I was wondering if I can get feedback on the following question from people that practice Sikhism in the United States. I greatly appreciate any and all feedback offered!!
What does the Guru Granth say about the use of birth control and the issue of pro-life vs pro-choice?
Hello Kgarc. I offer the following information despite not residing in the US and with a faith that is more Sikh-inspired than Sikh-identifying. I have spent a long time learning about Sikhi and for a time seriously considered baptism. I believe this qualifies me to post here in good faith.
In response to your question, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji (SGGSJ) is silent with regard to family planning and pro-life / pro-choice. That's because it's a hymn book, not a rule book.
The rules aspect comes to Sikhi by way of various codes of conduct called "Rehat Maryadas". Different Sikh groups have their own Rehat Maryadas. The one that is published by the mainstream governing body of Sikhs (the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) is simply called the Sikh Rehat Maryada.
Historically in the Punjab region of India, people have been overjoyed with the birth of sons, and disappointed with the birth of daughters. Sons have carried greater societal value. In a traditional family you raise your daughter and literally give her away when she is married - she leaves her family home and enters the home of her in-laws. Your sons, however, will bring daughters into your home, will work for your businesses, will fight. This is apparently the logic, anyway.
This has, to a greater degree in the past and a little less so today, led to the widespread practice of female infanticide. Guru Sahib wrote on SGGSJ page 473:
First Mehl:
From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.
Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come.
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.
So why call her bad? From her, kings are born.
From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.
O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman.
That mouth which praises the Lord continually is blessed and beautiful.
O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the Court of the True Lord. ||2||
Furthermore, the earlier mentioned mainstream Sikh Rehat Maryada published by the governing body says this in Section 4, Chapter X, article XVI, l. "A Sikh should not kill his daughter, nor should he maintain any relationship with a killer of daughter."
In India and the West there is often legislation or programs to educate people about the danger to their communities that having too many men compared to women, and restricting the ability of doctors and nurses to disclose the sex of a foetus to Indian parents so they are unable to abort if the child is female.
I hope this information is useful to you.
