A Humanist Understanding of Genetic Testing
Debra- Creative writing:
"Sunday, April 15th2018.
I woke up this morning with an immense sense of relief that overcame me instantly as I sighed and opened my eyes. The genetic ancestry test I had taken yesterday had cemented my pre-existing beliefs and my attachment to my Jewish faith. I closed my eyes and said the morning prayer, Shachrit, while still lying in bed, grateful for this new day walking alongside G-d.
I give thanks before you, King living and eternal, for You have returned within me my soul with compassion; abundant is Your faithfulness!
As a got up, stretched, and made my way to the next room, I felt as though my faith was guiding each and every action, pushing me towards the new day. A forced that felt almost physical was making me move my legs to the kitchen, I thought, I am being guided by a predetermined force, devoid of any free will yet so natural.
Before my results had come in, my Jewish heritage did not feel quite as entrenched, rather intrinsic to my physical body. Now, knowing that my ancestry was over one percent Ashkenazi Jewish, my ethnicity, religion and genetics were united and immutable in time and space. Moreover, I was also struck by an overwhelming sense of duty to share this part of me with not only those around me but also my children, who I wanted to transmit this part of culture too. All this time, the hours of classes and studying had not been in vain, but all to help me in a greater scheme to reveal my true identity to myself.
New questions started to make their way through my mind. I did not want to know the extent with which I should assume this new religion. I wanted it to play a primordial part in my life for the high holidays and Shabbath, but knowing how everyday life would change for me was difficult to wrap my head around. Indeed, I had not grown up in a house hold remotely attached to our Jewish ancestry, not eating Kosher, or prayers. For us, Missionary Baptism had our only tie to God."
My own experience with genetic testing- medical over ancestry:
"After being diagnosed with breast cancer, I could see that the initial anxiety of the diagnosis was not the only thing on my mother’s mind. When offered to take a genetic test to see if I was at a greater risk, she did not hesitate whatsoever. At the time, she wanted me to have as much knowledge about my future health risks so that I could, I think, be prepared. From my point of view, given that four other women in my immediate family had been in the same case, my mother carried the mutated gene. For a while, even before my mother developed it, I felt as though the odds were genetically not in our favor. Around two months after my mother had taken the test, she got the results. The text was negative and she was therefore not genetically capable of passing it onto the next generation. I remember her feeling incredibly relieved, joyous, and much more emotional than I had anticipated. After the results, I was faced with an increasing amount of questions and concerned I was not anticipating either. Mainly, I was concerned with the inconclusiveness of the results, or rather, the fact that they did not spare me from developing the illness in the future."
Genetic Testing is a resources that is common and discussed in most circles. In a survey I created and shared with my fellow classmates, 43% had had direct or indirect exposure to genetic testing.
This page has paths:
- What is genetic testing? Adele Greenman
