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conscience in christian tradition
WEAKNESSES OF CONSCIENCE
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Discussion of the Belief that Conscience is the Voice of God
Works Cited Missing
There is much controversy surrounding the origins of the human
conscience; some theologians maintain that it is the voice of God,
whilst others assert that it is affected by societal influences. It
has even been suggested that the conscience's existence is not
universal. Indeed, [1]'the notion of conscience as an internal organ
is not found outside Christianity.' Before attempting to identify
roots, it is firstly necessary to establish the meaning of
'conscience.' It is generally agreed that it is, in part, an
individual's capacity to decide on the moral appropriateness of a
particular course of action. As L. K. Rambo says, 'It serves as a
guide or monitor of life.' Indeed, both Christians and those from a
secular viewpoint adhere to this view. However, despite this
consensus, the views of Christians, such as Newman, stand in contrast
to those coming from a secular perspective.
Newman maintains that the conscience is God informing the individual
as to how they should behave and thus, in a sense, 'tells us about the
nature of God's existence.' Martin Luther also believes that wisdom is
revealed through the word of God. St. Thomas Aquinas offers an
alternative view, asserting that in 'the mind of man making moral
judgements' wisdom is revealed in nature. Such forms the basis of the
ethical theory Natural Law. However, Aquinas reflects Augustine's idea
of an epistemological handicap, holding that something is good if it
fits its purpose, but sin taints o...
... middle of paper ...
...authority. Freud maintains that our
sense of morality derives from our superego, which is shaped by
authority, but doesn't address this point. Nevertheless, Fromm
supports Freud, holding that people are trapped by the 'internalised
echo' of authority.
As for the origins of conscience, this remains unclear. If we are to
accept that the conscience is the voice of God, we must then question
as to why ideas of morality are relative, varying from one society to
another. It may be that it is necessary for the individual to have
faith in God for his conscience to be developed. Indeed, this would
account for the apparent lack of conscience of serial killers, for
example.
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[1] Michel Despland, writing in Mircea Eliade's Encyclopedia of
Religion
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To what extent is this view represented in your prescribed text and ONE text of your own choosing