GMOs: Safe or Dangerous?
Are genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) safe to eat? Is it misleading, or even fraudulent, to tell consumers that products are GMOs free?
Well, some seem to think so:
January 9, 2019
Most people have heard of Genetically Modified Organisms, or GMOs. … scientists nearly unanimously agree that products that have been genetically modified are every bit as safe as their non-GMO counterparts. A 2016 scientific review of more than 900 studies found that in over 20 years of use, billions of people have consumed products derived from GMOs without one verifiable case in which the GMO has caused illness or disease. Yet distrust and fear sell, so the crusade against these products has raged on.
The standard-bearer of this movement is the Non-GMO Project, a nonprofit that bills itself as “North America’s most trusted seal for GMO avoidance.” Companies pay the Project for verification, thereby earning the right to use the Non-GMO Project’s seal of approval: a butterfly perched atop a checkmark. Along with the seal typically comes a premium charge to the consumer.
Interestingly, while the Non-GMO Project has stamped over 50,000 products GMO-free, only 10 GMO plant types are even commercially available: apples, potatoes, corn, canola, alfalfa, soybeans, rainbow papaya, cotton, sugar beets and summer squash. In other words, the vast majority of the products that are sold at a premium as “GMO-free” literally could not be GMO if they wanted to be – no GMO version exists. These marketing tactics smell strongly of fraud. https://dailyjournalonline.com/community/democrat-news/gmo-free-marketing-deliberately-misleading-consumers/article_d834451a-0ba1-5a28-bfea-8b4adb57c1a6.html
Well, I (Bob Thiel) am a scientist and do not agree that GMOs “are every bit as safe as their non-GMO counterparts.” That has actually never been proven.
Why?
Because that is not something that can be tested for based on current technologies, plus the amount of time needed to conduct such a study would have to include at least a human lifetime (such a study would really need to be at least 100 years long, and even then, it would be difficult to be able to claim safety).
The World Health Organization has concerns as well:
January 9, 2019
What are the potential dangers of GMOs?
according to WHO, the three main issues of concern for human health that are being debated are:
(i). The potentials to provoke allergic reaction (allergenicity);
(ii). Gene transfer (Gene transfer from GM foods to cells of the body or to bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, especially if the transferred genetic material adversely affects human health); and
(iii). Outcrossing (the migration of genes from GM plants into conventional crops or related species in the wild (referred to as “outcrossing”), as well as the mixing of crops derived from conventional seeds with GM crops, may have an indirect effect on food safety and food security. Cases have been reported where GM crops approved for animal feed or industrial use were detected at low levels in the products intended for human consumption).
Should you switch to organic food? That is a personal decision. … For many people in this day and age, it is simply impossible – too expensive, too time-consuming, too problematic – to make sure that they eat only foods that are verifiably safe in every respect. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/01/are-genetically-modified-foodsgmos-safe/
The above author seems to be implying that GMO foods are not verifiably safe in every respect. As a published scientist, I agree.
Now potatoes, which were mentioned in the pro-GMO article at the beginning of this post, are one crop that we are seeing more and more GMO versions of. Notice the following related to health concerns:
January 7, 2019
“I somehow managed to ignore the almost daily experience that GM potatoes were not as healthy as normal potatoes.” ~Caius Rommens, author of Pandora’s Potatoes: The Worst GMO’s
Activist and concerned citizens have for years been ringing the alarm bells over genetically modified (GM) foods taking over our food supply.
There are several critical concerns surrounding this issue. We do not yet know what the long-term health effects will be of mass consumption of GM products. We know that they have in some cases been linked to the development of cancer. Production of GM crops requires massive amounts of patented chemical fertilizers, herbicides and seed activators. GM crops contribute to monoculture. …
Having spent 26 years as a genetic engineer in the agricultural industry, he Ex-Director of J.R. Simplot and team leader at Monsanto, Caius Rommens, recently expressed his concerns over GM potatoes in an interview with Sustainable Pulse. He’s developed over 150,000 varieties of GM potatoes, under budgets exceeding $50 million, and can be considered the world’s foremost expert on GM potatoes.
In the interview, Rommens notes that a big factor in his shortsightedness regarding the dangers of GM potatoes is the fact that as a scientist he never left the laboratory in order to really observe how his creations performed in a real agricultural environment. This is a common form of myopia associated with modern science.
Regarding GM potatoes, Rommens expressed his concern over how these products were reviewed and approved by the USDA and the FDA.
“It is amazing that the USDA and FDA approved the GM potatoes by only evaluating our own data. How can the regulatory agencies assume there is no bias? When I was at J.R. Simplot, I truly believed that my GM potatoes were perfect, just like a parent believes his or her children are perfect. I was biased and all genetic engineers are biased. It is not just an emotional bias. We need the GM crops to be approved. There is a tremendous amount of pressure to succeed, to justify our existence by developing modifications that create hundreds of millions of dollars in value. We test our GM crops to confirm their safety, not to question their safety.
The regulatory petitions for deregulation are full with meaningless data but hardly include any attempts to reveal the unintended effects. For instance, the petitions describe the insertion site of the transgene, but they don’t mention the numerous random mutations that occurred during the tissue culture manipulations. And the petitions provide data on compounds that are safe and don’t matter, such as the regular amino acids and sugars, but hardly give any measurements on the levels of potential toxins or allergens.”
The crux of his concern is that because these products are being developed for profit, and at great expense to corporate developers such as Monsanto, any science or even opinions that run counter to the effort to bring these products to market as quickly as possible is ignored, dismissed, or even covered up. https://www.wakingtimes.com/2019/01/07/the-creator-of-gm-potatoes-comes-clean-about-the-hidden-dangers-of-this-new-frankenfood/
The GMOs ‘foods’ have not been sufficiently tested to prove that they do not cause any problems long term.
It has been my clinical experience that many people have developed problems from consuming supposedly safe (non-GMO) foods that their bodies did not handle correctly. Hence, I have even more concerns regarding supposedly safe ‘GMO foods.’
As far as nutritional benefits of GMOs some of their promoters point to, many of those ‘benefits’ are based upon a lot of assumptions that I do not believe hold up well in the real world and will leave it at that for now.
Humans may not know the long-term effects of GMOs for many years (if we have enough years until Jesus returns–afterwards, He can clue us in).
Now one danger that has been proven is that the chemicals associated with GMOs crops seem to be resulting in dramatic reductions in the bee and monarch butterfly populations (see EU further bans neonicotinoids to protect bees and California Monarch Butterfly Numbers Decline 86% in 2 Years).
Additionally, scientists are combining a variety of animal genes as well as genes of creatures like spiders. Even humans and pigs (see Pig-Human GMOs proposed and British scientists insisting on human GMOs).
It is not that all the GMOs developed will necessarily cause harm. But they simply have not been tested to insure that they cannot contribute to many types of chronic health complaints.
So, yes, I believe it is safer for my body to try to avoid ‘GMO foods.’
While the supposed intent of agricultural GMOs is to increase the food supply and provide crops that are resistant to pests, the reality is that the GMO thrust is essentially based upon lust for profits.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10)
The production of GMO crops places massive amounts of the food supply at risk for destruction. While in nature, there is variety of crops, with GMO-crops there is a uniformity that is unnatural.
This mono-culture uniformity puts the entire crop at risk because if one plant succumbs to a pest, the entire crop is susceptible as well–this can lead to famines.
Paul told Timothy that love of money can cause many sorrows. Notice that Jesus told that famines were one of the sorrows that would come:
8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)
While some claim that GMO-crops are resistant to various pests, the reality is that several years ago, Monsanto learned that its corn that was supposed to be resistant to a root pest was, in fact, susceptible to it (see Pestilence Issues and Genetically-Modified Corn). The scientists there hope to work around this, but the time will come that disasters and troubles will result in famines and I have long suspected that GMOs would be part of the reason.
In the last 20th century, I started to get published for my positions against genetically-modified foods (Thiel R. Labeling of genetically modified foods should be a fundamental consumer right. HealthKeepers, 2000; 2 (3):16-19; Thiel R. ANMA’s official position on genetically-modified foods. ANMA Monitor, 1999;3(4)5-8). And since then, more and more information has come to light suggesting dangers to the environment and health related to GMOs.
I do not believe that it is misleading nor fraudulent for products that do not contain GMOs to contain a statement to that effect on their labels. I think that telling the truth like that is a good thing.
As regular readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware, I have long warned that likely crop failures associated with GMO grains are putting the USA and its Anglo-allies at extreme risk of being destroyed.
Most Americans do not like to accept this, but it is nonetheless true.
Years ago, the Continuing Church of God put out a video about genetically-modified organisms and prophecy on our YouTube channel called Bible News Prophecy.
GMOs are still a risk.
Thousands of years ago, God inspired one of his prophets to pen the following, which encourages people to eat what is good:
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. (Isaiah 55:2)
Intentionally eating GMOs, in my view, is something people should try to avoid. I do not think that GMOs are good food.
My book Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse has the following::
Humans should eat what is good (cf. Isaiah 55:2). Donald Trump, like others before him, has made statements supporting the use of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) to be consumed as foods (Goldberg M. President-Elect Donald Trump and Organic Food – How Concerned Should We Be? Living MaxWell, November 10, 2016). Increased reliance on GMOs by the United States puts the nation at major risk for nearly complete crop failures. The Bible warns that famines (Matthew 24:7) and food shortages (Revelation 6:5-6) are coming and Donald Trump may further help set the stage for this. …
The debt situation of the U.S.A. is putting it at risk of being unable to recover should it be hit by weather problems, terrorist acts, war, riots, solar flares, severe earthquakes, civil unrest, devastation of their genetically-modified food supplies, food shortages, and/or various pestilences–an intensity of “sorrows” such as Jesus discussed in Matthew 24:4-8 leading up to the time of the Great Tribulation. Political issues, climate change, trade policies, communication’s deals, and other events are pushing the U.S.A. to a position that will encourage its takeover someday. Disasters, especially if there is an ElectroMagnetic Pulse (EMP) attack or a severe solar flare storm, could be part of a so-called “perfect storm” of events that could set the USA for destruction. (Thiel B. Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse. Nazarene Books, 2017)
GMOs are putting the food supply of the USA at risk.
Let me add to that and state that if Europe accepts more American GMO crops and has crop failures or health issues because of that, this will further enrage the Europeans against the USA as the USA has been pressuring Europe to accept more and more GMOs.
Encouraging more GMOs is hazardous to the environment and ultimately will negatively impact humanity–even more than it has so far.
While the consumption of small amounts of GMO ‘foods’ does not appear to be harmful, I personally do not consider that long-term consumption of GMOs by humans is wise nor safe.
Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here is a related YouTube video GMO Risks and the Bible.
Chimeras: Has Science Crossed the Line? What are chimeras? Has science crossed the line? Does the Bible give any clues? A video of related interest is Half human, half pig: What’s the difference?
The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? Here is a link to a related sermon: Christians and the Environment (there is also YouTube video available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy).
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic? Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse This 188 page book is for people truly interested in prophecies related to Donald Trump and the United States, including learning about several that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon for $12.99 from the following link: Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition.
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