Theos-Talk Archives (September 1995 Message tl00926)

On Wed, 20 Sep 1995, Eldon B. Tucker wrote:

> Rich:
>
> >It would seem that abortion is murder, whatever may be the age of
> >the fetus. It may be the karma of the incoming soul (manas) to lose the
> >vehicle INTO WHICH IT HAS NOT YET INCARNATED, but it is not justifiable to
> >bring on that karma. It is never right to cause pain or suffering to another
> >being, least of all out of self-interest.
>
> The biggest argument against abortion would be made by those with the
> Christian notion that a new soul is created for each physical birth,
> and therefore we are cheating someone out of their chance for a one-and-only
> existence in the physical world. We know better with Theosophy, there is
> near-immediate rebirth in the circumstances of an abortion or miscarriage.
>
> One comparison that we can make is to suicide. When a person is ready to
> die, should their death be assisted in any manner? Is it too much to
> offer them poison or a gun? Could we draw the line at their decision to
> stop eating food? One member of the Los Angeles T.S. was dying of cancer,
> and when he knew that his time had came, stopped eating, and quietly passed
> away that day. Was this wrong?
>
> There is a natural end to life. On a inner level, when we have completely
> readied ourselves, we could almost do like some Tibetans, to sit in
> meditation, close our eyes, and consciously participate in our physical
> death. The time has come and our life energies departed and it happened
> naturally, without physical intervention.
>
> Could the same be said of an incoming birth that is proving to be a
> mistake? The initial birth was attracted by what was in the minds and
> hearts of the parents, perhaps before the time of the sex act and of
> the actual physical conception. The incoming person's life energies
> interacted with the process and "caused" the particular set of genes
> that the new body will have. A process of coming into birth has been
> engaged.
>
> After the start of the birth process, it may later prove to be a
> mistake. Perhaps something has changed in one or both of the parents,
> where the situation is no longer suitable for rearing of the child.
> The change could be inner, or in outer circumstances. If the change
> is deeply felt, perhaps we would find a natural miscarriage happening.
> The mother's body reacts to the changing situation, reponding to the
> now unsuitable birth circumstances.
>
> Certainly, in this day and age, there is no such "natural miscarriage,"
> but perhaps in a future age when our bodies are more responsive to
> the changes that happen in us, it may appear.
>
> In this day and age, an abortion is like a physician-assisted suicide.
> We are using medicine to help out with the termination of a life. We
> have decided that it would be the best thing to do. One big question
> is: Are we really sure of our decision? We can't change our minds after
> the fact. And: Is there a general rule wherein we can always say that
> a particular decision is right, or always is wrong? And with this, I'd
> say "no," that we need to carefully evaluate each situation on a
> case-by-case basis, sometimes with incredible insight required of us,
> in order to know what is the right way to proceed.
>
> -- Eldon
>
Eldon,

Thankyou for expressing succintly the complexities of the abortion issue,
I have been finding some of the posts disconcerting, in particular Rich's
position as he is a Theosophist. I do not believe anyone can make such a
decision lightly,
only with great consideration for the well being of all parties: the
potential parents and the inevitiability of the situation also to meditate
with love to make the "right" choice for the emerging soul who will enhabit
this situation.

Tracey