The Dilemma That Is Abortion

Source: flickr.com

I'd like to touch on the topic of abortion for now. Yes, it's quite a controversial and sensitive topic, but I've been seeing some articles on abortion pop up on my Facebook feed now and then so I thought I should at least give a stated opinion about it. I know this won't end the pro- and anti-abortion debate, but speaking only for myself, I know where I stand and why I stand for it.

In general, I am against abortion. Why? Let's first go to the end.

What bodily function do medical personnel check to see if a person is alive or dead? The heartbeat. If the heart stops beating, the person is dead. The heart = life. Now, what is the very first organ that forms after the sperm fertilizes the egg? The heart. When you look at the ultrasound screen and see that pulsing point of light that is the heart, you know the fetus is alive and the fact that you're going to have a baby hits you.

The fetus is not just another part of a woman's body that shoots itself out after nine months. It is another life. The difference between the heart of a fetus and an adult is merely one of degree. So whenever an abortion is performed, a life is snuffed out. There's no getting around that.

That is why I cannot understand the logic that would support abortion in the name of freedom of choice alone when to kill a baby after it is born would be called infanticide. All I'm saying is that abortion and infanticide are two sides of the same coin, and the only thing separating the two is a mother's womb.

But aren't there instances when abortion may become necessary? Yes, I understand that if the life of the mother would be placed in jeopardy if a pregnancy were continued, like in an ectopic pregnancy, it would be best to abort that pregnancy. But these are extreme circumstances where a decision is not (or at least should not be) arrived at lightly (just like the decision to take a life in self-defense).

But what about pregnancies due to rape, or when there is a genetic defect / illness detected in the fetus? Now those are tough calls, and are difficult on so many levels. I won't presume to advise what the decision should be except to say that any decision should be arrived at with careful deliberation.

I hope that, when faced with the question of abortion, the woman would at least be aware of what she is really deciding for. Abortion goes beyond the right of a woman to do what she likes with her own body. She is not only deciding for herself, she is deciding the fate of two lives. And unlike a newborn baby that can at least breathe on its own or even be given up for adoption, the fetus is totally and utterly dependent on the mother for its survival. The fetus has no choice in it at all.

The decision whether or not to abort is, in the end, a decision whether or not to take a life. A woman should ask herself, what is she trying to gain in exchange for a life? Is that goal worth taking a life for? Can she live with that choice? That choice, and it is such a heavy choice, should be weighed with all the gravity such a decision deserves.

The decision whether or not to take a life merits nothing less.

Wealth and Spirituality = Oil and Water?

Source: http://www.stat.org.au/

I recently read an article entitled How Materialism Posing as Mysticism Limits Consciousness and Subverts Spirituality. The article makes a lot of interesting presuppositions and I agree with its basic premise...to a certain point.

It's true that there are charlatans who fleece unwary believers of their money, and even in genuine spiritual/esoteric organizations there are unscrupulous individuals who are either power-tripping or out to amass more money at the expense of others (usually both). However, equating the use of the Law of Attraction with greed, as the article seems to imply, would be an oversimplification of the complexity of living in the modern world.

We are aware, at some level, of the rising level of inequality between the rich and the poor. In fact, I've heard many references about the 1% that controls majority of the world's wealth and resources. So for the rest of the world population that has access to much less, keeping one's financial neck above the water can become a daily challenge. Especially now in a tepid world economy, there is a lot of motivation for the breadwinner to provide a better life for one's loved ones.

Of course, the Lord Jesus did say that you cannot serve both God and mammon. However, while there are yogis, hermits and sadhus who renounce everything of the world, including ties to family, there are those who want to be spiritual yet still live within the framework of mainstream society. And as such, these people still need to live within the norms of that society, and that usually means having a roof over your head, feeding your family, sending your kids to school and other banalities expected of normal people. Even in alternative or off-the-grid communities, the demands of daily survival still require the acquisition and use of material resources.

Just like in most subjects that deal with the spiritual and esoteric, discernment and balance should be the key. It's hard to be spiritual when your stomach is growling or if you see your loved ones suffering and you can't help because you lack the means to do so. It's simply Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs at work.

Given the above considerations, I wouldn't call using the Law of Attraction so that you can create the conditions that would provide a roof to stay under, feed your family three square meals a day or pay your child's tuition as "worshiping mammon."  Not having to worry about paying the bills on time or wondering where your next meal will come from would certainly free up a lot more energy to engage in spiritual practices and help other people as well.

But that's the key distinction that I think spiritual seekers need to keep in mind. We need to earn enough to be able to discharge our earthly responsibilities without this drive devolving into the pursuit of wealth for the sake of wealth itself or to merely maintain or acquire greater social bragging rights.

Of course, what constitutes "enough" will differ from person to person. For example, someone who is married, has a housing mortgage and needs to send children to school will need much more compared to someone who is single. I do think it's possible to achieve that material balance, but I admit that it's easy to get lost in the effort itself, and I think that's the danger that the article I mentioned earlier was trying to point out. But while the struggle to maintain a balance is hard, isn't that what the spiritual development process is also about?

So don't worry if you're trying to use the Law of Attraction in order to improve your lot. Just remember why you're doing it. And don't feel guilty if you get rich, because I know of wealthy people who help their financially challenged siblings or send their nephews or nieces to school if the child's own parents couldn't afford it.

It's not just the tool itself, but the way that you use the tool that determines if your effort will lead to good or ill.