10.4 Conscience

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7/17/2019 10.4 Conscience http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/104-conscience 1/38 KINGDOM of GOD Sum via et veritas et vita LOVE  WORDS  ACTS OF MERCY SELF-GIVING DISCIPLESHIP

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Keynote presentation on conscience.

Transcript of 10.4 Conscience

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KINGDOM of GOD

Sum via  et veritas  et vita 

LOVE

 WORDS ACTS OF MERCY SELF-GIVING

DISCIPLESHIP

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Conscience UNIT FOUR

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What is the role of

in our goal to follow Christ in choosingthe fullness of life and avoiding the lifeof sin?

conscience 

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What is ?conscience 

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Only when one decides to do

this or that, or not to do thisor not, is one acting out of

.conscience 

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What is not.conscience 

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QUICK SURVEY

Something is right forme if I think it is right.

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QUICK SURVEY

Something is right if my

intention and feelingsare right.

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QUICK SURVEY

Something is right when others say it is.

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Something is right when others say it is.

Something is right if my intentionand feelings are right.

Something is right for meif I think it is right.MY OPINION IS MY CONSCIENCE.

MY FEELINGS & INTENTIONSCONSTITUTE MY CONSCIENCE

AUTHORITY OR AN EXTERNAL

VOICE IS MY CONSCIENCE

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MY OPINION IS MY CONSCIENCE.

MY FEELINGS & INTENTIONS

CONSTITUTE MY CONSCIENCE

AUTHORITY OR AN EXTERNAL

VOICE IS MY CONSCIENCE

Conscience Myths 

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MY OPINION IS MY CONSCIENCE.

MY FEELINGS & INTENTIONS

CONSTITUTE MY CONSCIENCE

AUTHORITY OR AN EXTERNALVOICE IS MY CONSCIENCE

WE ARE RELATIONAL BEINGS

NOT TRUE: ACTIONS ARE GOOD WHEN WE DON’T FEEL

GUILTY ABOUT IT. WE CAN “SILENCE” OUR FEELINGS.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS INSIDE US, SOMETHING THAT WE

HAVE TO FORM AND INFORM BASED ON MORAL STANDARDS.

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What is not.conscience 

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is majority opinion.Conscience This view surrenders personal responsibilityto the group (majority). Correct behavior is to

conform to popular opinion or practice.

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“The one thing thatdoesn’t abide by

majority rule isa person’s

conscience.”

Atticus Finch

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee

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is a feeling.Conscience 

This view holds that individuals are creators of

their own moral rules and are only answerable

to themselves. Sincerity as the prime value.

“what’s right is what feels right” or

“if it feels good, do it.”

The trouble with feelings, whether they are

good or bad, is that our feelings may be out of

touch with reality, and with what is truly right

or wrong.

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is superego.Conscience 

This view makes us feel guilty because deep in

our consciousness lies our “shoulds” and “have-to’s”. We follow these to avert anxiety. We

want approval. We also might be programmedto consider them as required actions.

the leftover rules of childhood that we

carry around in our subconscious

In contrast, Christian conscience is a personal, self-chosen

response to God’s invitation to love. Conscience is based onour own study, decision, acting, and evaluating.

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is gut-instinct.Conscience This view means that conscience isthe gut-reaction or hunch we have

when faced with a decision.

Although a hunch to moral situations canbe a helpful start in moral decision-making,

a Christian conscience is much more grown-up. It applies one’s intellect and judgment tofigure out how we are to love both God and

others.

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is Jiminy Cricket.Conscience 

This view means that conscience is atotally different/separate being living

inside us that will tell us what to do.

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is myth.Conscience This view denies the existence of conscience, that

it is a creation of organized religions to helpcontrol people through guilt.

The denial of conscience results in each person

doing their thing with little regard for personalresponsibility - the death of morality.

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What is.conscience 

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What is the nature of our ?

What is the criterion thatuses to judge the morality of the user?

conscience 

conscience 

Where does the dignity of ourlie so that we need to always follow it?conscience 

What is the significance ofto our moral life?

conscience 

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Conscience is a natural facility of ourreason that does 3 things:

reminds us to

do the goodand avoid evil

makes a judgment

about the good &evil of particularchoices

bears witness tothe good & evilwe have done.

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is basic awareness of right & wrong& inclination toward the good

Conscience At the very basic level, it is the fudamental

human drive to seek the good. St. Augustine:Our hearts are restless until they find rest in

you.

At this very first level of meaning,conscience shows that we are indeed createdin God’s image and likeness.

We are always moved to distinguish good

and evil, and inclined to do the good.

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involves the process of moral reflectionand discernment [seeking the truth]

Conscience If we are drawn towards the good, then we

must constantly develop to be able todistinguish the good - the truly good.

At this level of meaning, conscience is not only agift, it is a task. We must strive to train, educate andform our conscience. This is a recognition of oursinfulness and limitations.

As Catholic Christians, we listen to sources that canform our conscience - Jesus, Scripture, Church,personal experience, family, friends, community, etc.

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is making a moral judgment and actionConscience 

At this level, considering an awareness ofour inclination towards the good and a

resolve to be formed, we are then called totake a course of action given a specificsituation.

Our conscience may realize that judgmentsand decisions are not necessarily objectivelycorrect but it must do what it believes to bethe right and true thing.

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BE CAREFUL!By saying WE MUST FOLLOW our conscience,we can convince ourselves that we can dowhatever we can because of our “conscience”.

Our conscience uses objective principles tojudge acts in specific circumstances.Conscience is not the source of any morallaw. Thus, it has to be formed and informed.

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Making a MoralJudgment &

Action

Process ofMoral

Reflection andDiscernment

Inclinationtowards the good

Basic awareness of right andwrong. Conscience as thenatural inclination to thegood.

The need to be aware of what is

really the truth and what is

really the good. Conscience as

moral reasoning anddiscernment. It needs to be

formed and informed.

Making a moral judgment.Conscience is an act of one’s will.

After being formed and

informed, one has to choose in

accordance to his/her conscience.

 

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Conscience It is what we use in making a moral decision.

It carefully considers:1. the concrete circumstances of the moral situation,

2. the important values that need to be protected,3. the relevant moral teachings and norms involved,4. the good and bad effects of every moral option.

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Conscience Seek the guidance of AUTHORITY & REASON

It carefully considers:1. the concrete circumstances of the moral situation,

2. the important values that need to be protected,3. the relevant moral teachings and norms involved,4. the good and bad effects of every moral option.

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Conscience Seek the guidance of AUTHORITY & REASON

ROUTE 1

Learn the WHATTHE RULES: The Do’s & Don’ts

 What the Authorities Say 

Adequate for simpler issues & simpler people.

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Conscience Seek the guidance of AUTHORITY & REASON

ROUTE 2

Learn the WHY and HOWMoral Reasoning

 Why the AUTHORITIES say what they sayHow you assess their claim (conscience)

Suitable for complex issues & more educated

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SEER STUDY ELECT EXECUTE REVIEW

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Informed Conscience • It is a conscience that is educated and developed

through constant use of examination. Itpresupposes faith and prayer to have this rightconscience.

• To develop it, we have to:

KNOW JESUS MORE

DEVELOP A

PRAYER HABIT

STUDY MORE ABOUTCHURCH & MORALS

SEEK ADVICE

ASK THE GUIDANCE OF THE

HOLY SPIRIT

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Erroneous

Conscience 

LaxConscience    ScrupulousConscience 

CallusedConscience 

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 Bad Conscience Decision• Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel• bad example of other people

• enslavement to one’s passions• holding a false idea of the autonomy

of conscience (e.g. “No one can tellme what to do. I am my own law.”)

• rejecting Church authority and

Church teaching in areas of morality

• lack of true repentance• lack of love

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In the depths of his conscience, man detects a law which he does not

impose upon himself, but which holds him to obedience.Always summoning him to love good and avoid evil, the voice ofconscience when necessary speaks to his heart: do this, shun that.

For man has in his heart a law written by God; to obey it is the verydignity of man; according to it he will be judged.

Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a man. There he is

alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths. In a wonderfulmanner conscience reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of Godand neighbor.      A

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In fidelity to conscience, Christians are joined with the rest of men

in the search for truth, and for the genuine solution to the numerousproblems which arise in the life of individuals from socialrelationships.

Hence the more right conscience holds sway, the more persons andgroups turn aside from blind choice and strive to be guided by theobjective norms of morality.

Conscience frequently errs from invincible ignorance withoutlosing its dignity. The same cannot be said for a man who cares butlittle for truth and goodness, or for a conscience which by degreesgrows practically sightless as a result of habitual sin.      A

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