What is sacred & what is secular

All or Nothing at All:

One could justifiable say that either everything is sacred or nothing is. One could also say that, on the physical plane of duality, there is a distinction between that which is considered sacred (having spiritual / religious significance) and that which is considered secular (relating only to worldly physical things). There is a tendency to lose this distinction and to confuse that which is secular with that which is sacred.

Death to the Infidels:

Some people have very strong emotions attachments to that which they consider sacred. For this type of person, anything that appears to threaten their version of reality is an enemy. That enemy is to be conquered and eliminated, and any behavior, no matter how vile or violent, is both okay and justifiable. It’s justifiable in their minds because they believe that they are doing God’s bidding, for which they also believe they will be rewarded after death in heaven. ^[1]*

^[1]* This is abundantly obvious in the Islamic extremists who destroyed the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001 and in the Christian extremist portion of the anti-abortion movement where arson and murder have been committed in the name of God.

One Way -- My Way:

There is also the tendency to confuse core religious principles with the dogma peddled by the leaders of the social hierarchy who have taken over the religion.^[2]* The religious leaders profess to have the exclusive truth about its teaching and preach their interpretations as if those interpretations were the truth and the only truth. This is what is presently occurring in the abortion controversy. ^[3]*

^[2]* A similar confusion occurs in the political arena where the bureaucrats in control are confused with the country and its people

^[3]* The leaders of the anti-abortion movement are almost exclusively, conservative, fundamentalist Christians or members of the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy

Examining the Abortion Issue:

When we examine the abortion controversy and ask a series of questions designed to indicate whether abortion is a sacred or a secular issue, we find that there is no absolute black or white answer; however, the indicators point overwhelmingly to the conclusion that abortion is a religious issue.

Some Guidelines

There are no clear or concrete answers to the following three questions,

What is a religious issue?

What is a secular (non-religious) issue?

How do we distinguish between the two?

Some possible guidelines are listed below. The attributes which would tend to indicate an issue to be a religious issue (rather than a secular issue) include the following:

(1) Issues wherein controversy reigns and a consensus of opinion is clearly absent.

(2) Issues where one side or both sides have no clear, tangible evidence to support their position.

(3) Issues where proponents of one side or the other begin their arguments with “I believe,” and then, in the middle, include a spoken or implied “therefore,” and end by proposing a specific behavior, or solution for others to practice or conform to.

(4) Issues wherein government intervention to support one point of view would clearly violate, cause harm to, or create hardship for those people who held opposing views.

(5) Issues wherein both sides are at least partially right.

(6) Issues wherein different societies follow significantly different customs regarding the subject issue.

(7) Issues wherein at different times in the same society, significantly different customs and rules have been followed regarding the subject issue.

(8) Issues that are regularly talked and preached about in some religious circles and not in others.

(9) Issues wherein the society's practices and customs vary depending upon one's physical location and/or ones social status within that society.

(10) Issues wherein the society's practices and customs vary depending upon one's ethnic or cultural background.

(11) Issues where there is a distinct behavioral difference between the wealthy elite and the impoverished lower class.

(12) Issues wherein individual customs and practices vary depending upon one's personal religious beliefs.

(13) Issues wherein one religious group follows one practice while another religious group follows another practice.

(14) Issues wherein the practices and customs vary depending upon a time factor. (i.e. time of day, day of the week, etc.)

(15) Issues with a strong gender bias.

(16) Issues that involve the private behavior of consulting adults.

This particular item is a question of personal freedom
as well as religious freedom.

(17) Issues wherein the practices of at least one side are the result of learning and conditioning and are not natural, instinctive, or historically common, human behavior. (This is usually indicated by certain social groups practicing and supporting one side and opposing the other.)

(18) Issues wherein a direct, third-party effects cannot be clearly demonstrated.

(19) Issues wherein the resultant effect upon the overall social structure of following one practice as opposed to another cannot be clearly measured.)

(20) Issues where either side makes a proclamation and then says that there proclamation is the way it is to be unless the other side can prove the validity of its opposing position.

(21) Issues wherein the side requesting government intervention on its behalf cannot clearly demonstrate that its position deserves the support of secular law.

This is important because advocating the use of government law to promote adherence to one’s point of view is to promote the use of violence or threat of violence against persons or property in order to force people to do (or not do) things contrary to their own free will choices.

(22) Issues wherein the effects upon the social structure of using government violence or threat of violence against one side by the other can be clearly demonstrated as socially detrimental.

(23) Issues wherein people often tend to shift their loyalties to a different opinion on the same issue over time.

(24) Issues wherein people often tend to shift their loyalties to a different opinion on the same issue after having had a personal experience regarding that issue.

For example a large number of the most vocal, female opponents of abortion rights have, themselves, had abortions.

(25) Issues wherein limiting practice to one point of view causes those with a different point of view to simply continue their practices clandestinely.

(26) Issues wherein limiting practice to one point of view creates a black market for the forbidden product or service. (Frequently, as is the case with prohibition of certain mind-altering products, this promotes the wealth and power of those without scruples.)

(27) Issues wherein there are two or more conflicting ethical interpretations as to what is the right way to practice and conduct oneself.

(28) Issues wherein the side advocating government violence or threat of violence cannot clearly demonstrate that its practices are superior to the side proposing that government mind its own business.

(29) Issues wherein no justifiable reason can be clearly argued as to why one side should be allowed to use government violence or threat of violence to prohibit the other side from privately practicing its beliefs.

(30) Issues within which the various aspects and values are not clearly definable and are open to widely divergent views and interpretations.

(31) Issues that are extremely complex.

(32) Issues wherein one side proposes a single solution for everybody to live by.

(33) Issues that are highly subjective and very emotional.

(34) Issues wherein the side advocating government intervention will be made up primarily of religious "true-believers" who are active members of one or more of the area's common religious organizations.

(35) Issues wherein the side promoting that government mind its own business are primarily supporters of individual thinking, personal liberty, and freedom of choice in most areas of life. The spiritual practices among this group tend to vary widely and often involves the concept of a personal connection to " The Source of All That Is".

(36) Issues wherein the side advocating government intervention is made up primarily of limited-thinking people who refuse to openly and honestly consider the long-term, overall result, effect and consequences of using government violence or threat of violence to force their ways onto others. One portion of the issue will tend to dominate their thinking while all other aspects will be largely ignored.

(37) Issues wherein the side promoting the concept of Personal-Freedom-of-Choice are primarily promoters of open, rational debate of the fundamental principles of the issues in question and are also willing to look at all of the ramifications and consequences of the various possible solutions.

(38) Issues wherein the side advocating government intervention will be made up primarily of (1) people with the dominator-manipulator mentality that promote widespread government controls and/or (2) those who, without question follow their leaders. (The dominator-manipulators will be either playing the role of the loud-mouthed, good guys or be out of sight and clandestinely using others to promote their ways.)

(39) Issues wherein the side promoting the concept of Personal-Freedom-of-Choice will be made up primarily of people with the cooperative-partnership mentality that promotes economic freedom, political liberty and personal sovereignty. This group will tend to oppose any government intervention into their personal lives.

Is Abortion a Religious or a Secular Issue:

When The Right of Freedom of Choice in Child Bearing (the abortion controversy) is analyzed in light of the above 39 characteristics, 36 indicators either strongly or moderately indicate that the controversy is a religious issue. (Issues, number 14 and 16 do not indicate anything on this issue, number 15 is questionable.)

As another example, when the question, Should you stop your car for a red traffic light? is analyzed, all 39 of the indicators either do not indicate anything or they indicate this to be a secular issue.

Here's a Logical Conclusion:

Because the answer is not so clear that it can be carved in stone, we are, once again, we are back to beliefs, to personal opinions, and to making another judgment call. The guidelines do; however, overwhelmingly point in the direction that abortion is a religious freedom issue.

Jesus gave you two grand commandments: Love and honor God and Love your neighbor as yourself. Well, I can’t speak for you, but the God I know is just too big to fit inside of any single religion. And nobody can prove their religion is right and everyone else's is wrong. So how do we fulfill the directives -- to loving god and to love each other?

How about if we, individually, socially, and collectively (as a government) honor every religion as a sacred pathway to the Divine.

Those who oppose abortion rights are adamant vocal proponents of religious freedom. Is it reasonable to conclude that they should practice what they preach? Does that or does that not mean there should be no laws abridging the freedom of religion?

Because the evidence overwhelmingly indicates that religious freedom is the center point of the abortion controversy:

Whether or not to terminate an unwanted pregnancy should be considered and debated in religious circles rather than in government legislatures. It is also a very personal matter that is appropriate for discussion within the family and with the woman’s health-service provider.

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