“A theist would answer the 'so what?' question by saying their soul would suffer in this life according to the feelings generated by a guilty conscience, and even if it didn't, an eternal consequence awaits>“
Most theists would say nothing at all. Most theists know nothing about the Christian bible and certainly nothing about various moral philosophies. A theist who believes in a “soul” and who has been taught a dogma about the theology he was born into might say an eternal consequence awaits IF (and only if) that is what he/she was taught to believe.
Your hypothetical was too vague for me to properly respond to. The only sort of person who would feel a nagging sense of a “debt unpaid” merely for minding his own business and doing no harm to others would be a person who was carrying the burden of centuries of ignorant dogma.
More to the point (and this is something missing in Brumstone, for example), who has admitted that he only obeys the rules because he is too frightened of punishment to disobey (how pathetic)--more to the point is the fact that most humans understand suffering and have a natural pity even for the suffering of total strangers--even, indeed, for dumb creatures of lake and woods. Having gotten thus far, the human traveler benefits further if he/she can think somewhat and understand the basic facts that safety, comfort, and peace profit greatly from human cooperation and a decent regard for human freedom.
Conscience, when it is predicated on sadistic dogma has been the lifelong burden of many people and countless great novels have been written which include such a theme. The novels of Dickens and Hardy--the Brontes, for exampe. Orphans brought up by strict and mentally ill religious representatives of God. Innocent minds being indoctrinated in fear and growing up with self loathing and guilt. Adults afraid of love and honest sexual pleasure with a great love because their (contaminated) “conscience” tells them it is evil.
Yes, conscience is a moral guide. Sometimes the worse…sometimes the very best. Nothing mystical about it. Someone trained by benevolent and wise parents and family and community stands a very good chance of having a “conscience” which steers him or her toward the kindest acts of humanity and away from everything gross and bestial. A great series which carries this idea as an underlying theme is the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever. In short, this leper is unable to access his power until he can escape the unearned guilt (and self loathing) in his conscience. It is much more than that as a story, however, and was written by an accomplished author with an English Doctorate, if memory serves. I highly recommend the entire series. |
