Conscious Conscience

Last updated on: October 24, 2023 at 12:44 pm by C. Don Jones

Conscious Conscience 2023-10-24T12:44:24-06:00 C. Don Jones

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The White House scene in Oppenheimer demonstrates the need for a conscious conscience. The American Prometheus sits in the room with President Truman to whom he gave the destructive fire. He says, “Mr. President, I feel I have blood on my hands.” According to the story, Harry Truman did not have any problem using the atomic bombs to end the war with Japan. We have debated the point for many years now. J. Robert Oppenheimer possessed a conscious conscience. Harry Truman possessed a conscience. Apparently, it was not a conscious one.

What Do You Mean By Conscious?

Empathy is to understand the suffering of others. Yet, one can be aware of the depth or power of one’s actions as the cause of suffering in others. Looking at the example of Oppenheimer, he understood he was building a weapon meant to destroy thousands of people with a single use. His conscience plays an interesting game throughout the story. The weapon must be made before the Germans have a chance to build it. They will kill thousands of us if we do not.

The second part of the game is a claim of ignorance. The builder of the bomb cannot know for sure if it can be done. Nor can he be certain as to the exact power yielded by it. It does not matter if these things are true. They provide a certain comfort about what one is doing and sacrificing in the process.

An Example

“Do you not know I have the power to release you and power to crucify you?” (John 19:10b)

Pilate asks Jesus this from his own frustration. He is conscious of what he can and cannot do. Pilate is able to take the life of certain people. He can only give life through a pardon. Yet, Jesus neither denies the charges nor begs for mercy. Pilate is out of his depth. Jesus does not follow the script.

Pilate is conscious that he will be guilty of a great wrong in killing Jesus. But he is trapped in his own power. He can keep the peace. Or he can risk riots. Pilate has no empathy. He is aware of the power and responsibility in his hands which is why in other texts he washes them.

Conscious Power Traps

Pilate was competent. He could be ruthless. Many people like him are in positions of authority today. He is the man of the hierarchy. And, as said earlier, he is also trapped by it. If anyone claims in his place they would have done differently, let them take his place before they say anything with certainty.

Systemic evils appear to be impossibly immense in scope. The power trap does not encourage any conscious conscience. If a person tries to realign the system, they will find it destroying their good work eventually. Exposing systemic evil requires people with conscious consciences. They will either resolve to obliterate the system or will give it a little humanity for a time.

Oppenheimer and Pilate were trapped by the power struggle around them. What will the rest of us do?

The Systemic Problem

The corporate structure of our social order is replicated in government, churches, non-profits, and even family life (the latter is especially true when people pattern family life on reality TV personalities). And every time it is replicated it brings with it the same inefficiencies, dodging responsibility, and repressive measures to the organization. I cannot think of a better argument for not following corporate patterns anymore. But we are hard pressed to find an alternative structure other than syndicalism.

Would that be worth trying? If so, where do we begin dismantling what is in place while causing the least pain in doing it?

Previous Post

October 12, 2023

You Stand For Genocide...Again

Next Post

October 30, 2023 The Tombs of the Prophets

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Addiction Advent Afghanistan Anxiety Ascension Sunday Baptism Barack Obama Biblical Interpretation Bigotry Book Banning BSA Buddhism Choice Christmas Church Discipline Community Conscience Conspiracy theories COVID-19 Culture Wars death cults deconstruction Devotional Divine Judgment Donald Trump Earth Day Election Day empathy Environmentalism Evangelism Exploitation of the Poor Faith False Claims fascism Fear Forgiveness Genocide government Grace Gun Violence Halloween Hate Health Hillbilly Elegy Hindu Holy Communion Holy Week Homelessness Hope Identity Integrity Islam Joe Biden John Hagee Kamala Harris Labor Lent Liberation Theology Lies Love Love as action Neurological disorders Non-Christian Religions Online Worship Original Goodness Pandemic Peace Pentecost Philosophy Preaching Progressive Christianity Racism Redemptive Violence Myth Resentment Saint's Days Satire Sobriety social media Spiritual Self Care Spirituality Technology The Kingdom of God The United Methodist Church Theology Transfigurations Sunday Transgender persons Truth Uncategorized Violence Wesleyan Working Class

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 October 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 February 2018 January 2018 August 2017 May 2017 November 2016 July 2016 June 2016 November 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 February 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many chapters are in Proverbs?

Select your answer to see how you score.

27 31 22 50