I believe that such rituals not only can teach us a great deal about how to deal with abortion but also, if adopted by Christian communities, can absorb the divisions and tensions created by the political climate surrounding abortion in the United States. Abortion and Mizuko Rituals in Japan. There has always been some form of opposition to abortion in Japan. Because of Shinto's strong emphasis upon life, Shinto rituals are generally associated with joyous occasions, such as birth, weddings and seasonal celebrations. Life is given by the kami or gods themselves and is enshrined in the spirit of the family's ancestors who provide the seed for new life.
Abortion is an aberration, a temporary affliction of spirit.
The healing of such an affliction and unification with the kami can take place only through the proper ceremonies. Buddhism's strong opposition to any form of killing would seem to support opposition to abortion. However, like Shinto, Buddhism cannot be expressed in doctrines nor can conclusions be argued from rational premises, as in Western religious arguments against abortion. Precisely out of compassion for a woman's or a family's difficult situation, then, Buddhism also tolerates abortion. Buddhist practices reflect both concern for the aborted spirit and compassion for the woman who, constrained by difficult circumstances, has by necessity resorted to induced abortion.