Jaime Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 One of the goals of proper catechesis is the rightly formed conscience. With a rightly formed conscience, we are better equipped to make the daily decisions in our lives. I've heard many people talk about the idea of a rightly formed conscience and infer that they were in possession of one. The question that I have is, "Can a person assess for himself/herself that (s)he truly has a rightly formed conscience? " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam42 Posted March 25, 2005 Share Posted March 25, 2005 Great question..... Short answer, I would say no. That is why we have the Church. Precisely because we are sinful, we cannot judge for ourselves. It is ultimately the problem of evil. However, I won't say any more. I want to see what others say. I will add more later. Hey hot stuff, where did you get that Theology degree from again? Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam42 Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 I think that this is an important question and/or potential discussion, so........ Bump-arino. Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Good question The answer is no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cam42 Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 Why no? Surely you have a reason for saying no. Whatdya think? Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
God Conquers Posted March 27, 2005 Share Posted March 27, 2005 That is a GREAT question.... I would be hesitant, however to try and answer it... Of course I'd LIKE to say I have a well-formed conscience, but then again I'm not very objective. It's clear that I make moral mistakes, which I can sometimes attribute to bad conscience (I mean, wouldn't it speak up more?) Then again, is our measuring stuck the Church? Because if so, isn't there a bit of circular logic? You have a well-formed concience if you adhere to the teachings of the Church and your adherence to those teachings determines the well-formedness(?) of your conscience. Tough.... for me at any rate.... I'd like to see some of the more scholastically inclined weigh in on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted March 28, 2005 Author Share Posted March 28, 2005 Me too! I really think this can generate some interesting discussion. And I'm a [b]littleles[/b] tired of banging my head against the wall on other threads. Oops Freudian slip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessalonian Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 Paul says that he knows nothing against himself yet holds out the possibility that even he could be decieving himself. Can't remember the verse but that's the gist of it. So, no the individual can't be the final judge of right or wrong based on his or her conscience. This Terri Shiavo thing in Florida is a prime example of how easily peoples consciences can be decieved. Stay with the Church and it's moral teachings and you will be fine however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaime Posted March 28, 2005 Author Share Posted March 28, 2005 [quote] Stay with the Church and it's moral teachings and you will be fine however.[/quote] That is the first step to a rightly formed conscience. Assent your will to all Church teachings. So if someone has assented their will completely to the Church, would they be justified in believing that they had a rightly formed conscience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thessalonian Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 A couple of related verses: 2 Corinthians 11 [Context] [Commentary] 3. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 1 Corinthians 15 [Context] [Commentary] 33. Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." 1 Cor 3 18: Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 1 John 1 8: If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Gal 6 3: For if any one thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Prov 3:5 Trust not in your own understanding, but rely on the Lord Jer 3:15 I will give you shepherds after my own heart who will give you KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING. We can be deceived. We need to keep an ear to the Shepherds that Christ has left us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelFilo Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 The human person cannot attain perfection without God. Ther eis no promise of a perfect concious, and even 1000 years of living will make our concious anymore perfect. The concious is a sure standard if well-formed, but we can never truely tell if it is fully formed. That is why they hadn out those pamphlets to help you examine your sins... because we aren't the best judges, as we are partial and aren't perfect nor can we attain it (without God). Id on't remember any promises about having a perfectly formed concious. God bless, Mikey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 (edited) [quote name='hot stuff' date='Mar 25 2005, 01:01 AM'] The question that I have is, "Can a person assess for himself/herself that (s)he truly has a rightly formed conscience? " [/quote] A properly formed conscience has the ability to perceive truth. If it is true that a person's conscience is properly formed, that person can perceive that their conscience is properly formed. Talk of [i]perfectly[/i] formed consciences is rather abstract, unless it is applied to our Blessed Mother. Edited March 28, 2005 by james Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philothea Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 [quote name='hot stuff' date='Mar 25 2005, 01:01 AM']One of the goals of proper catechesis is the rightly formed conscience. With a rightly formed conscience, we are better equipped to make the daily decisions in our lives. I've heard many people talk about the idea of a rightly formed conscience and infer that they were in possession of one. The question that I have is, "Can a person assess for himself/herself that (s)he truly has a rightly formed conscience? "[/quote] Does "rightly formed" mean "entirely correct"? If it does, then no, I don't see how anyone can evaluate themselves to that degree, making it a useless concept. I think having "rightly formed conscience" ought to mean that someone has examined whatever moral questions they face, researched anything pertinent: philosophy, economics, church teaching, effect on others, etc., prayed about it, and [i]then[/i] made the best decision(s) they could. (They should keep reevaluating as situations change, too.) I think that would qualify as having a rightly formed conscience. I think a person could evaluate whether they'd done so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 [quote name='Cam42' date='Mar 27 2005, 07:12 PM'] Why no? Surely you have a reason for saying no. Whatdya think? Cam [/quote] Easter supper is not conducive to deep thoughts. Did you ever try to successfully measure how tall you are? Because of the sin of Adam I have a permanent tendency toward sin and self deception. I can convince myself of anything and everything if I want it badly enough. I can never by objective or [totally rational] or outside myself to see what can be plainly apparent to others. I want to be 5'4". And I can twist and turn to make it so. But its not reality. I need a yardstick to measure by, and someone else to do the measuring. Consciences are the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarpeDiem88 Posted March 28, 2005 Share Posted March 28, 2005 No. God can only do that. Your conscience is highlighted by conviction. If you're convicted about something you've done, it's all in it's own time. Conviction determines a rightly formed conscience. You'll never know someone else's conviction, unless they let you know. Like I said, it's up to God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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