Theos-Talk Archives (January 1995 Message tl00101)

Well, it looks like this abortion issue has got lots of comments.

I was hoping someone would collate some of the comments of HPB
and the Masters on abortion, sex, birth control, promiscuity,
celibacy, etc and present them in this forum.  And even more
important, talk about the rationale for such views, etc.

Does anyone want to discuss Master K.H.'s comments on birth
control as found in the Mahatma Letters?

I certainly don't want to force or impose on others (especially
women who find themselves pregnant and considering an abortion)
my views on such subjects but I would hope Theosophists could try
to raise the perspective and ,yes,, the "consciousness" of people
on these subjects.

It seems to me that children and teenagers (not to mention
adults!) need to be educated on sexual issues including
promiscuity, celibacy, abortion, birth control, etc.  Do parents
and schools really provide older children and teens with needed
information on these topics? Far too many children are taught
nothing concerning sexual matters and even less about values,
morals and ethics.

Look at the young males in American society who go around having
sex, impregnating girls and then leave for greener pastures.  The
mind set of many of these young men are fun, fun, fun! Maybe they
are not totally to blame.  Probably there parents never taught
them responsibility, self-discipline, and other such values.

Both boys and girls need to be taught a system of values,
responsibility, etc.  And the whole of American society needs to
be sensitized to the sacredness of life, the sacredness of Mother
Earth.  Maybe those spiders at Krotona could have been left alone
so they could pursue their lives.  I have a number of ant beds
out in my backyard and I value their communities.  One of my
"spiritual" friends suprised me last summer by suggesting that I
get rid of those irritating ants! He didn't like them! So get rid
of them! I was very upset and told him so.  These ants were
beings not that different from humans and had as much right to
exist and live as he did! I told him to take the time and get to
know them.  Observe them and learn to appreciate them! At first
my friend was upset with me but upon thinking it over, admitted
that he had never thought about the subject like I did.  We need
to have compassion and yes love for all creatures great and small
and even for plants and mother earth herself.  It is from this
"perspective" that I view such subjects as abortion, etc.

I wish humans could view sex as something very profound and
sacred, something not to be entered into causally.  This may seem
all too sentimental to some readers.  Anyway, if girls and boys
and teens were taught to view sex in this way, if they were
taught self-control (that is, that each of us should be aware of
the consequences of our own actions and that we have the capacity
to choose and sometimes such choice is not easy and sometimes
mistakes and failures will occur, etc., etc.), if they were
taught responsibility, then all the problems of sex and the
consequences resulting from sex might in time be mitigated.

If such instruction and teaching could be given by parents, by
the schools, etc, then new generations might view these problems
in a different light.  Males need to be taught that they have
certain responsibilities in these sexual issues and females need
to be taught they too have responsibilities.  How many unwanted
pregnancies could have been prevented if only a little
commonsense and restraint had prevailed? I have a 15 year old
cousin who recently had an abortion.  Her parents forced her to
have the abortion.  The family couldn't afford "it".  The boy who
was the father wanted no part of this baby.  And my cousin was
heart broken and emotionally devastated.  A tragedy both for my
cousin, her family and yes for the unborn baby.  My cousin's
mother had never seriously talked and discussed with her daughter
about sex, romance, pregnancy, the libido of young teenage males,
etc.  My cousin said she loved the boy; the boy later admitted he
only wanted to have sex with my cousin.  Furthermore, my cousin
felt she could not talk about sexual things with her mother and
when she finally discovered she was pregnant and told her
parents, it was too late.  From my own reading on this subject,
my cousin's tragedy is a common happening among American
teenagers!

So I suggest that sexual instruction, sensitivity "training",
awakening of compassion, etc are just some of the things that
could help to change the "thought climate" here in America and
elsewhere.  What are Theosophists doing about it?

And I not saying that these "solutions" will solve all the
problems, that there will no longer be problems or failures.

And I believe all teenagers should be encourged to read the book
"The Miracle of Birth" [or is the title "A child is born"???] and
the accompanying video.  Teenagers (and yes some adults too) need
to be aware of what the "sex act" results in.  The book with its
beautiful pictures of the fetus and the video can awaken in the
perceptive individual a whole new view of what life is all about!
Several friends and I have used the book and video for a group
meditation on several occasions.  All in the group felt that our
consciousness was greatly expanded, compassion was awakened.
Many of us found that our consciousness merged with the fetus and
great love and bliss resulted.  I hesitate to talk about these
meditational experiences but the experiences were so uplifting
that I believe many expectant mothers and parents in general
might find such meditations very rewarding.

Enough.  I hope the above is halfway coherent and there are not
too many typos.

Daniel