Wrestling with Conscience

A few years ago, I started noticing how many times "conscience" is mentioned in the NT letters.  I’d never thought of conscience as a particularly spiritual concept, but the number of repetitions (twenty one times across nine letters, to be exact) suggests that it is. 

At the same time, I’ve noted that this concept seems to be disappearing more and more from common thought and conversation for both the spiritually-minded and the not-so-much-so.  Struggles of conscience, whether shared seriously, sarcastically, or even by way of gossip, are becoming an endangered breed of discussion.  It might be more accurate to say: an increasingly mutated breed of discussion.  

Here is the Old School Understanding of Conscience: I must discern and choose between the impulses of good and evil within my own mind and body.  Evil will move me to betray self, neighbor, and God in order to do what feels good or benefits me for the moment, while offering various justifications for doing so.  Conversely, Good will suggest, “Just restrain yourself (or continue forward despite opposition), do the right thing, pay the price, be patient, and you’ll feel better about it later.”   

The New School of Understanding speaks differently.  The angel on my right shoulder now advocates that I follow my natural impulses in order to be true to myself, true to love, true to a cause, or at least true to the impulses themselves.  Meanwhile, the devil on my left shoulder spouts inhibitions and condemnation in an attempt to prolong my enslavement to judgmentalism, personal timidity, moral conventions, or simply to the commonplace wisdom of the past.  I must shake free of these.  Old School: If you're encountering roadblocks of the conscience, change your direction.  New School: Clear the road and press forward.

Yes, some inhibitions are indeed bad, and many impulses are truly good, but think it through: as an overall recipe for conscience, does it not seem that this new model is a very dangerous one?  That the measure and goal of this new model only revolves around self, and not others (not to mention God)?  That some of what was once considered good is now called “evil” and vice-versa (which should at least elicit serious analysis on our part before proceeding forward)?  That the heroism this model calls for is only personal and psychological; not relational, and not sacrificial?  That this model escapes the rigidity of the old directive to "Do the right thing," only to embrace new mantras largely spawned by commercialism and the entertainment industry (such as "You deserve ______" and "It can't be wrong, if it feels right") that are far less noble in their implications?  And lastly, but not finally: that we’ve swung away from self-denial toward self-indulgence as that which is worthy of praise and honor?

If Impulse is to become the new morality... how do you feel about that?  The answer says much about how you perceive conscience.

I'll have a few posts forthcoming on my recent wrestlings with this subject, in which I will dig into the twenty-one citations of “conscience” mentioned above (plus a few related items) but this seems a good stopping point for this one. I’m interested in your observations, if you’d care to share...

Habits of Overcoming #1: Guarding

Thanks to CathyCracks at Flick'r

Ancient cities posted watchmen on the city wall.  When one of them saw trouble on the way, the city’s gates would be closed, and the enemy would be forced to do battle with stone walls, rampart defenses and massive barricades before ever gaining access.  And solid defenses did more than just stall the enemy... in many instances, a city's foes were so effectively discouraged that they never bothered to attack in the first place.  Contrast this to many of us, however, who are allowing temptation to enter our lives unchecked - doors left wide open - and then acting surprised when its attacks trump our good intentions!

THE STEPS:
1) Identify the Means: If the attack is lust, then the vehicle may be images, a 900 number, or the fact that you’re staring at and/or thinking of someone or some thing inappropriately.  If the attack is greed, then the means may be a certain store, website, catalog, TV show, or the presence of people who worship money and material goods.  If the attack is gluttony, then eating establishments, advertisements, and shopping aisles are all possible adversaries.  Add an "etc" here, and use your common sense to apply this to other areas.

2) Close the Gates: When the screen, audio, page or person starts exalting sensuality, don’t wait to see if the rest of the presentation is going to take it down a notch; end the audience and walk away.  When the internet tells you to spend your money right now, delete the email, surf to safer waters, shut it down.  Or if a temptation on the net is amplified by privacy, cancel your service and just use the free stuff in public places.  When you hear that familiar segue in the conversation that's going to lead into gossip and backbiting, excuse yourself.  Back out of the drive-through - or if it's too late for that, you can still leave them holding the bag... as long as you paid for it ;).  Paying the price and enduring a little embarrassment now will make you feel much better (and stronger) later.  Whether the problem is gambling, drinking, drugging, or WHAT EVER, there are relatively easy ways to close the gates and protect yourself, so just do it! 

3) Exterior Clean Up: Stop leaving "invitations" to mess up sitting around the house, car or workplace - destroy the offending items and refuse to replace them.

4) Interior Clean Up: NEVER wax sentimental over the articles of your enslavement.  Get serious. 

TIPS FOR WIMPS
◗ Think back.  What good and lasting thing have you ever gained by leaving the door open to temptation?  On the other hand, what have you lost or suffered through as a result?
◗ Be honest.  If you still want to indulge the temptation a bit, this exercise (and this blog) is a waste of your time.  Make up your mind firmly first.
◗ Think ahead.  Whatever you can do to identify and defuse (or avoid) upcoming tempting situations is to your advantage.

THE UNDERLYING PRINCIPLE:
The better your protection is, the less destruction can take place.  And once your heart is well-guarded, there will be many times when you don’t have to fight at all; temptation simply won’t get close enough.  It's more than worth the cost, isn't it?