Amma on Abortion-from RI 2002

[Guest guest]

Dear Erica,

 

At the Rhode Island retreat in 2002, a woman asked for Amma's

opinion about abortion. I was there and took good notes whch I

wrote up in the following:

 

"Question and Answer with Ammachi in Rhode Island

Friday, July 12, 2002

 

On Abortion

 

In Rhode Island, there were good questions and answers. One woman

asked what mother thought abour abortion. The questioner said she

had friedns who had had abortions and experienced sorrow and guilt

afterward. If they had carried the babies to term, they would have

had other problems.

 

Amma said that she could neither be positive or negative about

abortion. Amma doesn't like to destroy a life. She's against

that. But people must take the circumstances into account.

 

Amma feels that most young people lack discrimination and then they

have to have an abortion. They can't talk tto their families.

Perhaps their families will not care for the baby and they also may

be unable to care for the child.

 

Mother used one of her earthy expressions related to this difficult

issue. She said "Killing a chicken and having an omelette is not

the same." She added that women who have had abortions should not

feel guilty about it.

 

Mother says we should take all aspects of the situation into account.

People come to Mother and say, "I am pregnant but I am not married.

The child will not have a father."

 

Or a woman will say that she already has one retarded child and she

is afraid another child will also give a child with serious

problems."

In such situations, Mother will say, "Do what the doctor says.

Follow the dharma of the situation." Swamiji interpreted "dharma"

here as "need." Thus follow the "need" of the situation.

 

Again at the end of the answer Amma stressed that women who have had

abortions shouldn't feel bad. They should just think that it was

the karma of that soul to have such a short life that time."

 

Aikya

 

Ammachi, "Erica" <sugarandbrine> wrote:

> Namah Shivaya all,

>

> Can anyone tell me what is Amma's stand on gay marriage and

abortion?

>

> Also, does the MA Center have any facts, figures, etc. as to where

> the money that has been donated goes? Meaning, are they

accountable

> to anyone?

>

> With love,

> In Amma,

> Erica