Re: Arson

[Popeyesays]

In a message dated 1/23/2005 12:11:24 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Gilberto: But then the larger question is whether the present-day conscience" is actually a perfectly reliable guide? Can we even reliably determine what "the conscience" is saying to us? I mean, if everyone could just listen to their conscience, and the conscience was reliable then we wouldn't have any real need for religion.   No, the conscience is not a perfect guide. But the society is a perfect society within its paradigm The one thing we can accurately determine for ourselves with no assistance is that our conscience judges our actions with absolute accuracy. That is part of the human logos. There is other absolute truth in this: We do not always act as our conscience dictates. The whole concept of "guilt" arises from this paradox. Our acts do not always  meet our own inward judgement of our acts. This is where we need the Revelation of God so our actions may be better rectified with out "conscience". Part of the problem is that people's conscience aren't always the most reliable. Even from a Bahai perspective, aren't there some very commonly-held moral opinions, even in the West which are just wrong? So why should popular conscience be the ultimate arbiter? Popular conscience and social conscience and inner conscience are three different things, are they not?   > As I said, it is only when some try to make one time and > places SOCIAL laws BE another time and place's social > laws that problems arise. What are the specific problems?   Trying to enforce the cutting off of a man's hand for theft becomes a problem when the rest of the world society perceives it to be brutal - for one instance.   Regards,   Scott __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:archive@mail-archive.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, use subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:bahai-st@list.jccc.edu Web - http://list.jccc.edu/read/?forum=bahai-st News - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Public - http://www.escribe.com/religion/bahaist Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.net New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/bahai-st@list.jccc.edu