Conscience and conscious. Often it is not a conscious decision on our part to follow our conscience. Ironic, isn't it ? But every once and a while something happens that should alter our conscience. Sometimes we are not aware of that in a conscious way. The events in Paris is one of those times. Our good conscience tells us we should help those seeking refuge from the terror, but we are forced to be conscious of the dangers of doing so. A careful and critical examination must be conducted. It is a process called vetting. The issue is how to preform such a process on thousands on people and where to hold them while such a process is conducted. It is my opinion that we must not allow our conscience to set aside that necessity. Truly it is a moral dilemma.
It is the powers that be that ultimately make these decisions. It is true that protests and unrest may follow an unwelcome decision on their part but the decision will have been made. My concern lies only in that fact that I do not feel I have the right to make a decision that may jeopardize the lives of others. Regardless of any firmly held belief or act of conscience on my part, I can not gamble with the safety of others. Yes, risks always exist, but I should attempt to minimize them, not add to them. That is what my conscience tells me in this particular situation. I must be aware, conscious, of this danger. The decision must be a conscious one, not one of conscience. It is not a decision made out of fear but of reason. It is only what is prudent at this time.
I am not advocating for the abandonment of these people altogether. We do hold a moral obligation to help our fellow man. I am saying we should not bring the wolves into the flock ! Until such time as we can reasonably determine who is whom it is the only sensible action. Those of a different opinion will display graphic photos of children and women to appeal to our conscience. It is heartbreaking to see these images, no doubt, but we should not be distracted from making a conscious decision. We must remain aware. Like luring children with the promise of candy, they show us these images. Are the images real ? Yes, tragically they are all too real, but we should not be lured in.
I have no answer to this problem. I do feel that we must protect our own to the best of our ability. The numbers are overwhelming. There is no reasonable way to determine who is the threat and who is not. I would rather have erred and protected life than have erred to say I'm sorry. It is not fear but prudence that motivates me. I do not feel responsibility for the actions of those causing this situation. I do feel compassion for those affected. I also feel the necessity to protect my own. If others choose to judge me as immoral for that action, so be it. I, like everyone else, must answer only to my own conscience and my God.
I have not heard but wonder where the atheists, agnostics and others professing no faith in a deity of any kind weigh in on this. Which side of the coin do they choose ? If they truly are what they profess would not their decision be based solely on logic and reason ? This decision is not one of religious values but one of prudence. Amazingly, they seem to be silent. We all live according to our own set of moral laws. Jurisprudence, the theory or philosophy of law is being invoked here. In this case it is a matter of philosophy.
It is the powers that be that ultimately make these decisions. It is true that protests and unrest may follow an unwelcome decision on their part but the decision will have been made. My concern lies only in that fact that I do not feel I have the right to make a decision that may jeopardize the lives of others. Regardless of any firmly held belief or act of conscience on my part, I can not gamble with the safety of others. Yes, risks always exist, but I should attempt to minimize them, not add to them. That is what my conscience tells me in this particular situation. I must be aware, conscious, of this danger. The decision must be a conscious one, not one of conscience. It is not a decision made out of fear but of reason. It is only what is prudent at this time.
I am not advocating for the abandonment of these people altogether. We do hold a moral obligation to help our fellow man. I am saying we should not bring the wolves into the flock ! Until such time as we can reasonably determine who is whom it is the only sensible action. Those of a different opinion will display graphic photos of children and women to appeal to our conscience. It is heartbreaking to see these images, no doubt, but we should not be distracted from making a conscious decision. We must remain aware. Like luring children with the promise of candy, they show us these images. Are the images real ? Yes, tragically they are all too real, but we should not be lured in.
I have no answer to this problem. I do feel that we must protect our own to the best of our ability. The numbers are overwhelming. There is no reasonable way to determine who is the threat and who is not. I would rather have erred and protected life than have erred to say I'm sorry. It is not fear but prudence that motivates me. I do not feel responsibility for the actions of those causing this situation. I do feel compassion for those affected. I also feel the necessity to protect my own. If others choose to judge me as immoral for that action, so be it. I, like everyone else, must answer only to my own conscience and my God.
I have not heard but wonder where the atheists, agnostics and others professing no faith in a deity of any kind weigh in on this. Which side of the coin do they choose ? If they truly are what they profess would not their decision be based solely on logic and reason ? This decision is not one of religious values but one of prudence. Amazingly, they seem to be silent. We all live according to our own set of moral laws. Jurisprudence, the theory or philosophy of law is being invoked here. In this case it is a matter of philosophy.
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