Who came up with the 40 Days for Life Campaign?

Yeah, it’s not going to work. I don’t think the Holy Spirit inspired that one.

I’m not saying that some hearts weren’t changed and some babies weren’t saved, but if this pro-life movement did things properly, abortion would be finished in about 6 – 12 months, as in, it would be almost unthinkable a year from now.

The problem with the pro-life movement is that it is approaching everything from the perspective of the head, trying to change everybody’s minds.

So, you give me arguments. You give me 3D fetal models. You give me signs written in all-caps. You give me people standing there at the side of the road holding signs written in all-caps. You give me more arguments. You talk of “rights.” You describe the gory procedures. You give me David Daleiden. You give me marches and rallies. More arguments.

All wrong.

You have to change people’s hearts. Not many peoples’ hearts are changed by these things.

Even the phrase “pro-life” isn’t all that great, because it’s vague. It doesn’t instruct the followers of this movement about what to do. As a matter of fact, when you say “pro-life” to someone, what comes to mind is the thought of some people standing there on a sidewalk facing an abortion clinic, which I did, once.

When you say “pro-life” to someone, what comes to mind is a university student having a debate with another university student about when life actually begins.

When you say “pro-life” to someone, what comes to mind is a morose-looking lady standing in the midst of a field of crosses or flags or something, with each cross or flag supposedly representing a life or ten lives. She looks sad for the photographer because she thinks to herself that this is one of those photo moments when you’re not supposed to smile. You are supposed to look very grave, to suit the moment. Something like that.

People, you will never get A-N-Y-W-H-E-R-E with these approaches.

If you want to really destroy abortion and the pro-abortion mentality, you need to change your tactics entirely.

You need to change the hearts and the minds will follow. We humans operate that way. We change our hearts and then come up with reasons afterwards (the more intellectual-sounding, the better) that justify our decisions. Nobody admits it, but that’s how people operate. Just ask Chesterton. He knew.

(On the whole, religion has the effect of decreasing impulsive behaviour, and introducing more thought into our natural animalistic tendency to act in-the-moment and do whatever pops into our head. Thought before action is a good thing. Responsibility: also a good thing.)

Alright, so I have some ideas. Mind you, I take credit for none of them, because I never had them before as one cohesive package which I could bundle up and present to others. But now I package and ship to you, compliments of the One who inspires me.

Changing the hearts means being pro-baby and pro-pregnant lady 365 days a year. This is obvious to some, but I’ll flesh out what that means.

When you are waiting at the airport, when you are waiting in line at the grocery store, when you are waiting at the license and registry place or the hospital triage area or the bank or the medical clinic, look around.

Look around, young folk! Look around, “pro-life” lady and men folk! Put down your phone, stop reading LifeSiteNews (is that outdated and useless thing still operational?), and open your eyes.

See that baby in that car seat? See that stressed-out-mother in the corner?

It’s time to be pro-baby, pro-mother, pro-pregnant lady.

Begin now.

Ask her, politely, if you can see her baby.
If she says yes, look at that baby.
Really, really, look at that baby.
Look at that baby looking at you, baby.

You’re just the same.
You’re bigger, but look at those wise eyes, looking through you.

Here’s a person untainted.
A person unstained.
A person like you were.

A person before Facebook and friending and texting and trending.
A person like you were.

You’re bigger, but look at those wise eyes, looking through you.

Consider, with awe.
Consider the disguise.
Consider how God hides the wisdom.
But he doesn’t hide those eyes.

Look at those eyes,
and be ashamed,
be ashamed
at what you’ve become.

Proud, debating, loud
Know-it-all, strong and smug
Like King Herod
you are.

Though you think you’re not.
(Even worse.)

Consider with awe
That this was the disguise

Chosen by God

When he came to earth

God knew

That to be overlooked

It would be easy:

Just be a baby.

 

 

(Ah. Didn’t see “Poetry Time with Mena” coming again. I’ll stop here and make a part 2. And I note that there’s no mention of the doctrine of original sin in those lines, but if you think I can go back and add it, you overestimate how much choice I have in these matters.)