How to decide what is right and wrong?
By Hope
@1hopefulman (45111)
Canada
September 9, 2018 10:13am CST
Who do you think should ultimately decide what is right and what is wrong?
* It's an individual decision in that each person should decide for himself
* The majority of society should decide for everyone else in a vote and so we will go with whichever side gets 51 % of the vote
* We should leave it to the government to make the decision for the people
* We should go by whatever is stated in a Holy Book
23 people like this
23 responses
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
9 Sep 18
Is the conscience enough? What if one killed someone and as far as their conscience was concerned, they felt it was the good and right thing to do?
2 people like this
@Kandae11 (57233)
•
9 Sep 18
@1hopefulman I am sorry, there are some people who have no conscience whatsoever -it is unfortunate, but in my opinion those are lost cases.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
@Kandae11 Yes, I agree that there is not much that can be done with those that have no conscience or one that is perverted or corrupted.
In John 16:2, Jesus mentioned that some would kill some of his followers and think that they would be doing a service to God.
Do you think that for a conscience to guide one properly it also needs to be guided by something or someone?
2 people like this
@Starmaiden (9308)
• Canada
9 Sep 18
Are you speaking collectively or individually?
3 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
9 Sep 18
I think I am touching on both individually and collectively. Feel free to comment on either or both.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
@Starmaiden Yes, in some matters I would agree that each person should be able to choose but are there not also matters that should be universal such as killing, child abuse, mistreatment of women, etc?
2 people like this
@Starmaiden (9308)
• Canada
9 Sep 18
@1hopefulman I think choices are individual and should be decided by each person. What is right for one may be wrong for another. 
2 people like this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
9 Sep 18
I agree with @Kandae11 that your conscience, amending what she said to include-informed by your knowledge of what society expects, demands, or prohibits, should be your guide. Please note, I wrote "informed by..." not dictated by. Sometimes society gets it wrong and needs to be educated and corrected.
3 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
9 Sep 18
But who's going to decide whether the individual is wrong or right or whether society is wrong of right?
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
@DWDavis Yes, at times we learn from hindsight from making mistakes and only after much suffering has been caused.
We have waged many wars and it seems that we haven't really learned much as wars still plague us. Some hailed WWI as the war to end all wars. It didn't seem to work!
If only we could learn from good foresight, we could avoid a lot of suffering and pain.
.
2 people like this
@DWDavis (25797)
• United States
9 Sep 18
@1hopefulman History will decided. We know now that Ghandi was right, that women's suffrage was right, that slavery was wrong (though there are more slaves no than ever, mostly in the Arab world and Asia), etc. Such knowledge comes with hindsight.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
9 Sep 18
While I think the conscience is important but the problem is that people's consciences are molded by what society taught them and different societies view certain actions differently and even in totally opposite ways as how women and children are viewed in different societies.
3 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
@LadyDuck Since mistreatment and abuse has been going on for a long time, it seems that the conscience of some is either misguided or is not functioning properly. I think that laws and sound moral concepts will help someone's conscience only if the individuals loves these laws and moral values.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502148)
• Italy
9 Sep 18
@1hopefulman Do you believe that they really are in peace with their conscience? I do not think so. If people think that it's not a problem abusing those who are weaker, it's not the law or the religion that will change them.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
10 Sep 18
I feel that each individual is connected to a higher power, that many might call God. What is right, and what is wrong, is ultimately linked then as to what is loving, and what is non-loving.
God is love, and our conscience is a part of God, so we can essentially, allow our conscience to decide this question for us, and it will always be right.
Our conscience is connected to our heart, not to our mind, and so it cannot be dictated or changed by our thinking.
On the other hand though, our conscience is a separated instance of God in us for it connects us directly to God's truth.
Our conscience is our God part then, so we should listen to it, for it is never wrong.
It is not formed by anything lesser than God. It is not formed by any part of our self, by society, by parenting, or even by our environment.
Photo Credit:
The photo used here was freely sourced from the free media site: pixabay.com.
Our conscience knows when to say yes, and when to say no. Its signpost is connected to God.
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
@innertalks True! Let's hope that many more reconnect!
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
It seems to me that many of us have disconnected themselves from God and from love, as for example, we see a lot of killing, child abuse and other evil things.
3 people like this
@innertalks (23734)
• Australia
10 Sep 18
@1hopefulman Yes, all of that type of behaviour is a sure sign of such disconnection from God, I think too.
If we retain a strong connection to God, our conscience will also maintain its strength, and so be able to win over the evil thoughts in our minds, that sometimes seem to want to control, and to take over us.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
11 Sep 18
Yes, the thing would be to promote the good and avoid the harmful for others and ourselves. I came up with this little summary after thinking on the subject and seeing what other thought. What do you think?
1) We would go by what God says
2) Our conscience would be molded and guided by God
3) We would keep in mind not hurting anyone
4) We would think ahead and do only what would not hurt anyone and we would also not hurt ourselves
5) We would take responsibility and accept the consequences for what we choose to do
6) I do think that following the Bible is the best way to ensure that we do what is really right and avoid what is really wrong
2 people like this
@gofsey (1911)
• Madurai, India
13 Sep 18
@1hopefulman Yes, the Bible is an old book filled with wisdom of the ages. Our conscience needs to be clear even if we have done what others feel is wrong. And, it is because our thoughts are molded by God. Caring for others is the best way to keep our sensitivities alive. We need to be sensitive for then we will really be kind. It is nice to go through this.
Thanks for this list.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
So true! We should see what He says and follow his ways and commands.
2 people like this
@rsa101 (40946)
• Philippines
10 Sep 18
It looks kind of hard to really decide which one since our life is surrounded by many layers of truth that surrounds us. First you have the family the protects you then the community and eventually the whole society where you live in comes in. Each layer has its own unique do's and dont's in life choices. So we are bounded by those layers.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
So true! Let me see how I would answer my own question:
I would try to attach my thinking and feelings to how the True God thinks and feels about what is right and wrong. The True God would have to be a God of love, justice and impartiality and I would try to act in accordance wit that. It would probably not be easy in this world where there is much hatred and injustice but I would try to do my best.
2 people like this
@xstitcher (39002)
• Petaluma, California
16 Sep 18
I go by what God's Word says.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
That's a good question. Do you think that many have and many are following it?
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
15 Sep 18
The order I would follow is: God, conscience, society.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22199)
• United States
11 Sep 18
I think it should be left to the individual, not the government.
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
15 Sep 18
In my list of guides in levels of importance, it would go this way:
1) God
2) My conscience
3) Governments
1 person likes this
@db20747 (43419)
• Washington, District Of Columbia
18 Sep 18
@1hopefulman A very good list of guides!!!!
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
9 Sep 18
I think what is right or wrong is instilled at a very early age. Parents are role models who provide values to follow. Later, socialization among friends influence our behavior. Their really is not one answer to your question. Various factors play into our decision making as we age from child to adult and formulate our thinking on issues and circumstances. Introductions to religion may also influence us. And as stated this formulation of values helps us develop a conscience to also guide our decisions...
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
Since there is so much evil, it seems that the conscience will only be a good guide if it was trained and molded properly.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (135583)
• Marion, Ohio
9 Sep 18
I also agree that your conscience should be it.
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@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
10 Sep 18
It seems though that for many people the conscience is not working properly.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (44560)
• United States
18 Nov 18
I believe God puts a conscience in all of us. Because of free will and original sin, we each have the capacity to choose good or evil. God's Holy Word, our Bible is the only true road map for life. It teaches us what truly is right and wrong.
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
18 Nov 18
Yes, we all have a conscience but we can damage it if we keep ignoring it and that's what some people are doing. It is like traffic signs, we can see them and heed them or we can see them and ignore them.
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 Sep 18
God did lay out the basics for knowing right from wrong. In the early years of our lives, our parents should teach us right from wrong. As we grow older we should rely on the values taught by our parents and the Word of God. Then we won't stray into the wrong areas of life.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
14 Sep 18
I agree with @Kandase11 ...
of course certain rules must be followed and there is a certain faction of people, like sociopaths, who have no moral compass, then rules must be in place against wrongdoings...
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@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
14 Sep 18
Yes, the moral compass of some people is not functioning correctly and so more than one factor may have to come into play.
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@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
15 Sep 18
@FayeHazel Yes, not everybody wants to do what is good for all and not just their own selfish desires.
@1hopefulman (45111)
• Canada
26 Nov 18
@Nevena83 I have found that our hearts often lead us astray into doing things which harm us later.
1 person likes this
@Nevena83 (66063)
• Serbia
25 Nov 18
@1hopefulman Honestly, I do not know. I always believed that the truth is what comes from the heart than what comes from the head.
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