"Damaged?" Time for meditation and hopefully, change.

More research on past quotes from the Dalai Lama on abortion of "retarded" children

Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/buddhistethics/abortion.shtml

Of course, abortion, from a Buddhist viewpoint, is an act of killing and is negative, generally speaking. But it depends on the circumstances.
If the unborn child will be retarded or if the birth will create serious problems for the parent, these are cases where there can be an exception. I think abortion should be approved or disapproved according to each circumstance.

Dalai Lama, New York Times, 28/11/1993

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/28/magazine/the-dalai-lama.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm

Cameron did not say this, I do

In his own words: “Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace.”

- Dalai Lama XIV

By Viviana Fernandez

Awareness, compassion, love and non-violence, those are some of the pillars of Tibetan Buddhism. His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, said yesterday during his 2013 visit to the United States, and  first public talk about how secular ethics could unite everyone on earth: “abortion is admissible if it will bring much suffering to the family”.

He said this after explaining that “abortion is killing”. The Dalai Lama was answering a question by Paul Root Wolpe, PhD, Director of the Emory University’s Center for Ethics during his first public talk at the Arena, in Gwinnett Center, Duluth, GA.

Doctor Wolpe presented a dilemma to his Holiness: what is there ethically to do if a child presents 100% damage?

The Dalai Lama turned to his interpreter and explained his view on abortion in such a case.

My sister, who had given me the surprise of buying a ticket for the Dalai Lama’s public talk immediately, saw my reaction. I stopped applauding. I was flabbergasted. How could these two influential figures talking about secular ethics, first of all, refer to a child, a unique soul as “100% damaged”? I guess Dr. Wolpe was referring to a severely disabled child? The Director of Emory University’s Center for Ethics was referring to a unique soul, somebody’s son or daughter, a fellow brother or sister mammal-human being as “100% damaged”.

How is “100% damage” determined? What is a 100% damaged child? How would Helen Keller answer that question? How would my 12 year old son with Down syndrome answer that question?

I can feel compassion for Dr Wolpe and the Dalai Lama’s answer. You see, before I had my son Cameron, I was also afraid of such “suffering”.  However, Cameron’s soul was stronger. He needed to be here and Down syndrome went undetected during my pregnancy in spite of getting the recommended blood tests. No amnio was done because I was not 35 years old.

Any birth or Samsara brings pain. But Cameron’s birth brought the most important Samsara in my life. He taught me how to truly love a soul unconditionally, just as he is. His birth brought me the greatest gifts taught by Tibetan Buddhism: Awareness, Compassion, and Love. In my dealing with suffering after given the news, I found the greatest treasure and gift that any human could get while on this earth. If I had found out while I was pregnant that Cameron had Down syndrome, at that stage of my life, I would have probably gone for “avoiding the suffering”.  However, it was in my acceptance of my stereotypical view and stigma associated with “damaged children” that I found the greatest love of all.

So it took a while for me to gain spiritual composure but I stayed in the arena until the very end. After all, we concluded with my sister, the Dalai Lama and Doctor Wolpe are only human. Their own experiences limit their thinking. Hopefully, they will read about my experience with Cameron. It would be significant, especially because October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. Almost 100% of pregnancies where Down syndrome is detected prenatally end up being terminated.

It is inevitable not to go through suffering in life. Suffering will come in many forms and shapes. I hope that before we can implement secular ethics in education we can truly grasp the sound of Grammy-nominated Tibetan flutist Nawang Khechog and his flute chant before the panel begun:

“May all be kind to each other for as long as space endures, for as long as sentient beings endure, may we care for all living beings.”

Link to another interview:
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1039047

 

Fighting the Mongers again! Sumarizer to the rescue!

In the past few days, I have turned into the Pink Power Ranger! Samurai, Forever! Go! Go! Power Rangers!
Cameron in transitioning to Middle School and the School system wants to send him to a self contained class. For parents of children who do not have disabilities, let me explain that it means being in a class with children who all have disabilities. Nothing wrong with that.
However, in Cameron's case, they (the administrators and teachers) recommnended this in spite of Cameron making progress in a regular ed classroom and being pulled out for resource.
"Oooh! I am afraid for what might happen in Middle School", said his public school Speech Therapist. She started to cry.
I said: "That is the real world and he will have to learn how to deal with it when I am not here"
The law in the United States says that children with disabilities have to be placed within the least restrictive environment possible in the classrooms. If the kid makes progress in the least restrictive environment, then he or she should continue in that placement. However, the "monghers" and the budget cuts seem to believe that what is easier and cheaper for the Department of Education should be what rules.
Samurai Forever! GO GO!

This morning, the first day of school in the county where we live Cameron was not able to attend his home school in the least restrictive environment possible. We filed for due process.
The fist thing that he said this morning when he woke up was: mom, I want to listen to that Spanish song. "El Soldado".
I looked for it in You Tube and that was another confirmation for us to know that we are doing the right thing.
If only Juan Luis Guerra would know how much this song has meant to Cameron and to us....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tub3SuaQtG8

Mamá! viene Jesús!

Fuí bautizada en la Iglesia Católica aunque nunca entendí de que se trataba el bautismo.
Por lo tanto, he estado exponiendo a Cameron a diferentes religiones. Quiero que el elija a cual religión quiere pertenecer si es que hay alguna que le interesa. Me encantaría que el tenga una vida espiritual porque considero que es muy importante para sobrevivir en este mundo. Varias veces ha expresado que quiere ser bautizado en la Iglesia Cristiana Protestante. Siempre resptaré sus deseos.
Hoy, me hizo sonreir. Ibamos conduciendo por la carretera 124 en Snellville, GA y de repente me dice:

Mamá, !viene Jesús!

Pensé en ese momento : ¿de qué me está hablando?

Mira mamá, !viene Jesús! 

Cameron said...Cameron dijo...: Mom, Jesus is coming!

Cameron said...Cameron dijo...: Mom, Jesus is coming!: I was baptized under the Catholic Church without me really understanding what baptism was really about. So I have been exposing Cameron to d...

Mom, Jesus is coming!

I was baptized under the Catholic Church without me really understanding what baptism was really about. So I have been exposing Cameron to different beliefs. I want him to choose what religion he wants to belong to if any.
I would love for him to have a very spiritual life because I consider that to be extremely important to survive in this world. He  has expressed a few times that he would like to be baptized under the Christian Protestant Church. I will always respect his wishes.
Today, though, he made me smile after a couple of days of not smiling very much.
We were driving on Highway 124 in Snellville, GA and all of the sudden he says:

Mom!!!! Jesus is coming!!!!!

I thought, what in the world?

Look, mom! Jesus is coming!!!

¿Cómo hago para llegar hasta allí?

Unos días antes de Navidad murió nuestra adorada perra. Ésta es la primera vez que muere un ser querido de Cameron. Desde que murió Sonar está intentando comprender el concepto de la muerte.

Antes de Navidad me preguntó: mamá, ¿crees que Santa traerá a Sonar para Navidad?
Le expliqué una vez más que cuando uno muere, físicamente ya no puede volver.

Sin embargo, le señalé: el alma de Sonar siempre estará con nosotros y con Dios.

Cameron: ¿y dónde está Dios?
Yo: Dios es amor y Dios está en todas partes.

Cameron se quedó pensando y después de un rato preguntó:
¿Dios está en Atlanta? (la ciudad donde vivimos)

Yo: Sí, Dios está en Atlanta y en todas partes. Dios está en el cielo, en el paraíso.
Cameron se queda pensando una vez más y pregunta:

                        ¿Cómo hago para llegar hasta allí?