It is very sad that some politicians are advocating for abortions at delivery. We have become a very selfish society where “I” has become important. “It is my body, so I can do anything with it”, is the quote that most pro-choice advocates shout out when questioned about infanticide. But is it really our bodies?
In the Tenrikyo religion, we believe that our bodies are lent to us from God. If we hurt our bodies by taking drugs, we are hurting God. If we hurt others physically, we are hurting God. It is the same with the intentional murder of our children in the womb. But want happens to us because of these evil acts against God? Does God punish the evil?
In our religion, it is our soul/heart that either punishes or rewards us. Our loaned physical bodies eventually decay; but our souls live for eternity. Our bodies are transient dwellings lent by God that the soul uses to think. So our minds are ours to think and act on these thoughts. This is why the bold abortionists mistakenly claim that their bodies are theirs. But when we are sick or ill, sometimes we cannot control bodies. Our bodies are not ours. God owns them. But what happens when we begin to destroy God’s properties like infanticide? Does God punish us?
It is the soul that collects our merits and demerits in life. Some have compared our souls to little suitcases that take this information, including our disposition of thoughts from one lifetime to another. It is the soul that eventually releases these demerits as suffering, and merits as joy. We reap what we have sowed. The understanding of the soul reveals how causality and reincarnation work. It also gives us hope knowing that we have control of our future, by our actions of today.
It is the understanding of the soul that will eventually bring peace to the world. Our bodies that we selfishly decorate and egotistically protect are not ours. Our color, race, and gender of our bodies are only temporary facades that our souls inhabit to seek justice. We have all been black, yellow, brown or white. We have also been male and female. So what makes us different? It is our minds and thoughts that make us different. Thoughts are like viruses and bacteria that could spread like wildfire from person to person. We must educate others. It is our thoughts that make us good or evil. It is not the body that God lends us that we must destroy to remove evil, it is only our evil thoughts we must remove from our minds. Infanticide is hurting God. We must remove our own evil thoughts of greed, arrogance, miserliness, covetousness, and self-love to bring upon true joy.
OFUDESAKI-GOD'S TEACHINGS 
Hello Dr. Nakatsuchi,
I understand your concern about the recent political news about the Virginia State proposal on abortion. Likewise, I believe that Oyasama would abhor the thought of aborting a fetus. However, I’m not sure that Oyasama would prevent women to have the choice to terminate their pregnancy. I don’t agree that late term abortions should be allowed, but to call the people who proposed this bill “abortionists” becomes a politically charged statement. I believe that the people you are referring to consider themselves “pro-choice” because they are advocating the right to choose. We can give strong advice to women (and men) about how they should treasure and appreciate what blessings God gives to us all, but I disagree with taking away the right to choose.
My two cents.
Just to let you know, I read your posts often and I admire your consistent tenacity to promote God the Parent’s teachings through Oyasama. Thank you for putting forth your thoughts in such a public manner. Hopefully some day you can come to Los Angeles to share some of your thoughts with our larger Tenrikyo community.
Yours truly,
Robert Susumu Yuge
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Dear Rev. Yuge
You are right in that pro choice and pro life is politicalnow. I too believe we have the right to choose since our minds are ours to use.But with choice comes consequences; consequences not by law, or by God. In oursacred books, God tells us that he/she has been a spectator until now (1838).So what is it that brings us consequences? I believe it is the soul/heart thatwe must be concerned about. Even in the first verse of our sacred scripture,God tells us we do not understand the heart/soul. It is the soul that collects are merits anddemerits and eventually releases them as joy or sorrow. There are many references to what comes forthfrom the soul/heart in Ofudesaki (mune no uchi yori). God has been a spectator until now, but promises that he/shewill begin to work to have us understand the soul/hear. I believe God explainsthis in the Ofudesaki and gives us the ingredients to bring people to ourplaces or worship. First we must purify our own minds by pondering and calmingour minds of greed, arrogance, miserliness, covetousness, and self-love whensufferings come forth from our souls/hearts. Second we must spread or plant the seeds, by telling people about thesoul and what God will do (place illness as guidance). I believe in the Songsfor the service, God calls the propagation as hinokishin. I believe that peopleare mistaken in believing that hinokishin is volunteering. Third is the JoyousService (Kagura at Ojiba) that we must perform with a pure mind. I believe Godcalls this the fertilizer in the Ofudesaki and the Songs for the Service. I believe that the Joyous Service performedwith a pure mind is what brings the people we have spread God’s truth(hinokishin) to our places of service to be healed of the illness God hasplaced to let people know what dusts are in their minds now. God gives themglimpse of their future if they do not purify their minds. Fourth, we heal these people when they cometo our places of worship, and convey our teaching to them again. I will be glad to discuss my opinion to the Tenrikyo membersin Los Angeles. I believe that we need many discussions on how to spread ourreligion to the world one day sooner. * oba which is grandmother is used in the Ofudesaki to refer to God. That is why pronoun he/she used to refer to God.
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