tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post5854569240409059843..comments2024-03-29T09:34:59.827+03:00Comments on Daas Torah - Issues of Jewish Identity: Genetic Testing - Conceal Information?Daas Torahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07252904288544083215noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post-64632620855849831852008-12-26T19:22:00.000+02:002008-12-26T19:22:00.000+02:00"the real solution to all this, IMHO, is to convin..."the real solution to all this, IMHO, is to convince people to stop being such idiots, not to treat this as a stigma, especially in the case of carriers."<BR/><BR/>I imagine that there is a positive correlation between the importance that a community places on marriage/family and the likelihood that this community will have a tendency to treat diseases, particularly genetic ones, as stigmas vis-a-vis marriage. In the secular American world, it's not unusual to meet people who are ambivalent about the idea of having children (and, by extension, may also be ambivalent about marrying). You even run into people who are actually against having kids, especially lots of them (i.e. because of the importance people place on career advancement, or due to concerns about the environment). I believe that having a pareve attitude toward family and children would generally translate into having a pareve attitude toward the genetic history of one's potential spouse as well. Among religious Jews, though, marrying and raising a family is of paramount importance because it is the main mechanism through which the Mesorah will be carried on into the future. It seems to me that the tendency of treating genetic diseases (or mental illness, or being a victim of sexual abuse, etc.) as stigmas is simply the corrolary of taking marriage and family very, very seriously. I don't think you can cleanly separate one from the other.<BR/><BR/>I'm not trying to defend harboring stigmas. I think it's terrible. I'm just thinking out loud, wondering why there is such a disconnect between the attitudes of the frum world and those of modern secular America when it comes to this subject.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post-51856906952094483402008-12-24T18:23:00.000+02:002008-12-24T18:23:00.000+02:00in terms of concealing, part of the reason is that...in terms of concealing, part of the reason is that this is catering to a community for which being a carrier brings with it a stigma, and so it is better not to know so that one is not holding anything back from prospective shidduchim. so I can understand why he is reluctant to reveal the information. it undermines the project itself, and then people will not use the service, and so people will not get tested. *that* is the "ethical or halachic basis for depriving such medical information." As Rav Msoeh Even though I might disagree, and though Gaucher's is a different case from the others.<BR/><BR/>the real solution to all this, IMHO, is to convince people to stop being such idiots, not to treat this as a stigma, especially in the case of carriers. And then *not* to go through Dor Yeshorim, but find out yourself from your own doctor.<BR/><BR/>KT,<BR/>Joshjoshwaxmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05149022516101476797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7309929059139673041.post-45018282738627575282008-12-24T15:54:00.000+02:002008-12-24T15:54:00.000+02:00Any mkorot on telling or not/testing or not?KTJoel...Any mkorot on telling or not/testing or not?<BR/>KT<BR/>Joel RichAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com