A friend posed this question to me after reading the essay titled "Where Non-Aborting Contraceptives Make Sense" (I rearranged his actual words) - "Isn't the rhythm method (a Catholic approved birth control method) essentially a way of preventing conception and an affront to the sovereignty of God?"
This is a very important question to address if we are to be complete in our reflection on the act and goal of preventing pregnancy (birth control) regardless of the method or device employed to achieve this desired endpoint.
This was my response - "I myself asked the same question you are asking at some point in my life. If I were to give the Pope and the College of Cardinals the benefit of the doubt, I would say that they were acquiescing to the 'hardness of the heart' of the flock concerning birth control. We can see another example of this type of acquiescing in the example cited by Jesus when He was questioned by Pharisees as to why divorce was allowed in the Law under Moses and He replied 'Because of your hardness of heart, Moses permitted you to divorce your wives; but from the beginning it has not been this way...' (Matthew 19:8).
I believe that from the beginning, it was God's design and intention for creation to take part in the act of creation. However, let us keep in mind that although our act (not necessarily a choice made by the soul) of having sexual intercourse is the first step in the complex process of creating another human body, it is a but a small initial step and not the deciding factor. It is still God who makes the rest of the remaining elements of the entire process take place or not. By the remaining elements, we are talking about the fertilization of the egg by one single sperm, the subsequent initial division of this fertilized egg into two cells and the continuing division of cells into the millions of cells that build a viable human being. It is also God who binds a soul with the fertilized egg at the very moment of conception thereby creating a body-soul entity.
With this picture of the process in mind, we can see that it is all God's process beginning with the moment just after the sex act itself. Any choice by the mind (due to human programming) or, worse, a willful choice by the soul (reflecting a desire to be God) to avoid pregnancy through the use of some device or method is, plain and simple, an act that is not in alignment with the "intentions" of God.
This is the unavoidable conclusion that any person (who looks at this truthfully from this perspective) would reasonably arrive at. I am very much culpable of this transgression. How do I find my peace despite my "choosing" acts that are not in alignment with the intentions of God? I do so by focusing on the incremental successes I have managed to achieve in my continuous striving to overcome my human nature in this regard (and in all other regards). Additionally, I find my peace through my earnest efforts in applying the following principle in my daily living - in all activities and matters of choice, strive to do all things with great love (a teaching of Mother Teresa).
~~~~~
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wrinkles
If the eyes are the window to the soul, then wrinkles (facial wrinkles in particular) are the face of the soul.
~~~~~
~~~~~
Ethics
Ethics is (in essence) the principles and guidelines (not laws) by which society determines and defines what would constitutes an ethical act. In my view, I would classify as ethical any act that brings about the harmony between body, mind, and soul. It is what we actually refer to by the phrase "do the right thing". When the mind chooses to do "ethical" things, it brings itself into alignment with the nature of the soul that it is in union with...and that nature is none other than true love.
When the body and mind acts in alignment with the nature of the soul, then there exists (what I like to term) body-soul harmony. Whenever a body-soul entity is in a peaceful state of harmony, it emits an energy that reaches out to and influences other body-soul entities within its presence to be in peaceful harmony as well. The collective effect of these peaceful state is an "Utopian" society where all mankind can realize a truly uplifting co-existence.
Ethics is an area of discipline that promotes the flow of true love from one soul to another.
~~~~~
When the body and mind acts in alignment with the nature of the soul, then there exists (what I like to term) body-soul harmony. Whenever a body-soul entity is in a peaceful state of harmony, it emits an energy that reaches out to and influences other body-soul entities within its presence to be in peaceful harmony as well. The collective effect of these peaceful state is an "Utopian" society where all mankind can realize a truly uplifting co-existence.
Ethics is an area of discipline that promotes the flow of true love from one soul to another.
~~~~~
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Where Non-Aborting Contraceptives Make Sense
Today, I came across a news article from the AP on the number of abortions performed in China. According to the report "...about 13 million surgical abortions are performed in Chinese hospitals and 10 million abortion pills are sold every year..." I feel sick to my stomach when I visualize this and am moved to make a statement of belief here.
Each abortion is a sad and tragic enough reality in the modern world. To hear of about 23 million of these each year in one country alone is a staggering amount of assaults on the soul that should be a call to action to all those who are able to recognize the significance of each abortion.
In a country and culture where religion and spiritual teachings are (for the most part) unheard of, limited, controlled and censored, Christians (who feel a call to action to help drastically reduce this tragic statistic) need to open their minds to a different approach other than simply championing the merits of sexual abstinence (which would be meaningless and incomprehensible to a people that is unaware of the concepts of Christian spirituality).
As I follower of Christ, I completely see and understand the truth and merits behind the position (of the Pope, for example) against the use of any artificial contraception to prevent birth. However, I feel that we can still find peace within ourselves in advocating the use of certain forms of contraception that do not actually kill a body-soul entity. By this I mean those forms of contraceptives that prevent the sperm and egg from joining with each other (conception or fertilization) such as condoms, spermicidal creams/gels and the birth-control pill. It is only when the sperm penetrates the egg that a human being (body-soul entity) is formed. Prevent this and you prevent any possible subsequent act of abortion. I like to refer to such contraceptives as "non-aborting contraceptives".
Examples of "contraceptives" that actually abort are the IUD (prevents the body-soul entity from implantation unto the uterus) and abortifacients (substances that induce abortion like, for example, the morning-after pill). These ones I would never advocate anyone to use since these are acts of abortion themselves (however indirect they may be).
For the time being (until such time when there is a higher level of spiritual awareness among the people of China), let us seriously consider the advocating of the use of non-aborting contraceptives as part of our overall strategy and arsenal towards our PEACEFUL campaign of preventing this assault on the soul.
~~~~~
Each abortion is a sad and tragic enough reality in the modern world. To hear of about 23 million of these each year in one country alone is a staggering amount of assaults on the soul that should be a call to action to all those who are able to recognize the significance of each abortion.
In a country and culture where religion and spiritual teachings are (for the most part) unheard of, limited, controlled and censored, Christians (who feel a call to action to help drastically reduce this tragic statistic) need to open their minds to a different approach other than simply championing the merits of sexual abstinence (which would be meaningless and incomprehensible to a people that is unaware of the concepts of Christian spirituality).
As I follower of Christ, I completely see and understand the truth and merits behind the position (of the Pope, for example) against the use of any artificial contraception to prevent birth. However, I feel that we can still find peace within ourselves in advocating the use of certain forms of contraception that do not actually kill a body-soul entity. By this I mean those forms of contraceptives that prevent the sperm and egg from joining with each other (conception or fertilization) such as condoms, spermicidal creams/gels and the birth-control pill. It is only when the sperm penetrates the egg that a human being (body-soul entity) is formed. Prevent this and you prevent any possible subsequent act of abortion. I like to refer to such contraceptives as "non-aborting contraceptives".
Examples of "contraceptives" that actually abort are the IUD (prevents the body-soul entity from implantation unto the uterus) and abortifacients (substances that induce abortion like, for example, the morning-after pill). These ones I would never advocate anyone to use since these are acts of abortion themselves (however indirect they may be).
For the time being (until such time when there is a higher level of spiritual awareness among the people of China), let us seriously consider the advocating of the use of non-aborting contraceptives as part of our overall strategy and arsenal towards our PEACEFUL campaign of preventing this assault on the soul.
~~~~~
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
All I Need to Know
When I was a young man (currently I am merely young at heart...hahaha), I very much needed to know what God's (long-term) plan for my life was. I thought it was a fair trade...I offer my entire life and whole being to His service and He, in return, gives me a clear plan and purpose to follow.
Alas, it does not quite work that way and I was foolish to set conditions upon the Lord (I express this sentiment with a smile). I eventually grew wiser and now I am at peace with simply being told what my current assignment and task is for the moment. That is all I really need to know. This is very much in alignment with the concept (and wisdom) of living the moment and not having anxiety over the future.
~~~~~
Alas, it does not quite work that way and I was foolish to set conditions upon the Lord (I express this sentiment with a smile). I eventually grew wiser and now I am at peace with simply being told what my current assignment and task is for the moment. That is all I really need to know. This is very much in alignment with the concept (and wisdom) of living the moment and not having anxiety over the future.
~~~~~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
