Pro War And Pro Life

- Two incomaptibles

Many who are “pro life” are also “pro war.”

I speak of those who admirably and ardently campaign for the preservation of life in the womb, but have no qualms about sending those same lives to war, to have their heads blown off, once they (i.e. those babies they campaigned to “save”) are grown, young men and women.

“Pro life” people speak ceaselessly about the “millions of lives lost to abortion” - what about the millions of lives lost in the same decades to war? Is not all life sacred?

If “pro life” campaigners believe (correctly) that women cannot choose to end another life (with its own unique, genetic destiny) that lives in their womb - can they then acquiesce to old men (politicians, media) choosing to send young men to certain death (their own or another’s) in war?

It is astonishing, but true, that many of those who do not believe that a woman has the right to choose to end another life, will nevertheless enthusiastically cheer on, and agree with the right of a nation state or think tank to choose to send young men and women to their deaths in war.

Augustinian “just war” theory supposedly allows Christians to engage in a purely defensive war, although in fact, St. Augustine put down his conditions for a just war believing that they were so arduous, that almost no justification could be found for war.

The Augustinian conditions commonly listed for a “just war” are these: a just cause; war as the last resort after all other options are exhausted; a purely defensive war; the means of war must be just; any offensive war, preemptive war or wars of conquest are forbidden; noncombatants are to be protected at all costs; the war cannot be an act of revenge or hatred; all these conditions must be strictly interpreted and met; and finally, if any one condition is not met, then the killing cannot be “justified” and “just war” conditions do not exist.

The irony will not be lost on my readers that the beginnings of Augustinian “just war” theory arose in the 4th century, after more than 300 glorious years of the early Christians refusing to engage in violence and war, but nevertheless witnessing the non-violent triumph of the Cross over the military might of pagan Rome!

How many of those who follow a vocation of pro life activism actually know about St. Augustine and the idea of a just war? The question must perhaps rather be asked - how many of these activists know the much more famous words of Jesus in the New Testament: “for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.”

Elsewhere, in my essay, “Why peace (and not war),” I wrote about how almost all wars fought in recent and ancient times, when examined in the cold light of history, have been offensive wars of hubris, greed, revenge and evil intentions. If pro life activists constantly (and justifiably) denounce the propaganda media for pushing a “pro-choice/pro-abortion” narrative as normal, should they also not denounce with an equal vehemence those in media, the uniparty of our supposed democracies and the evil neo-conservatives, who constantly bombard us with the propaganda drumbeats of war?

Logical, theological and ethical consistency demands that those who are enthusiastically pro life, must also be enthusiastically anti-war. And regardless of religious persuasion, it is surely also also pro-humanity to be both pro-life and anti-war.

It is true of course, that those who are both anti-war but pro-choice/pro-abortion have their own contradictions to contend with. They disregard the life in the womb in favour of grown up life, just as the pro-life activist often does the opposite and disregards the life of the grown man or woman, in favour of an unborn life.

Life that is already born and bears a beating heart is surely as precious as the same life that is waiting to be born. And surely, the destruction of life in the womb cannot be compatible with the preservation of adult life.

For the Christian, the sacred life in the womb and the sacred life that is lived out as a child and adult are both equal and equally precious, since each life is a life for whom Christ died.

It is better of course to be either anti-war or pro-life, than being neither. The latter have utterly sold their souls to the devil and like Goethe’s Faust have made their pact with evil. The Neo-conservatives, the new left, the legacy media and our uniparty governments have all become complicit in both crimes. It is possible for them to repent and see salvation, as in the later versions of Goethe’s epic poem - but as in the earlier version, they may well be carried off into hell by the devil if they do not repent and make restitution.

But I would hope that those who are either pro-life (but also pro-war) or anti-war (but also pro choice/pro abortion), are in that state both miserable and happy, in which a consequential war is being waged for their souls. It is a perilous state, since the way that leads to destruction is broad and paved with worldly riches - and “many are they that will go through it.” This is the fate for example, that has befallen what used to be called the anti-war “left” in politics.

The other way, of championing both life in the womb and adult life is also possible - and my essay argues that this is the only consistent position for both groups. Some groups of Christians have always taken this position (Quakers, Anabaptists, some Catholic missions etc.) - for many more, it is an urgent imperative if they are to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel.

In the Sermon on The Mount, Jesus speaks of those who gather their treasures on earth - where “moth and rust doth corrupt and thieves break through and steal.” The moths and rust and thieves of war and “on demand” abortion break in and prey upon the human soul; and once violated, the wounded soul will strike back at the other’s earthly treasures with a never ending, terrifying and evil cycle of war and violence that may never end.

Those who seek peace for the baby in the womb and peace for the child and adult too, are like those in Jesus parable who gather their treasures in Heaven - “where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.”  This is the true and lasting treasure - with peace begetting peace in a virtuous circle in the Kingdom of God.

“For where your treasure is,” Jesus said, “there will your heart be also.”