Conscience

Conscience is sometimes described as being the inner voice that tells you when you go astray from your own values. I like that definition.

Albert Einstein is reported to have said, “Never do anything against conscience even if the state demands it.” (Einstein, circa 1949) I’ve seen variations to the wording but the fundamental meaning isn’t altered.

Einstein’s words sound noble. Indeed there have been, and continue to be, many cases where courageous individuals have made a stand in situations where their values have conflicted with those of the state. All too often at the cost of their lives.

But there is a practical problem if we live by Einstein’s words. Your decision on whether someone’s stance, based on their conscience, is right depends on your individual values. If your values are on the same page as those of the person following their conscience, you’ll find their actions commendable. If not, the opposite may well apply.

That leads to an obvious problem with conscience society wide. What happens when many individuals act on their individual conscience, but the results clash? Whose conscience is right? For conscience to work it has to be tethered to a standard. And that standard needs to be a constant for all. The Bible provides that constant.

When Jesus was asked what is required by God for humankind this is what he said: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. ‘The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. ‘There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31, NIV)

That’s the Bible way to a clear conscience. Imagine how different our world would be if everybody did their best to live like that!

The Bible has much more to say about conscience and many other qualities. Worth a read?

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