Genetically Modified or God’s Perfect Organism?

That’s a question that I now ponder on a daily basis, but for most of my life prior to this year, I never thought about what I ate. What changed in between then and now is that I am relying on food for my livelihood. Last year, my husband and I moved back to his family farm to raise grass-fed beef and grow vegetables, and we are striving to do this in a way that is pleasing to God. Daily, this requires us to choose to say no to the genetically modified seeds and food slowly taking over our farms and grocery stores.

Joel Salatin writes in The Sheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer, “The creation record in Genesis starts with the imperative for each biological life form to reproduce after its kind.” Although he goes on to further describe the failings of GMO crops, his basis is in God’s Word. Salatin states that there were two imperatives put forth in that record–reproduction and uniqueness (after its kind). That means that tomato seeds are supposed to grow tomatoes and cows are supposed to have baby cows. Although GMO products look like what they are supposed to be, they are genetically very different.

After much thought and discussion, that is where my husband and I stand as well. We have been through all of the arguments for GM food as well as the numerous arguments against it, and have decided that we believe that God has created the plants and animals to work the way that they do and we do not need to change them.

And why does this matter? Well, in starting our farm, it is our hope to glorify God and work as if we are working for him. That means trusting in his creation and doing our part to preserve it. It also means acknowledging that God knew what he was doing when He created life on earth. He gave us seeds that grow just the way they should and animals that reproduce as they should–-with offspring that are genetically the same.

Becoming farmers was a big leap for our family. We left the financial and emotional security that a regular paycheck provides. Although that was hard, it has allowed us to see God working in our lives. We have seen God’s blessings in many ways–financially, emotionally, relationally–that we might have missed by staying in our comfortable life. And, maybe those blessings didn’t happen because we have chosen to farm in a way that is harmonious with God’s natural plan, but we think that might have something to do with it.

Like Blessed Earth, we take our mandate to steward creation seriously, and for us, that means working with the things that God created instead of trying to change them to suit our needs.

Carrie L. Chandler is a farmer’s wife and freelance writer living on her husband’s family farm in northwest Georgia. Along with her husband, Alan, she is raising two children to be Godly stewards of the land. After getting married, the Chandlers knew they would end up on the farm, but thought it would be later. It seems God had other plans, and now they are happily raising grass-fed beef and naturally grown vegetables. Although writing and raising babies is what she spends most of her time doing, Carrie does meander out into the garden on occasion