The Commonality of Humanity; the Things that make us ONE! (4) – Our Conscience! (My Most Viewed Series of Articles in Dr. Eugene’s Column)

Every religion talks about it. Philosophers have spent ages debating about it. Psychologists, neurologists and other scientists have tried to explain it. Eminent jurists, lawyers and different national constitutions try to relate with it. Writers of all ages have written about it. We hear it in music, art and motion films. Some called it the ‘voice within,’ others say it’s the ‘inner light.’ Albert Einstein called it the ‘inner voice.’ I’m talking about the conscience. It is something we all have in common. There is no simple definition of it but to guide us on what the conscience is, Wikipedia.org states:

‘Conscience is an aptitude, faculty, intuition or judgment of the intellect that distinguishes right from wrong.’ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscience)

That means that one who has a conscience has the capacity to decide on what is considered right or wrong. All humans have this capacity and to that effect, the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights states:
‘All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood’
—United Nations, Universal Declaration on Human Rights Article 1
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscience)

The conscience is recognized legally. That is why, a person who refuses to serve in the military on the basis of his faith, his conscience and freedom of thought is called a conscientious objector and anyone arrested on the basis of that and other related issues is called a prisoner of conscience.

Some people reason that if we all have a conscience, then why do many commit horrendous crimes like what happened in US yesterday. Why on earth would an adult male shoot point-blank on kids that are aged between 5 and 10 years of age? Does such a man have a conscience? The fact is that we all have a conscience. That conscience can be modified and altered by exposure to a host of personal and environmental factors. Why do armed robbers, assassins, mass murderers, etc take hard drugs, alcohol and other mood-modifying agents before going out on such missions? They do that because they want to dull or numb their conscience. Some undergo spiritualistic rituals and take blood oaths because they know that people can change their minds on the basis of their conscience and then fail to follow through on their assignments. Some carry out their missions not because they don’t have a conscience but because they are afraid of the repercussions of a failed mission. Sergeant Rogers of the infamous Death squad once said that of those he killed, there was one lady who pleaded dearly for her life. At first, he hesitated. For a moment, his conscience was at work. Later, when he thought of what will happen to him if he failed, he decided to carry out the mission regardless.

There is also the issue of mental illness. There are several mental health conditions that can make the sufferer lose his inhibitions and thus do things that are unconscionable. Even at that, if it’s a treatable condition and such individuals receive the needed help, they can regain their insight and the ability to exercise their conscience. Many of these persons suffer for long upon a realization of the harm they've caused. Soldiers are trained to cope with the agony of war and the kills. They are trained to withstand whatever comes their way. Yet, in spite of that training, many still have post-traumatic stress disorders. Why? They have a conscience. The conscience can be compared to a light bulb and a switch. When you turn off the switch, the light goes off. It does not mean there is no power. The power is there and any time the switch is turn on, the light comes back. Some people switch off their conscience, so to speak. That doesn't mean they don’t have one. Later on, whether they like it or not, the switch is put back on, and they suffer miserably from the guilt of their conscience.

No matter where you are on the earth, when we hear about the horrible deeds of others, we are terrified and shocked because we have a conscience. Even in the midst of wars or disasters, people risk their lives to save others because they have a conscience. Many persons have shown remarkable courage, stood up to dictators, fought against the norms of their society on the basis of their conscience. We are not robots. We were created with free will and with that a conscience that will guide us in the exercise of that free will.

People of all races, nationalities, tribes, religions and from whatever background have a conscience. It is that conscience that has guided people who live even in seclusion from modern civilization to enact laws to protect those who are vulnerable. It is that conscience which God created in all of us that makes us liable and accountable for whatever misdeed we commit. Ignorance of the law is no excuse because we all have an inherent and intrinsic conscience that guides us to distinguish right or wrong. God can call us to account because he created us with a conscience. One conscience! One God!

 

 

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