John, What do you mean by “reestablished”?
Do you mean that someone initially had a conscience, and then it went away, and
now you want it reestablish it? Seems like I heard of a Christian speaker who
addressed a room full of college students who were in favor of abortion.
Nothing he said could dissuade them. Finally he explained to them that they all
had a God-given conscience, explained what it was, and then he had them all get
quiet and consult their conscience. Then when he asked them again if they
believed it was right to commit abortion, every one of them said their
conscience told them it was wrong. Did anyone on TT hear that? Izzy
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On
Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 10:42
PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] the
conscience
Some thoughts on the conscience?
I am beginning a process that will allow a research paper on the conscience.
As an avocation, I am still involved in pastoring -- as a pastoral
counselor. The biblical message has high regard for the conscience of man
while modern psychology does not. As a consequence, there is little or no
secular research regarding the conscience.
I am thinking that if we could understand just how the conscience is reestablished, we might have a tool of
divine proportions that will assist in youth-at-risk interventions.
I need ideas about the conscience and how those ideas relate to the biblical
message. If any of you are aware of research, especially
Christian based research, relating to matters of the conscience, point me in
that direction. I, of course, will have little problem coming
up with biblical references --- so I do not scripture; rather, I will
need interpretation or applications that are related to specific scripture.
The conscience works with guilt and an internal moral code and only
'convicts" or is triggered when we violate that code . it works to keep us
true to ourselves. It never convicts, i.e., when we forget or fail to do something
that wrong or evil.
In my life, it is interesting to observe my battle against cussing.
I am quite accomplished in this area of endeavor.
When I made the decision to stop that practice (I am
journeyman finish carpenter) I (a) told no one of my
decision and (b) within three or four days of abstinence, felt the pangs of
guilt on the first occasion of failure. That guilt trigger was not
because of social pressure because no one knew I had quit. My
conscience had been revived in this regard within hours of my decision and
practice. I just mention this to get some juices flowing out there
in TT land.
In Grace
John Smithson
