Culture

Abortion–A Matter of Heart, Not War

E-mail this page to a friend

Jeff Syrios
Attorney-at-law, Syrios Law Firm
August 1, 2001

This summer marks the 10th anniversary of what most call "the summer of mercy." It can better be described as the great awakening.

In the hottest months of 1991, Wichita took America's center stage as pro-life forces confronted the atrocity of abortion. The clinic run by Dr. George Tiller, who probably performs more late trimester abortions then any other doctor in the United States, became a target. In the span of 46 days, there were more than 2,500 arrests of protesters.

But as is the case with beckoning mercy, there was a mighty response. As awareness grew, apathy subsided and a rekindled church rose up.

Quite literally, a revival born of abortion.

But the killing continues. Aided by a previously liberal administration and an activist Supreme Court, the availability of abortion at all stages of pregnancy continues to rise.

And again, there is a response. Ten years later there is a renewed call. But this time it is different. For what was once a resounding call for mercy, now echos with the declaration of war.

A Term of War

For some pro-life forces, the proclamation is an unapologetic, no exception, no compromise resolution of war on abortion. But there are great dangers in war, and it should never be casually declared. Accompanied in its call are serious implications, that if not fully understood, will ultimately result in defeat.

The affirmation of war means the acceptance of casualties who merely become an unfortunate, but acceptable collateral consequence of combat. But these wounded must no longer be victims without a face or name. For they represent the prize. And within their wounds lies the key to true and lasting victory.

I have never been in the military, and I must admit a certain ignorance to the art of war. However, I have considered the strategy of conflict and understand analysis must precede action. So, before declaring war, we must first determine whether we can affect change without confrontation. With abortion, the answer is no.

Abortion represents an abomination not only to God, but to the moral law upon which our Constitutional government is founded. It embodies a brazen assault on the divine essence of human life. It destroys the innocent and wounds those who are not.

It must be challenged.

However, the next step is more important. We must successfully frame the issue. Rhetoric is crucial to the debate that must precede any action we take. For implicit in our terminology are the assumptions and methods that ultimately impact the effective implementation our strategy.

There are many dangers to the vernacular of war. If these risks are not fully considered, casualties will outnumber the rescued and the ground previously gained will be lost.

The Ends

What should our objective be as we consider abortion? More important, how do we guard against being blinded by the light of the end and miss not only the ethics, but the value of the means?

Abortion presents a very complex personal and social tragedy. But it is within the complexity of abortion that we begin to realize the many goals that should define our mission.

First, for a Christian activist, individual evangelism and discipleship should always be a recognizable goal. In terms of corporate (to the masses) evangelism, it means that the methods we employ should never unnecessarily drive anyone from Christ.

Second, stopping abortion and its devastating effects to those involved is a valid goal.

Next, any strategy must include an emphasis on educating society about the value and sanctity of human life. A diminished view of life is a foundational problem for other equally important issues such as euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, cloning and capital punishment.

Finally, we must understand that the most important goal involves the ministering of healing to the women and their families seeking abortion. Any lasting headway on the issue of abortion will come from a strategy designed to minister to the hearts of these women and men.

Looking Below

Gardeners, psychologists and doctors will attest to the difference between a surface symptom and its root cause.

The only effective way to kill a weed, treat a symptom or heal an emotional wound is to get down to its foundation. The real value in a surface symptom is that it can provide a path to that which is below. Addressing the surface with ignorance of what lies beneath will result in ineffectiveness and frustration. With abortion, we must get under the surface. For what we discover below is the heart of the matter.

A full understanding that abortion is a symptom of the heart will ultimately affect the strategy in dealing with it. While the declaration of war against abortion strikes a certain spiritual machismo within the soul, it can lead to a misapplication of truth and have a devastating effect not only on the individuals involved, but on a watching culture.

Abortion is a matter of the heart, not of war. The difference has to do with the objective–war demands victory, the heart requires healing.

The Price of War

My greatest concerns with the call to war are the accompanying assumptions held by its soldiers: that the sole moral and Biblical objective of every Christian should be to stop every single act of abortion; any other goal is unworthy; anyone who disagrees with that goal and strategy is the enemy and subject to God's judgement; and that most methods are acceptable as long as they are likely to achieve the objective.

But this approach defies the complexity and nature of the struggle.

While saving babies should always be a goal, the means employed to achieve it must never be done to the exclusivity of other equally important goals. Simply put, we cannot employ a strategy solely designed to stop George Tiller's abortion practice and keep every pregnant woman from entering his clinic.

Instead, we must implement a plan that recognizes that abortion is not so much a war in the street as it is an avenue to the wounds of the heart.

Transforming the Heart

So, how is the heart changed?

To be certain, transformation must first begin with us. We must truly appreciate that we are merely agents of God's power. We cannot change lives but we can be used by the One who can.

Secondly, we must learn to handle the truth. The pro-life position represents the superior position of absolute truth. And there is power in truth. But power in the hands of those who casually handle it is dangerous. It can result in unwarranted goals pursued by harmful methods. Power that is unrestrained by humility and accountability soon becomes destructive.

Finally, any strategy aimed at affecting the heart must embrace the principle that those who are so easily thought of as the enemy are in fact the prize. Certainly George Tiller and every abortionist are included in this group. But the person I am speaking of is the mother seeking the abortion.

She is the true casualty of this war. For every murdered child statistically remembered, there is a wounded mother forgotten. And while we can no longer affect the innocence that now rests in the loving arms of the eternal Father, we can help the hurting women who remain with us. Any attempt to deal effectively with abortion must include a commitment to come alongside these hurting women, and without judgement or condemnation, offer the healing and hope found only in Christ.

Abortion is choice born of pain. It is a desperate attempt to treat deep-seated wounds that generally have nothing to do with the pregnancy or its perceived inconvenience. To those engaged in the debate, this may be a surprise. But it represents the truth of abortion. And until we recognize that abortion is a matter of the heart and approach it with this understanding, we will never fully get to the heart of the matter.

Jeff Syrios is a freelance writer and attorney from Wichita, Kansas.