Theos-Talk Archives (January 1995 Message tl00067)

Keith, HPB wrote in response to the question "Is Foeticide a
Crime?":

Theosophy in general answers: "At no age as under no circumstance
whatever is a murder justifiable!" and occult Theosophy adds...
the warning voice is sent forth against the immoral and dangerous
practice...  because in occult philosophy both physiology and
psychology show its disastrous consequence."...  Our philosophy
goes so far as to say that, if the Penal Code of most countries
punishes attempts at suicide, it ought...  to doubly punish
foeticide as an attempt to *double suicide*.  For, indeed, when
even successful and the mother does not die just then, * it still
shortens her life on earth*...

The crime committed lies precisely in the willful and sinful
destruction of life, and interference with the operations of
nature, hence -- with Karma -- that of the mother and the
would-be future human being.  The sin is not regarded by the
occultists as one of a *religious* character, -- for, indeed,
there is no more of spirit and soul...  in a foetus...  than
there is in any other small animal...  But foeticide is a crime
against nature...  [BCW W 5, 106-08]

Nicholas