What do Buddhists think of ivf cloning and genetic engineering?

Answer 1

This would depend entirely on how the stem cells were harvested.

Buddhists generally operate under the precept that one should live without desire and that doing harm to another living thing was morally wrong, unless absolutely necessary (as in the case of self-defense).

So, if a fetus (as one example) were killed solely for the harvesting of stem cells, the buddhists (and most people) would naturally be against it. However, if the fetus died naturally, or from some other cause (say, elective abortion) and the body of the fetus were then harvested for stem cells, there would be no reason to object to stem cell research itself.

And since there are now at least half a dozen ways in which stem cells can be harvested from a variety of sources, all of which are non-destructive (including fat from Liposuction) the objection to stem cell research at all.

Answer 2

Buddhists have mixed responses to the issue of genetic engineering. Some see it as tampering with nature and going against the natural order of things. However, there is also a strong belief in Buddhism that it is the intentions behind actions that are important: if the intention is honest and good, it might make the actions acceptable.