War games, abortion, and Metaphysical poetry!

Although I am a consistent life ethic person (i.e. opposing such things as abortion, the death penalty, unjust war, euthanasia, and in favor of promoting social and economic justice), I have a secret ”violent” vice.

I like war games.

When I was a kid, I played chess in tournaments and in the school chess club. I played games like Risk and Stratego. In the 1970s I discovered games that recreated famous battles or required the use of battle tactics in hypothetical situations.

While other kids and teens played basketball or football, I refought the Battle of Bulge, the Battle of Gettysburg, D-Day, etc.

In recent years, I discovered some computer war games. I sometimes relax by playing a quick battle.

Which brings me to abortion.

I have been watching the abortion war for years. I have been a participant, and a reporter covering events.

I liken what is going on now to one of the tactics I use in some of the war games I play.

When attacking an enemy position, it’s rarely possible to mount a massed attack and overwhelm the foe in one quick assault.

Instead, I send in troops in waves from as many directions as possible.

As my troops are repelled, I send them back, or I send in fresh units.

I try to vary where the attack comes from.

I try to hit him where and when he least expects it – like Jonathan at the Battle of Michmash.

I try to get around behind the enemy.

If possible, I attack from all sides at the same time.

I probe for weaknesses, and when I find any I begin to concentrate more forces there.

If I have the extra forces, I also try to attack other targets to distract my foe and pull some of his forces away from my main attack.

I wear down my foe.

Most often, when I succeed, he gradually pulls back, ceding ground. I then have to press the attack on his new positions.

Sometimes, he simply crumbles and surrenders, or retreats pell-mell.

I win more often than I lose.

I sense the same thing going in the fight to defeat abortion.

Attacks on multiple fronts – South Dakota, Oklahoma, Missouri, the Supreme Court, etc.

Attacks on multiple targets - parental notification, waiting periods, limiting certain types of abortion or when abortions can take place, and so on.

The main target now is overturning Roe – or so crippling it that it is ineffective.

But I also know that bringing down Roe will most likely mean more battles on a state-by-state basis.

It will take a long time. I may not even live to see the end of the fight – falling like a soldier in one phase of the battle, but still helping with the progress toward a hoped for victory.

And even if we ultimately fail, I’d rather go down fighting.

And I’d rather know that I tried to advance the cause of God’s love.

For despite the military imagery, the true goal of this war is to change the hearts and minds of those trapped by pro-abortion ideologies and mythologies.

Our goal is to free them from bondage to the Father of Lies.

Our goal is their salvation, not their deaths.

As I think of this ultimate goal, I’m reminded of the words of John Donne – with his mixing of the sexual and the sacred (oddly appropriate when dealing with abortion):

Batter my heart, three-person'd God; for you
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
I, like an usurpt town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy:
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.