Ideas have consequences, bad ideas have victims. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street with The Point.

Last week, the Wall Street Journal published a heartbreaking story of a 27-year-old man who died from a drug overdose in 2020.

Stephen Gunner was conceived by sperm donor and struggled with schizophrenia. After his death, his mom and adoptive dad reached out to other children, also fathered by Stevens' donor, to let them know that their

son had a mental illness that could be genetically inherited. Their research confirmed that the

sperm donor, known to them as just a number, had also suffered schizophrenia, had also died

from a drug overdose, and had not disclosed his mental health issues on the history forms,

which American sperm clinics are not required to verify.

The Gunner's research revealed that Stephen's father has at least 18 other children.

It's unknown whether they also inherited schizophrenia from their father, but the Gunner's

tragedy is another chapter in a larger story of assisted reproduction.

Ripping apart God's design for families has consequences.

For the Colson Center,

I'm John Stone Street with The Point.