At the end of a lively debate, held during the Council at Macon, France, in the year 585, the Fathers of the Church came to the conclusion that women had a soul.

It is hard to believe that such a question could be raised at a Council of the Church, considering the fact that women are the main artisans of the creative process of life (fecundation), and the sole instruments of the birthing process that allows men and women to incarnate into the world. It is much more in compliance with the laws of procreation and with the reincarnational process, to believe that, in order to bring forth the constant and necessary manifestation of life in the tridimensional worlds, the Universal Consciousness we call God, chose an ensouled species (women), who would, in turn, give life to other ensouled species. The decision of the Council must have relieved the male community, for the thought of a male Paradise was more than enough to worsen their last moments on the earth plane.

This is but a drop in the sea of biases of the Church, but it shows how, through a materialistic approach to life, human beings can misconstrue spiritual truths, and use them for their own selfish purposes. It also shows that the male bias has been with us since times immemorial, and doesn't the Old Testament clearly state that God created man in His Image, and woman from man's ribs and, after all, what's a rib?

The belief that Eve, the first woman, was created from Adam's rib, stems from literal interpretations of the scriptures, where the rib is used as a symbolic representation of the role of women in the world. As related in the first chapter, and to expound a little more on the subject, in the beginning of creativity, the form we call man was androgynous and endowed with all life attributes. However, after the second fall, God devised a plan whereby the birth process would be provided by the fallen spirits themselves, and thus began the cycle of successive lives, and the law of cause and effect, or karma.

From the androgynous form it was in the spiritual realms, the human body became, in the flesh, the positive vibration known as man, while the form known as woman expressed a positive-negative vibration, as she came from the positive aspect of the androgynous body.

The rib story that has, nowadays, degenerated into a materialistic and literal interpretation of Genesis, is, indeed, a symbolic figure of speech, and has spiritual implications that go far beyond our own limited perceptions of life: as the rib strengthens the body, so does woman's love, intuitive values, and sensitivity, strengthen man's own intuitive approach to life, and in a symbolic sense, she is truly the rib, the strength of man. Far from being a creation issued from material man, women are, in their own right, equal creations issued from the androgynous body, the first human form of creation.

Throughout the centuries, women's destiny and ways of life have always been subservient to the rules and limitations established by societies of the world, and this, in order to ensure a strong hold over their physical, mental and spiritual behavior. These rules were, more than often, enforced and strengthened by superstitious beliefs and erroneous interpretations of Biblical teachings, that had nothing to do with the modes and ways of life of the first centuries, and even less with the new form of ecumenical Christianism of this latter part of the twentieth century.

A conspicuous example of this subservience in our modern societies, has been brought to light a few years ago, when it was reported that the Ayatollah of Iran had reestablished the wearing of the veil for women, thus reverting to the old ways, and limiting women's free will expression in that country.

Another form of subservience, that is still enforced by the Church, is the estrangement of women from the priesthood, based on the belief that Jesus chose men as disciples. In the dictionary, a disciple is defined as follows: one who professes to receive instructions from another, or one who follows or believes in the doctrine of another. It is true that Jesus chose twelve men as his first disciples, but this number increased gradually, and when he sent them all to teach the Gospel, many women were amongst those who followed the Apostles, to spread the teachings throughout the world. Besides, ancient parchments such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and The Nag Hammadi Library, and newer writings such as Urantia and The Aquarian Gospel of Levi, show that women were also followers of Jesus, as he never made any distinction of race, creed, color or sex, and he shared his wisdom equally with all those who cared to listen to him. The first twelve disciples may have stood for a symbol of the twelve tribes of Israel, or even the twelve laws of the universe, and Jesus may have had more affinity with some of them, but, in actuality, he was true to his own teachings, and he considered all his followers as equals. Among the women who followed him constantly were Mary of Magdala, Miriam, Salome, Joanna and the sisters of Lazarus. All these women followed Jesus, even during his most difficult hours. If such an act of faith is not true discipleship, then none of the disciples deserve that title, as they deserted Jesus, and one of them denied him three times. Besides, it is a known fact that women played an important role in the organization of the Early Church, and it is much later, that they were kept away from the priesthood, by a male hierarchy who misinterpreted and falsified the Gospels, in order to reach their own ends. It is disconcerting to realize that such a discrimination has lasted so long, with the tacit approval of women, who did not dare rock the boat of Cristianity.

The Church forgets, too easily, that its leaders have made enormous mistakes in the past, and the unique way to mend its ways, would be to revalue its own laws and dogmas so that they conform, not to the bias, misunderstandings and intolerance of men, but to the universal laws of Order, Balance, Harmony, Growth, God-Perception, Love and Compassion.

Our own civil laws were, and still are, strongly prejudiced against women. For example, in cases of rape, the victim was, until recently, submitted to a battery of questions, as if she were the accused, while the male rapist simply had to find a good lawyer. The same injustice is obvious in the case of battered women, who, under social pressure and religious fear, return to their home and hope for the best. The last decades have brought some changes, but the judiciary system is full of deficiencies, and there is still much to do, to establish a true system of justice, worthy of the human beings we all are. It is no surprise, then, that among injustices that have deprived women of their fundamental rights, the laws, civil, or religious, concerning abortion, stand alone, as the ultimate in brainwashing and mind control, and women must put forth all their will-power, and their solidarity, to counteract the efforts of all those, who, in their holier-than-thou attitudes, and their erroneous beliefs, want to play God. They must follow their own intuitive values, and decide, by themselves, not on the basis of what others think, or do, but rather on what they, in their heart, feel is right for the good of all concerned.

It is unfortunate, that those who call themselves Christians, have chosen a materialistic approach to life, preferring to live their moral, and spiritual life as well, according to pre-established concepts and dogmatic laws, rather than flow in the spontaneity of life, according to their own inner principles, and to the spiritual law of LOVE ONE ANOTHER. By trying to limit women's right to self-determination, they exceeded their rights, and interfered in God's business. The physical form is but a robot of flesh, that we assume to experience the tridimensional world. This robot of flesh is created within the womb of the mother, and even though the spirit can enter the fetus at will, it is only at birth that the body will claim its right to live, and become a human being, and a manifestation of God on the earth plane.

There again, religions have chosen to rule in an area, where the individual (the woman) is the sole judge of whether she will bring her pregnancy to term, or have an abortion. It is one of the fundamental rights granted by God, when he gave us individuality, and free-will expression of that individuality on the earth plane.

Democracies pride themselves on having granted freedom of expression to all individuals, but they shamelessly trample underfoot the fundamental right of women, to dispose of their body to the best of their knowledge and their abilities. That is to say, in the beginning of our creative endeavors on this plane, we have all been given total free-will of expression to experience life in its various forms and manifestations. Women have been granted the power to procreate, and give other spirits the same opportunity to incarnate, reincarnate, and experience life as a physical being of flesh and blood. This power is subservient to the individual's free-will of expression, that allows all human beings, to dispose of their physical body, and its contents, in whichever way they choose, and according to their own interpretation of the divine laws that they, themselves, represent. This free-will of expression applies to all conditions of life, whether it be priesthood, celibacy, marriage, maternity, abortion, sexuality, or homosexuality. Any individual can express himself as he sees fit, as long as he respects the free-will expression of all other individuals. It is his own experience in the world, and all these various roles are part of the karmic process, that is intertwined within the lives of all homo sapiens.

The pro-life movements have seen the light at a time when religiosity was at its lowest ebb. In all ages, there have always been those who feel the need to right the wrongs of society, and religions have been more than willing to enroll these crusaders in what they believe to be the service of God. Crusades have always been a rallying point for the Church, and hunting down the 'infidels,' an excellent means to keep a tight rein on a religiosity centered on a personal God of wrath and vengeance.

Choosing the hard line, the Vatican has, once again, taken a firm stand on marriage, divorce and abortion. Thus perpetuating the bigotry and intolerance of the first part of this century, it has reinforced a movement centered on intolerance, and the Inquisition of the past has now been placed in the hands of the laity. Dragging along, in their trail, a throng of followers, the pro-life movements set off to conquer the soul of mankind. Valiant crusaders of the past, they do not hesitate to confront their brothers and sisters of the world, to defend what they, erroneously, feel is the will of their personal God. Directed against the most sacred of rights, the free-will of a woman to bear a child, their religious crusade is the worst form of intolerance, and it is akin to the despicable crusades of the past, and even worst than the religious wars of Iran and Ulster, where Catholics and Protestants fought in the name of religion. This is the worst form of cruelty towards another human being, and this, in the name of a life principle that is greatly misunderstood, and has been misinterpreted by religions of the world, through lack of understanding the underlying principles of creation and procreation that govern all activities of life. We look at abortion as a monstrosity, but the true monster is the thoughtlessness and intolerance of all those who mingle in other people's affairs. Hypocrisy has many disguises, and all those who take the pill, while at the same time condemning abortion, are, indeed, the pot calling the kettle black, and they will be judged according to their own standards of what is right and wrong.

Thought is creative, and what we truly desire in our heart, is already created, and imprinted, forever, on the ethereal substance of the universe, and the physical action is but the manifestation of this thought on a tridimensional level. One must not confuse the cause with the effect, and if our actions (the effect) are also imprinted in the ethereal substance, our thoughts are the true perpetrators, and we will be judged accordingly. Thus, the criminal who wants to kill someone, but cannot succeed, will not have to fear human justice, but he will have to answer for it before God, because, even if his desire did not materialize physically, the thought of it has been imprinted on the etheric substance, and, the negativity thus created, has already caused more damage than the physical manifestation. So, even though one may feel abortion is a crime agaisnt life, it is inconsequential in the spiritual realms. The moral standards and concepts of the world are the consequence of a materialistic approach to life, but they are but illusions of the physical plane.

It may offend pious souls, but abortion before the third month of pregnancy, is no more an offense against God than the use of contraceptives, as they aim at the same objective: the prevention, or the interruption, of the birthing process of life. What is of importance, here, is not the physical form (the fetus), but rather the opportunity, for a spirit, to experience life through the channel of physical birth. And if that vehicle is unavailable through miscarriage, or abortion, it is not the end of the world, for the spirit who chose, or was assigned to that specific body, will simply have to wait for the next opportunity. It does not matter if it is one hundred, or one thousand years, as the soul has eternity to fulfill its karmic obligations.

Although it is of a finer essence than the animal, or mineral kingdom, still the human body, or, in the present case, the fetus, is but the diving suit that we put on to explore the waters of materiality. It will remain a mere vehicle, until the time we can transcend that materiality, and through the balance of body, soul and spirit, become the total Man, the God we were in the beginning of creativity. From a spiritual point of view, bringing a pregnancy to term is less important than the physical and mental well-being of the mother, and it is immoral to save the child, if it endangers the mother's life.

The male bias of ancient times has been at the origin of the theological imbroglio surrounding the birthing process, and we finds its roots, at a time when male supremacy was at its peak, and the life of the male child, was even more important, than the life of the female who bore him. These barbaric notions, and distortion of truth, found their way in church doctrines, and this is why, even in this century, many mothers were sacrificed to save the child. There were, of course, doctors who knew better, and did not bother with theological complexities, but there again, it is all part of the learning process of humanity, and the best approach to all this is never to judge anyone.

It goes to say that 'love thy neighbour' has nothing to do with the intolerance and judgmental attitudes of all those who try to force on others the beliefs and misconceptions of a materialistic religiosity. This lack of charity, has led fanatics to threaten people's lives, as seen in the bombings of some abortion clinics, and the picketing of others all over America. Canada, too, has its share of pro-life supporters and its fanatics, and in spite of court judgments in his favor, Dr. Henry Morgentaler has been under constant attack for the past decades. Year after year, he has been harassed by a throng of moralizing and intolerant individuals, incited in this by the clergy, and tolerated, because of the deficiencies and weaknesses of civil laws concerning abortion. Without judging the intrinsic value of what he has accomplished, or why he chose that specific field of service to mankind, Dr. Morgentaler has definitely brought to light the difficulties and the trauma a woman goes through, when she has to decide, if she will bring her pregnancy to term, or will have an abortion. Unfortunately, his efforts to legalize abortion have been thwarted by the stubbornness of religions, and the intolerance and ignorance of their flock, who firmly believe they are only obeying God's law.

This is why indoctrination is so dangerous, because it places principles above free-will, and religion above human beings. No one will object if an individual undergoes the removal of the spleen, or the liver, because it is understood that it affects his physical health. Every one understands and the patient will receive all the care and the encouragement he can get. The same applies to the individual who receives a heart transplant, because if he does not, he will die. Let us suppose, for a moment, that there exists a church law, to the effect that the heart is the seat of the soul, and should never be tampered with. How many transplantations do you think we would have now? And, of course, there would be the usual group of zealous christians, throwing bombs and picketing in front of hospitals! Fortunately, and to the relief of humanity, churches have not seen fit to legislate in that area. Why not apply the same understanding when it comes to abortion? Why is it so difficult to mind our own business? The reasons for aborting, may be as valid as those for removing a spleen, or transplanting a new heart, because it may affect the mental and physical health of the mother, and, in the process, the welfare of a child issued from an unwanted pregnancy. It is very strange, indeed, that the fate of women is in the hands of so many men, and even more appaling, that they are encouraged, in that pursuit, by a great number of women.

Why is there so many ill-treated, and abused, children and adults in our society? It is because, in its intolerance and stubbornness, society has placed principles above the welfare of the individual, who, either of his own volition, or that of others, comes under the yoke of these principles, that were intended, or so it seems, for his own spiritual welfare. Of course, the law of cause and effect, is not stranger to all this, and there, as in any other human activity, one definitely reaps what he has sown. Thus, yesterday's rapist may be today's victim, and today's pro-life crusader may very well become tomorrow's abortionist. It is in this manner that, restoring the cosmic balance of the universe, the law is accomplished. This, however, does not diminish, in any way, the responsibility of these crusaders who traumatize women in the name of God.

All life experiences are valid, and abortion is no exception. It is with no light heart that a woman decides to abort, and instead of traumatizing her, society should give her the encouragement needed, and the means to overcome such an ordeal. Not only is she seized with fear, doubts and anguish, but again, she is subjected to the social and religious pressures of her surroundings, pressures that are, more than often, the cause of the trauma she goes through after an abortion.

While the pro-life movements fight for principles they do not understand, and worry about the life of a fetus, that is not a life, but in the process of becoming a life, a bundle of flesh, which, to all intents and purposes, only feels and breathes because the mother feels and breathes, what about all the children already born into the world? What about orphans? What about molested children who actually wonder why they were born? What about the victims of rape, the battered wives and all these old people who can barely make ends meet? How come such aberrant situations can be tolerated in a society that boosts itself as being civilized?

These are worthy causes, and all these pious souls, who need a religious hobby-horse to soothe their anxieties and their fear of God, all these people who feel responsible for others to the point of depriving them of their freedom of expression, all these Christians who see their God as they see themselves, intolerant and merciless, would be better off to engage in the betterment of lives that already exist, than fight for man-made principles they do not understand, because they lack the simplicity of the child, and they ignore the law of love and compassion. We have all been given total free-will, TOTAL FREE-WILL, is that clear enough? Isn't that simplicity in its purest form? And this free-will extends to the bearer of a fetus, the woman, because as long as it remains in the woman's body, the fetus is, just as the heart, or the spleen, or the liver, an intrinsic part of that body, and no one else but the future mother, has the right to interfere in the natural process of life, as she has the absolute right , a God-given right, to bring her pregnancy to term, or put an end to the process. It is her own experience, it is between her and her God, and, as stated before: Who is to judge the extenuating circumstances of each individual case? This means that NO ONE, can interfere in another individual's mental and spiritual behavior, and this is exactly what the pro-life movements and their followers are presently doing.

Here again, it is as the Master Jesus gave: "Judge not, lest you be judged", for, although such a traumatic experience (the abortion) may be part of a woman's karmic process, (the law of cause and effect), the trauma, the guilt and the doubts she has to go through, because of the limitations these groups, and the Church, impose upon her, will weigh heavily in the karmic balance of those individuals, in their pursuit of what they consider a crusade for life.

Their crusade is no more valid than religious crusades of the past, when those who called themselves Christians, mercilessly slaughtered thousands of Muslims and non-believers, in the name of Jesus. And yet, the Master endlessly taught that we should love, not only our neighbours, but all our brothers and sisters of the world, allowing them the freedom of their expression, whatever that expression may be. Mentally and spiritually slaughtering the spirit and soul of an individual, is much worse than slaughtering the body, as the spirit lives eternally, and may suffer the consequences, for many lives and many centuries to come. In Bhagavad-Gita, the Vedic scriptures, we find:

So, what really counts, after all, is not that you act and react according to a consensus of human beings, but rather that each follows his own inner voice and the promptings of his own conscience, for that will be the criteria of judgment when the time comes to account for his or her earthly life. All esoteric teachings aim at the same goal: the supremacy of each human being as a God within himself, and the divine right to be the master of his own destiny.

If we can make a parallel between believers and non-believers, we find that, while non-believers tend to be tolerant towards the weaknesses of people, believers (not all of them, of course) are constantly on the war path, finding fault with anyone who does not think like they do, eager to defend their God and their own rigid principles. The newly-born Christian who, a moment ago, was a free spirit, suddenly finds himself in a ghetto of man-made concepts, where he suddenly becomes a sinner. Once this realization well anchored into his mind, he begins to see the world, as he sees himself, full of sinners, and he mounts a campaign against all the devils that he has himself created.

Many women who, earlier in life, had gone through abortion, and had come out of it without any sequel, and free of constraints, suddenly realized they were sinners, simply because they had joined the ranks of a religious movement, and had become 'born-again Christians'. Weren't they Christians before that moment? If they did not feel guilty before, why would they have to feel guilty now? And if they were tolerant before, why would they become intolerant now that they are Christians? And what about love, understanding and compassion for themselves and for others? Are these mere words that they read in the Bible, and hide under the carpet, whenever someone does not comply to what they feel is God's will? And all this, because blind and ignorant pastors, or teachers, or preachers, were able to hypnotize them with words they did not even understand themselves. All this because, in their misunderstanding of life, and their ignorance of the process of procreation, Christians equate abortion with murder.

All these 'new Christians' are, of course, on their own spiritual pathway. They have the right to think as they do, as long as it applies to themselves, but they can, in no way, force their beliefs on others. If they ever want to follow in Jesus' footsteps, they must also live according to his teachings.

How terrible it will be in those days for women who are pregnant and nursing mothers. There will be great distress in the land, and wrath against this people. [Luke 21:23]

Up to the middle of this century, no one could really understand the meaning of these words, but the last decades have brought them to the forefront of actuality, and they lash, like hailstones, against all those who have forgotten the meaning of love and brotherhood. It is, indeed, terrible, for all these women who go through the hardships of an unwanted pregnancy, and are subjected to the wrath and the insults of those who call themselves Christians. What is happening in the case of abortion could also happen to nursing mothers, and there may come a time when, as prophesied, this infringement of women's free-will of expression will extend to newly-born children and the manner in which they are raised. These are, indeed, the last days. The great distress has already begun, and each revelation comes, one after the other, to warn mankind of impending hardships and disasters.

Although it is not of the enlightenment, abortion is not the abominable crime religion has led us to believe. For many women, abortion is only the means to avoid greater problems (just think of all the molested children in the world). Their choice is a wiser one than the decision of those, who, caught that they are in their religious principles, go ahead with an unwanted pregnancy, thus taking the chance of a strained relationship, or a nervous breakdown, that can only reflect on the future child. This does not mean that abortion should be encouraged. It simply means that it is a matter of choice, and that choice must be made by the person concerned, in the present case, the pregnant woman.

The birthing process of a child into the world, is the ultimate realization in our tridimensional reality. It is a manifestation of generosity, and denotes a true and deep understanding of the evolutionary process of life, whereby human beings become the channels of their own evolutionary and reincarnational process. It is a woman's choice. It is her own free-will to decide which way she will go, and she alone, will judge the extenuating circumstances, that compel her to choose abortion. And here again, the reasons for terminating the pregnancy may be as valid as the reasons for giving birth to a child, as it is all part of a karmic process that has nothing to do with civil, or church, laws. These reasons may be as varied as age, poverty, health, fear, family relationships, and, not the least, an already large family.

Whatever the reasons may be, they will have to be dealt with in a rational manner, without interference from any outside influence, or constraint. Leaving aside all preconceived notions of what is good, or bad, the pregnant woman will have to weigh the pros and cons of her decision in all simplicity and sincerity, without fear of what others may think, or do. Whatever that decision will be, it will be judged, not according to church, or man-made laws, but according to her own feelings, her own perceptions of life, and how she, herself, responds to the immutable laws of Order, Balance, Harmony, Growth, God-Perception, Love and Compassion.

These are the seven laws governing the Universe, and until we master all of them, including in the present case, the law of COMPASSION, we will not be able to pierce the veil of materiality, and transcend the gross material into which we have encased ourselves.