Doesn't the conscience bear a striking resemblance to the judgement in the afterlife that religions suggest?
Of course it does; a clear conscience is blissful, and a weighted conscience is agonizing. A spiritual agnostic who do not believe in heaven or hell might instead believe that there is only a heaven on earth: a clear conscience.
You can achieve a clear conscience by actively trying everyday to lead a benevolent life and to motivate yourself with love. A sin is an act that conflicts with love. It is your responsibility to evaluate your own motivations. Keep in mind that motivations which are based on impulses have an inherent separation from altruism. Some impulses might be altruistic depending on the circumstance, but since impulses gratify the ego, it might be difficult for you to determine the objective selflessness of your impulses alone. If you are conflicted, the essential challenge is to be honest with yourself about the nature of your love.
In some religions, a heaven is promised as an afterlife to those who have led "good" lives, and minor sins may be forgiven by God. Some spiritual agnostics believe that this kind of reward is only experienced on Earth in the form of a clear conscience. Of course, other spiritual agnostics do believe in an afterlife. However, the bottom line is that either way, a clear conscience is a satisfying reward to those who are satisfied with their lives. It really doesn't matter whether the individual believes in an afterlife or not.
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What happens when what my conscience determines is right contradicts someone else's conscience? Who or what is the arbitrator? This view seems to undermine any right to moral outrage about racism or sex trafficking, to name a couple of examples.
ReplyDeleteThere's a distinction here between ethical values and moral satisfaction. Just because you feel justified about something doesn't necessarily make it alright by anyone else. What is subjectively moral might still be unethical. Outrage over other people's actions may certainly be justified.
ReplyDeleteA clear conscience might not leave you blameless, but is a much more reliable goal than superstition.
Hmmm. Interesting. By superstition do you mean religion? I would agree the human conscience is a guide but a faulty and unreliable one at that. I have some empathy for your statements about religion (divisiveness and intolerance it produces) but I think your critique works against "spiritual agnosticism" as well. It too is a religion (set of beliefs about the nature and purpose of humanity and the world) which is guilty of the very intolerance and superiority it claims to critique (e.g., those who are not as logical as supposed agnostics are deemed as inferior emotionalists). Personally, I've encountered many adherents of spiritual agnosticism as well as religious pluralists who are inclusive in theory but just as exclusive as Christians in practice.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to dialogue more with you. I have a lot to learn and empathize with you on a few points.
Yes, I agree completely. The Rastafarians have a simular thing called Zion meaning 'Heaven on Earth'. It's part of their spirtual beliefs. I am Spirtualy Agnostic but I do greatly respect the way Rastafarians live their life in their spirtual matter. And I also just wanted to say your blog made more since to me than anything I've ever read, seen, or heard before. Thank u
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