Conscience issues...

[aperture]

I would suggest reading the article “The Incon Inconvenient Conscience” by George Cardinal Pell published in First Things, May 2005.

Why do people strain to accommodate absolute sexual freedom as a matter of conscience? Why does no one plead for the right to racism or sexism as a matter of conscience? Could it be because the liberal concept of conscience has been specially formulated in order to facilitate the sexual indiscipline that our culture upholds?

Racism and sexism are blatantly discriminatory actions that very clearly hurt people. Contraception is not so black and white. To say that people are conflicted over sexual freedom because they’re libertine cowards is a pretty sad straw man.

Much of the debate over conscience in Catholic circles focuses on the possibility of a conscience set against the Church’s teaching. This seems to me a peculiar notion. For a start, it seems to mean that dissenters believe that following the Church on, say, contraception or same-sex relationships, would actually give them a guilty conscience. Yet it seems clear that most dissenters do not fear guilt if they obey the Church. What they fear is precisely the frustration of their unsatisfied desires.

People are more likely to fear guilt in dissent because - well, misery loves company. Many times it is much easier to be wrong with many people than right alone.

 

[Thoughtfulone]

Thoughtful one,
You are but one among many who are resoundingly befuddled by a conflict between your conscience and the rules of the Church. Don’t ever feel like the Lone Ranger.

I’d suggest making an appointment with a priest you can talk to, and discuss your conscience issues with him. Direct, personal spiritual advice from a priest who might know you and your situation is going to be better than any from a faceless Internet forum. And if he doesn’t have a convincing explanation and answer for you, he can probably set you up with someone who can.

Please continue to pray and see if you can get somewhere with your priest; God gave us His rules to follow, and He also gave us an intellect and a will. He expects us to use both of those faculties. I’ll say a few for you, too…

Regards,
Ponyguy

Thank you so much for your kindness! I will try and work up the courage to talk to my priest about it at my next confession. I can see that this is going to be a journey and not a “one and done” sort of problem. Hopefully I don’t get hit by a bus anytime soon

 

[Thoughtfulone]

I believe that God talks to each of us at every moment - a constant communication.
Every one has different problems / different situations.
If I listen, I will hear Him telling me the answer that I should make.
It is the answer for my situation; it may not be correct for another.

I talk to God about my problems. I don’t ask for a specific solution. I listen for what He tells me.
I walk the path that He shows me with faith that He is leading me to Him.
My path is for me, your path is for you. In the end, they all lead to Him.

Go with Love, Go with God

This is absolutely what I have always believed! I think lately it is fear alone that has been making me doubt what I have always felt in my heart to be true, which to me seems to be the lowest form of conscience, if it can be called conscience at all. Thank you

 

[tr1954]

O.K., so I’ve been having some issues with the CC lately. I agree with the CC on most things. The Nicene creed reflects my beliefs accurately. However, there are certain things where we part ways. For example, the CC might say that one particular “sin” involves “grave matter”, making it a mortal sin, when my conscience tells me that a certain act does not rise to that level, if sinful at all (contraception is a good example, especially where the health of the mother is at stake). I also disagree with the CC regarding indulgences. I think the idea that the Church knows what actions grant partial or plenary indulgences is strange to say the least.

Anyway, the CC basically says that if I disagree with them on matters of conscience, then my conscience is improperly formed. O.K. So I go about trying to adjust my conscience through prayer, research and reflection and still that darned conscience is awfully stubborn. Now what? Well, some tell me that I need to practice the virtue of obedience and just do what the CC says regardless (this rings untrue to me, blindly following something I may not believe in) while others say that church teaching tells me that I am obligated to follow my conscience (which sounds right to me). Well, I can’t do both, obviously. I love my Church, I really do, but I am having much difficulty reconciling myself to this issue.

Also, If my conscience really tells me that something is not sinful (or at least mortally so) because I do not truly believe it to fall under “grave matter” after MUCH prayer and reflection, then am I still in a state of mortal sin if I follow my own conscience on the matter and not church teaching? I mean, I am not deliberately committing a mortal sin right, so the conditions are not met? Or are they? I am so confused!

I love my Church, but I am feeling increasingly frustrated. I cannot CONTROL my conscience, I can only do my due diligence in trying to form it in accordance with God’s will, which I believe I am doing/have done, but people on this site and others seem to have a mentality where if you don’t follow every SINGLE thing the Church says, conscience or no, you are some sort of ****** Catholic and you might as well just join the baptists or something. Well I still consider myself to be a Catholic in all the ways that are truly important and I love my Church and I love God, so now what?

LOL!..This is how I know this…please, I mean it as a joke!

Rule #1: The Church is always right!

Rule #2: If you feel contrary in some cases…then rule #1 gets automatically implemented!

have a nice day!

 

[aperture]

LOL!..This is how I know this…please, I mean it as a joke!

Rule #1: The Church is always right!

Rule #2: If you feel contrary in some cases…then rule #1 gets automatically implemented!

have a nice day!

You may mean it as a joke, but it seems awfully close to the official Church position!