I hesitate because I am not really a philosopher. I stay away from WM, he knows way too much for me.

If I were going to argue with him I would say that St Augustine was schooled in Roman teachings of Cicero and their legal doctrine which did not have any doctrine of individual rights, only duties. So if St Augustine built his arguments on self-preservation on duty to the group then it makes perfect sense.

In any case I try to base my ideas on anthropology not philosophy. That is because I will lose to WM in philosophy arguments.