrels, rabbits, deer, elk and rats have an aversion for GM crops, should humans eat them? What do the animals know that we don’t?

 

What does God say about modifying his creation?

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:27, 31).

Can you believe it? God designs his human creation after his own image, tailors the plant and herbs to the exact food specifications humans and animals require, and then pronounces that it is all very good. And what do scientists do? They say, “It is good, but not good enough; we can do better,” and then proceed to re-create what God created. It produces havoc, and they forge ahead undaunted in their “mission.” They are like four-year-old children dismantling a computer to improve upon it.

I say with the Psalmist, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought [like needlework] in the lowest parts of the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:14-15).

If the above verse says anything, it says that before we were born, God designed the very substance of our beings, recording the design in a book, and then fashioned us after that secret design. We are awesome and wonderful in design, a marvelous work of God. Who could dare to improve upon the master design of the God of creation?

 

Clear prohibition against modifying God’s creation.

“Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled” (Deut 22:9).
Note, God did not want his original seeds mixed so as to cause them to lose their inherent uniqueness. The result of mixing seeds produces a seed that was “defiled”.

“Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed” (Leviticus 19:19). Again, God is concerned to maintain the seed’s and the cattle’s original character.

 “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:11-12). God designed everything to bring forth after its singular kind, and neither a mixed kind, nor a new kind.

We live in strange times, when man has begun to move into God’s laboratory and is attempting to sabotage his design and change the very structure of creation. They dream of cloning humans, mix human and animal genes, throw in a few plant genes and come up with a Frankenstein monster. Science fiction has become a vision for tomorrow.

There was an earlier time, about 1800 years after creation, when men pooled their knowledge and built a city and a tower to reach unto heaven. “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.” (Genesis 11:6). This is a fascinating verse. God concedes that when many people combine their knowledge, they will not be restrained from accomplishing their wildest imaginations. So he divided them into diverse language groups to prevent them from conferring and sharing their knowledge and skills. That language barrier God put into place is now obsolete. Scientists of the world cooperate and share their knowledge. We are again at the place where “nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”

But God will have the last say in the Great Tribulation “which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10).  “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth” (Rev. 11:18). I have never been sure what this passage referred to—“God destroys them which destroy the earth.” Surely it is not killing the snail darter or wiping out the buffalo that has angered God to the point of exercising “great wrath” upon all flesh. Nothing man has ever done is one percent as destructive as permanently changing the DNA of God’s creation. Look out Monsanto, Dupont: here comes the Judge!

 

What can you do?

First, you must be informed. The military-industrial complex is little more than a local gun store compared to the agricultural-industrial complex. When media outlets have attempted to publish the facts concerning GMOs in our food chain, they have been intimidated into silence by their largest advertisers—the producers of genetically modified foods. When politicians get wise to the conspiracy to control the food chain, they are silenced by the fear of losing large gifts to their campaigns. You must get informed. Purchase the book, Seeds of Deception, and become acquainted with the issue. Go online, and read about GMOs. Stop buying foods that have been altered. Write to the manufacturers, and inform them that you will not eat their GMOs.

All we ask is that the government mandate labeling of GM foods. Just put a label on the product that says Genetically Modified. There have been many failed attempts to force labeling. The industry knows that once products are labeled, the public will ask, “So, what’s the difference?” and it will all be over for the agricultural-industrial complex. Labeling. Demand labeling.

In the meantime, grow your own food. If the grocery store labels food as organic, it is not genetically modified. Learn which plants have been altered and which ones maintain the integrity God gave them. GM tomatoes and potatoes have been removed from the market due to obvious health tragedies. Rice and beans are not modified, and, to my understanding, neither are any of the salad vegetables. Wheat, rye and barley are still good. Avoid all cooking and salad oils, and all prepared foods containing canola, corn, or soy. Avoid bread, crackers, chips, cakes, pies, and cookies containing corn, soy, or oils or derivatives of the same. Avoid milk, cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream or any food prepared with milk products. Avoid meats from animals that have been fed GMO grains or injected with GMOs.

You do realize that you won’t be able to eat at your standard restaurant, don’t you? If in the process of throwing out all processed foods you cease eating all corn syrup and sugar, within three days to a week you will see a remarkable improvement in your family’s health and in the temperament of your children.
You can go online and purchase Seeds of Deception by Jeffrey Smith, or you can order it at a discount from The Bulk Herb Store, BulkHerbStore.com or 1-877-278-4257. Check out their heirloom seeds, too. 


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Comments

Nancy, 12-02-10 19:20:
I agree. The Lord has recently led my family down the road preparing and eating only whole natural foods and it's amazing the difference it has made. We now feel better, my husband and I are not overly anxious or "stressed out", and the our 3 boys are so well behaved that I feel so badly for having fed them this garbage for so long. I praise God for opening my eyes to the truth of what's going on with our food supply and urge everyone who will listen to me to do the same research you are urging them to do. Thanks for a timely and much needed article.
Madelein, 12-02-10 20:52:
Eye opener article! thanks for sharing with us. God help us, it really makes me cry to see all that is happening in this world, we pray for God's mercy for his people. Amen
Scott E Beard, 13-02-10 18:34:
A lot of "food" for thought. Not a fan of GM food, but if GM DNA gets in our systems then wouldn't the dna of all foods we eat get in our system? From my microbiology classes, I beleive it is a "retrovirus" that is used to splice the DNA into the "new seed" dna. If so then this virus created by God would be a God given tool given to man. If I am wrong and this is not how its done then, your verses and concerns would be valid. But in a perfect creation the God created virus must have a purpose and this is the only one that appears evident (to the mind of a man anyhow). We know that there are many beneficial uses to bacteria - in the gut for proper digestion for example. But the virus is only good for putting itself into the DNA of a living cell. Therefore while GM does make me a bit nervous, it appears to be using a God given tool for a its only designed purpose. It makes me think of just how far God went to providing tools for his most precious creation - Man. This said there is no arguing that there has been an increase in soy allergies, but soy has increased dramatically in use as a processed food staple. With increased exposure increased allergies should be expected, but is the allergy increase greater than the increase in exposure? I don't know. Chicken breasts refer to a meat/muscle portion of the chicken, whereas the "breasts" of these young men you refer to is fatty tissue and not the pectoralis muscle. None of the female breast is muscle as I'm sure your aware. So how do these connect? A mother's natural hormones spill over into her breast milk(as well as others) and yet the breast buds that develop as a result of this normal hormone production resolve shortly after breast feeding ceases. It is interesting how obese men and women end up looking almost idistinguishable - the sin of gluttony distorts even the natural order of Male and Female making them indistinguishable and infertile. Have a good night, and continue to be vigilant.
Ashley, 13-02-10 19:44:
We try our best to feed our kids healthy, organic, whole foods. It's not cheap! It takes more work too, but as mentioned, the health benefits are worth it. When I mess up and give in to convenience, then we ALL pay for it. The more we abstain from junk, the more obvious it is that food has such an affect on our kids' behavior. What they eat can mean the difference between a peaceful Wally World trip and parade of shame.We recently had an experience with red dye that I will never forget. It's one thing to manage one hyperactive child but take 5 into Wally World and try to convince people that they don't normally act this way? I will NEVER let my children consume red dye again!(If I can at all help it anyway)Knowing the cause of that days' spectacle made it easier to take it in stride, but if I had not known the cause of my kids' hyperactivity that day I might have tried to perform an exorcism right there in the store! I'm glad you are spreading the word about GMO's and how they are an assault on God's perfect design.
Shannon Hudgens, 15-02-10 00:18:
SOOOO great! I did not know all this! I had suspected for several years. Thank you for posting! Praying that our eyes will continue to be opened to deception like this.
Regina Ferson, 16-02-10 07:19:
Unfortunately, even organic corn is probably contaminated with GM's as well since pollen spreads with the wind.
Bianca, 18-02-10 14:06:
Another great source to learn about his horrible turn our government has taken towards GM crops is to see the movie "Future of Food". You can watch it for free on Hulu.com . Well worth your time.

http://capwiz.com/grassrootsnetroots/issues/alert/?alertid=14469696 Go to this website to take action against GMO Contamination of Organic!
Don't Let Obama's USDA Approve Monsanto's RoundUp Ready Alfalfa!
anna, 20-02-10 07:15:
so where do I buy milk? I live in town so I can't have my own cows and the farmer I buy eggs from can't sell me their milk.
Carolyn Hurt, 23-02-10 14:49:
The is a very well-written article. We were already informed (or so we thought), but not well enough! I need to do some more changes in my pantry and frig.! Thank you!
ps I shared this article with my friends on Facebook.
Gavin, 23-02-10 15:36:
Your chase to get back to what "god designed" is silly from the start because people have been cross-pollinating for thousands of years to the point you wouldn't know what god's tomato looked like if one hit you in the face.

/ just saying.
Loraine Creon, 27-02-10 13:53:
I agree with pretty much everything that you said in this, but Also want to point out that when people get this information, they tend to either ignore it because of how vast it already is, or the opposite.. go nuts trying to fix it all today.

My comment is this: You can only do what you can do and that only with God's help. Some people will be in a situation where they just can't make the changes necessary either because of finances, lack of agreement in their family, or other issues.... Know this: God will take care of His own. Do your best to eat wholesome food but don't be afraid to make the change slowly. If you're stuck with no other option for food, remember Daniel, Shadrach, meshach and Abednego. They ate ONLY vegetarian foods and yet God gave them the nutrition necessary to be more healthy than any of their peers. God can place nutrition in food when the nutrition "shouldn't" be there. (makes the blessing over your food take on a little more meaning huh?)

By all mean take action, by all means try to do your best to eat non GMO foods and cook your food from scratch. LEARN if you don't know how... ONE thing at a time. I've been working on this for years, but i can tell you that I'm still working on it, and I don't let it stress me out. Just yesterday, I was out with my husband and 2 youngest children... we didn't have time to make food before we left, there were no places with "decent" food to be found. So we ate at a mexican joint (a faster than sit down one) as we could see no where else in our path that even had food. I'm positive that the food was pretty devoid of nutrition... which being pregnant and already struggling to get enough is frustrating, but God sustains you. Do what you can and leave the rest in God capable hands, as with everything in your life.
Inna, 27-02-10 15:07:
I found this article rather ridiculous, especially for the millions of people living in the city. According to you, I must throw out all the food in my frig and live on rice and barley. I also find it funny that you have just discovered GM. As far as I know, GM was used years before I was ever born. It is hardly a new science and it is used actively and widely all around the globe. As I live in the city, there is little I can do about GM, except trust God and continue to drink store-bought milk. :)
Jennifer, 28-02-10 20:44:
Not necessarily a fan of GMO foods (haven't researched enough to form an opinion yet), but I am a fan of truth and of what is true (yes, there is a difference). While GMO foods might be dangerous (might be a truth), this article is full of misleading information and sensationalism (not true). When I read something, I want to know the truth and what is true - where are the studies, the facts, the proof?

How many cases of cancer, etc. occurred in that village before the GMO corn? The cancer "epidemic" has already been refuted, but people are still using it as a (very effective) scare tactic.
The rise in soy allergies is due to the rise in soy use, may have nothing to do with GMO or non-GMO. As for "organic" foods, that is one of the biggest scams ever LOL. All "organic" means is that certain chemicals are not used on the plants (chemicals can still be used, it's just that some of them cannot be used - "organic" doesn't mean much). "Organic" has nothing to do with whether or not a food is genetically modified. I can get "organic" GMO tomatoes at the corner grocery.

Please, please, please present the truth honestly. When you try to present a truth (whatever the issue may be - GMO or something else) by using lies or deception, you do God and his purposes more damage than Satan and his minions could ever do.

People, when you read something, use the brain God gave you: test the spirits, ask critical thinking questions. Do you know how to tell if a study is sound or skewed? If not, learn. Do you let the fox guard your henhouse? Don't swallow whatever is shoveled at you, even if you think the source is Godly!
Loraine Creon, 01-03-10 12:19:
For the first time the USDA is doing a GE study and the public comment period is only open till March 3, 2010. Here is the link to take action and let them know how we feel about it.

http://ga3.org/campaign/alfalfaEIS2/gxxdg3n44jexkenb?
Vikingord, 02-03-10 12:51:
This article is wrong because the initial assumption is wrong. We do not live in a perfect creation, we live in a fallen world. Since the fall, genetics have been degrading. UV radiation affects every generation through genetic mutation, and genetic damage. For example, the Patriarch's lived for hundreds of years, but we age and die within a century. . Scientist are not trying to improve upon God's perfection. God's perfection fell long, long ago. However, scientist might use the intellect God has given us to make our current fallen world resemble God's perfection a little more though. Finally I think it is important to consider how many people in this world might avoid starvation through the use of GM foods.
Lisa, 03-03-10 10:38:
We, as consumer, have more power here than we know. Supply follows demand. We "demand" with our dollars. If we buy less garbage, manufacturers will produce less garbage. I have been studying this for about 25 years- since I read "Diet For A Small Planet" at age 12. As to people who live in the city (as I do), you can get creative. Grow tomato plants on your balcony, grow herbs in your window box. Lots of counties have land set aside for organic community gardens....Chicago does. I have a small balcony. I grow lettuce, radishes, tomatoes, herbs, and flowers. ANY amount of natural food is better than NONE. I barter home-made bread for my neighbor's salsa and jam. I keep cooked beans in the crock-pot so I can have a high-fiber, high-protein meal on the go. My version of fast food! It costs pennies. It's no hardship to have oats for breakfast, or home made soup for supper. Believe me. When you see the savings at the grocer and at the doctor's office, you won't be sorry.
network1, 04-03-10 20:45:
Thank you for investigating and standing up to a giant: GMO companies. I wouldn't be surprised if you get serious backlash as you're standing up to money & power. My son developed a CORN allergy that we link to consumption of goat milk fed a high concentration of GM corn. That turned our lives & diets upside down as we struggled for a year or so determining what foods had ingredients derived from corn. That's just about everything from a grocery store including natural flavors to citric acid. It's sickening how corn has been used to the point it's in nearly every food we eat, much less that it's GM corn unless you make the sacrifice and buy organic. The more organic goods people buy, the more farmers will go back to it as it shows a profit. I have a lot to say on this subject, but most importantly I applaud your guts Mr Pearl! What a man!
Holly, 07-03-10 09:06:
I appreciate the concern over the changes in types that appear to be taking place as a result of GM technology. However, GM has some very legitamate uses. For example, when insulin was first developed, insulin harvested from pigs' pancreases was used. Unfortunately, some insulin dependent diabetics developed allergies to the pork insulin. Scientists took E-coli bacteria and spliced the human gene for insulin into the bacteria's circular DNA, causing it to secrete human insulin. The technique is now used to save many diabetics lives, who would otherwise slowly waste away or go into a coma and die. There is growing evidence that, like mutations, GM does not produce better, stronger organisms. They will not necessarily survive under adverse conditions, i.e without the use of pesticides, fertilizer, etc. There is a scientific and social backlash in many countries and farmers in places like Pakistan are being encouraged to use their traditional grains. I would suggest more research before endorsing Mr. Smith's views. So often, I find that there is more to the story than one author can present.
Sara, 08-03-10 18:20:
First off, let me say that I avidly read your magazine and just love Created to Be His Helpmeet. My husband is active duty in the Marine Corps as an Officer and we love much of what you put out. However, I had mixed feelings about this article that you published in your recent magazine. Growing up in a dairy community and raising some for ourselves, I can tell you that artificial growth hormones are not used in production milk cows. The infection of the udders that you mentioned is called Mastitis and cows are checked for these symptoms at every milking. If the cow shows signs, they pull the cow, put her on antibiotics and she is removed from the milking herd for a certain number of days until the antibiotic is completely removed from her system and the infection is gone. The other safeguard is that the milk batch is tested before it is shipped to the next facility. If any milk is contaminated the entire bunch is discarded. Once the milk is transported on the trucks it is tested one more time upon arrival at the distribution center. If any milk is contaminated, as some small dairys will share trucks every day, it is once again thrown out. I have taken numerous genetic and food science courses in college and have seen and done research myself - I have come to the realization that most companies put the "No growth hormones" label on the food to simply calm the consumer. Please do not go into a hysteria and not consume dairy products. They are VERY important to our bodies and if not consumed in the correct quantities an cause harm.
The other qualm that I have with the article is that organic foods are said to be superior to the other food forms. If you do your research, you will see that the "organic" labeled foods in most grocery stores are more expensive but are more likely to cause you to get sick. It is hard to regulate what is called "organic" and thus many foods get into our consumer hands with many dangerous foreign objects. With Urban Sprawling "organic" food is not a feasible option for our nation. We do not have the land resources, the money, or the labor to make sense of going completely organic. My view is that God gave us a brain for a reason, if we can produce ten times more crops on a 1/3 of the land, why not? Because of our developments in the agricultural food area, we are able to give back to those that are less fortunate.

I hope this was not rude in any way as it did not mean to be. I am just trying to set some of the facts straight so as not to cause a panic with those thinking that dairy is awful for your system.
James Wahl, 09-03-10 13:35:
You are sending out INCORRECT INFO!!!!! The labeling laws were relaxed a couple years ago, and organic does NOT mean not GMO. I see examples of GMO organics in the stores every time we go shopping. Many produce items are GMO. Tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, papaya, apples, even flax seed, etc. People need to learn how to recognize them.
lisa truitt, 14-03-10 13:48:
To Jennifer who stated that organic has nothing to do with whether something is genetically modified, that statement is untrue. A food labeled as 100 percent organic can't by law contain GMOs. The 100 percent organic label pertains to boxed premade items with multiple ingredients. Some items can have mostly organic ingredients but not all and still be labeled organic but not 100 percent organic. This is all spelled out by law. I think a food item has to be at least 75 or 80 percent organic to be labeled just organic. For this reason I almost completely avoid boxed, canned, multiple-item foods. I sometimes buy if it says 100 percent organic. Organic produce or meats that are not multiple-ingredient items cannot contain GMOs or have been fed them.

If you would like to learn what all the requirements are for organics, you can at the organic consumers association online. Their website is http://www.organicconsumers.org/. You can also just google organic consumers association.

Also organic is grown with crop rotation, cover crops and adding lots of different organic matter to the soil, building up the soils beneficial organisms that are needed for maximum nutrient absorption by plants. All the cover cropping and adding of organic matter causes the soil to be much higher in minerals. Conventional crops only get NPK and most conventional cropland is severely depleted of multiple minerals, because they are never replenished. In essence the land is just being pilaged and raped, not really cared for and stewarded. God commanded the Israelites to let the land lie fallow every seven years. This was so that weeds and cover crops that were sown could do their job. These plants have deep roots that can go depending on the plant from 20 to over a hundred feet into the soil and bring up high levels of minerals. Then they are tilled under and replenish the soil. This command God gave was wise and for the health of the people. It has been dispensed with in this day and time because of greed and foolishness.

I have extensively studied this subject and there are multiple studies, a number of which were independently conducted by universities that have shown that organically produced fruits and veggies had significantly larger amounts of various vitamins and minerals. One was done by the American Chemical Association or Society, don't remember for sure the exact name, but is considered the largest best known association for chemists in the country, and they found that oranges organically grown had I believe, something like half again as much vitamin C.

We buy organic as much as possible, but can't do it totally, so I am learning how to grow more of my own. You can get heirloom non-GMO seeds at Baker's Creek, rareseeds.com, or Seed Savers Exchange.

I believe that feminism ushered in a lot of this stuff, because women abandoned the home and making and producing a lot of their own foods, caving to the lure of manufacturers who were more than willing to do the work for them, but with cheap, adulterated, inferior ingredients and chemicals so they could make bigger bucks. Feminists have lied to women, making domestic work seem unimportant and uninteresting; but what could be more important than our health and the health of future generations?
Swietenia Sevilla, 15-03-10 11:50:
Thank You Michael for this info, I believe you are a very smart man of God, and I am sure you have done LOTS of research. I don't know much about all this, all I know is that I (with my very own eyes) heve seen an increase in cancers and lots of other illnesses that I didn't hear about when I was younger, it is scary, and I do believe it has to do with what we put in our bodies, so I encourage everyone to look for the healthier alternatives, which i believe also to be in our Bibles, (not that I follow them to the dot). But I do know God made us and He knows what is best for us, including the food we eat. Thank You.
Todd Barker, 19-03-10 06:41:
Didn't Jacob do some genetic modification in Genisis 30 with Laban's flock? I have been given to understand that the trees that he put in the water trough caused genetic mutations that changed the color of the sheep and goats.
Rachel, 22-03-10 23:06:
To Anna: I don't about where you live, but the farmer "Pet Milk" Then once you get it you can do what you want, as long as he is selling it as "pet milk" he can't get in trouble for selling raw milk for human consumption. Hope this helps! :)
Ivana, 09-04-10 12:55:
Thank you for addressing this topic, it is very important, my family and I live in Hawaii, which is ground zero for testing and growing GM crops.

I recommend two video documentaries: "Islands at Risk: Genetic engineering in Hawaii," by earthjustice and www.namaka.com
and
"The Future of Food," by Deborah Koons Garcia at www.thefutureoffood.com

If you haven't already seen them, go check them out.
Sarah Van Patten, 11-04-10 22:31:
One of my friends shared this video with me last week. I hope it helps clarify and perhaps shock people into speaking out about GMO.

Watch "The Future of Food":
http://www.hulu.com/watch/67878/the-future-of-food

Note: NGJ is not responsible for the content presented at this 3rd-party site.
anna, 18-04-10 04:17:
thank you Rachel.
I live in Canada(southern Alberta) and I'll definately try that although It's Canada.
Lynn, 24-05-10 15:31:
My husband and I were shocked when we read this article. Can anyone help us make this any easier? What CAN we eat other than organic food?
Kent D. Marsee, 19-08-10 13:02:
The tampering of food as a whole has had a profound negative health impact and I appreciate you having the courage to speak out about it, once again going against the grain of what is "popular".

A perfect example of what was once called a healthy and safe modification to our food is trans fats. The industry is now back peddling on this, but these are the same ones who ignorantly and arrogantly touted this process as safe and even "natural". While is true that a type of trans fat occurs naturally in the milk and body fat of ruminants (such as cattle and sheep) at a level of 2–5% of total fat, it is not natural to put it into our foods as a substitute "healthy" fat. It is well known and established fact now that trans fats are extremely harmful to a persons health, but do you think for a minute that those that were touting it's benefits years ago are admitting it in the wake of their destruction?

To claim that just because God created it and it occurs "naturally", that it must be safe and good is simplly burying ones head in the sand at best. Abortion occurs naturally as well.

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