Theos-Talk Archives (August 1995 Message tl00105)

I told myself I would not get myself involved in this issue, but
your comments just seemed to beg for reply, so here goes.

> Of course abortion in many cases is justified: incest, rape,
endangering the mothers life, defomity etc.

There are those, including the Roman Catholic church, who do not
agree with this idea. They say there is no justification in
taking a life. Of course, the issue of taking life didn't stop
the Spanish Inquisition or any of the Holy Wars.

> I don't think we should make abortion illegal, but that we wake
up to what it really is and find some alternative if possible.

I vote for higher consciousness and greater awareness. In fact,
I'll be the first one in line when they are handing it out at the
local five and dime. : -))

> I am thinking that abortion is allowed because we must do
something. Teaching abstinence, forcing parents to take
responsiblity etc are not politically correct.

You forget an even bigger reason than being politically correct.
Those tactics simply don't work. This issue is very large and
complex and could probably take several months' time and
attention of any mailing list. They include social, spiritual,
religious, media-influence, cultural, the present evolvement of
humanity, etc.

> Something seems to be wrong if we don't want children because
we believe they are inconvenient are something. If there is
poverty, then other methods might be looked at.

Many single women have been fired from their jobs where their
bosses found out they were pregnant. They were too much of a
"liability". I have personally known a married women that was
fired AFTER giving birth and returning to work, because her boss
didn't believe she could work as well. Teenage girls are
sometimes thrown onto the street to fend for themselves when
their parents learn they are pregnant. These cases involve the
way those in power view a pregnant woman. The business community
views her as a less efficient worker and parents express their
disappointment by ridding themselves of the child that shamed
them.

As you can see, the problem is larger than "inconvenience." It is
based on the perception of women and children by the society we
are living in. Women involved in child-bearing, rearing or
care-taking of the elderly, are not INCOME GENERATING SOURCES.
Where they should be supported by the tribe, community, family or
society, they are not, because this culture is basically one of
consumerism rather than compassion. Its temple is the shopping
mall.

> We can't just keep on taxing the rich and giving to the poor
because the rich are getting poor today and who is going to give
to them?

You mean Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Ross Perot have all gone
bankrupt?!! From what I read and hear on the news, the gap
between the rich and the poor is getting wider by the day. The
middle-class is a vanishing breed.

> Is there something beyond the underlying "let's all escape
through meditaion" ethic?

I don't think meditation has been suggested as an escape. Truly
dealing with the issue of abortion would take hard research,
gritty work and above all, listening to those individuals
involved. Until women are not left without support, every case
has to be considered on an individual basis, according to the
circumstances. This is why freedom of choice is so important.
Choice also suggests the karma is solely your own rather than
that of an authority. There's so much more that could be said,
but there's probably a gazillion books on the subject down at
everyone's local book store.

Thanks for letting me mouth off,

- ann