Journal 15

What is an Informed Conscience?

In order to make a decision doctor’s access a wide range of medical knowledge and patient history in order to diagnose a problem and treatment. The same principle can be applied to making moral decisions. We must be well informed regarding all the facts of the situation, moral values, virtues and laws in order to make our final decision. Therefore, an informed catholic conscience is an educated conscience that knows in any given situation.

Read the following scenario and answer the questions:

Roger Smith, a quite competent swimmer, is out for a leisurely stroll. During the course of his walk he passes by a deserted pier from which a teenage boy who apparently cannot swim has fallen into the water. The boy is screaming for help. Smith recognizes that there is absolutely no danger to himself if he jumps in to save the boy; he could easily succeed if he tried. Nevertheless, he chooses to ignore the boy’s cries. The water is cold and he is afraid of catching a cold — he doesn’t want to get his good clothes wet either. “Why should I inconvenience myself for this kid,” Smith says to himself, and passes on.

1. There are always TWO sides to a conscience. What would Roger’s conscience be telling him?

Helpful, good side - Roger’s conscience would be telling him to go and try to save the teenage boy. Use your talent to your advantage and help someone from the danger of lossing his life.

Worry about your self, negative side - Don’t worry about him he got him self their, he can get him self out. And look at you with your new clothes, you don’t want to wreck them by getting them wet. You took the stroll to relax, not to go out and start rescuing people in need of help.

2. Think of an example of Jesus’ teaching and explain how his teachings can help us to make an appropriate decision?

In Jesus’ teachings, one of the most important parts of his life was when he sacrificed his own life for the rest of us and to take away the sins of the world. Jesus thought of making the decision of sacrificing his life because he thought it was the best thing he could of done that would benifit everyone.

Jesus is not saying to do as he did but to help people even if you think you might be in danger but in doing so would benifit another persons life and would be rewarded for that.