The Democracy of our Conscience Made Clear - 1

A Recent Discussion with Substack Author Shalini

Can we talk? I was wondering if we can directly talk so you can tell me what’s this new concept you are trying to teach.

The teaching to love one’s enemies can be taught to believers and non-believers alike as loving the enemies of our conscience. It is not based on faith but on knowledge. I apply this knowledge to capitalism, abortion, moral standards, and democracy overall.

I do see that, however, I am unable to clearly understand what you are saying in that essay so far.

Can you give me an example?

“Looking back on our conscience often happens when someone makes us more important with the principle”. First things first, who are you? You have a bunch of essays here and I’d love to know your in depth take on what all this is. (The principle is loving the enemies of our conscience without being against ourselves.)

I prefer to stay anonymous because I don’t want my religious (or nonreligious) beliefs to get in the way. I’m reaching out to believers and non-believers to show them that there is a way we can connect deeply aside from our beliefs through knowledge.

I do understand that. How about google chat then? Because I really don’t have the time to go through all of that to understand where you are coming from. And I’d love to know if I am mistaken where I am mistaken.

For now, I’m only working through Substack, but I plan to set up these other means at some point. Have you clicked on the links?

I did click on the first one, it feels abstract and I don’t like abstract. I like concrete information. Reach out to me when you can. I’d love to understand your perspective.

The conscience cannot always be expressed in concrete examples. The first question is do you believe that some people are blind in their conscience?

By that do you mean, some people ignore the voice of their conscience?

Yes, but beyond that our inner vision works from our conscience.

What do you mean by inner vision?

Most of us know it only as imagination, but when it is based on knowledge of the truth, it is an inner light that is peace and love. (Talking about it in the abstract is necessary because the dimensions of this light do not exist outside the conscience.)

What is the truth according to you? I think what you are trying to say is we should have a connection with our soul. Am I correct?

In part. We are beings with conscientious awareness that draw our existence from what I call Name, which is to some God to others Life, that which is greater than all of us.

Ok I think I can understand that. Go on

Our nature like Name’s is to make each other more important in our conscience without being against ourselves. When we make ourselves more important, we blind ourselves to the light of our conscience and theirs.

I think what you are trying to say is that we need to practice mindfulness in our thoughts and actions while consciously considering the ethical and moral implications of our behavior and actions. Am I correct ? Are you saying we have to value others more than ourselves?

No, we all have the same value. But love means to make another more important.

How do we make another more important? Doesn’t that mean we value them more than ourselves?

We first must do it in our conscience, that is, we mustn’t eclipse their light with our own, but humble our light to see the beauty of theirs in Name’s. This is giving their value precedence.

You mean consciousness, don’t you? What you are saying is, we have to try to see them for who they are and not look at anybody from our perspective alone, am I correct?

I’m using conscience according to the Greek word suneidesis, which combines conscience and consciousness into moral consciousness.

Ok go on

Yes, looking at others from our perspective is using poor perception in our conscience.

Ok continue

We need to see beyond all appearances of our physical life. We shouldn’t ignore behavior, but we need to learn the difference between willful behavior and blind behavior, which is due to addiction in the conscience.

So what you are saying is, we need to understand whether these people are doing what they are doing out of ignorance or willfulness ?

Am I correct ?

It is not just ignorance. That can be remedied with knowledge without making a choice. We need to recognize the difference in ourselves first.

What difference in ourselves do we need to recognize? George this is very difficult for me to grasp, I hope you will be able to help me see what you are saying correctly.

Let’s take the example of alcoholism. If I'm an alcoholic but choose to change, my will to stop drinking is not active yet, but the addiction is active until then.

Ok got that

It is no longer my will to drink but I will blindly drink while I’m still an alcoholic

There is the willpower and there is the addiction which is slavery to something and willpower doesn’t have any control over it.

Yes. Now let’s consider hatred an addiction in the conscience.

Hmmm, that’s interesting! You are saying hatred is an addiction ?

Yes, if I suddenly see the value of someone and choose not to hate them, but still feel hatred rising up in me at times, is that not like the desire for alcohol rising up when I don’t want to drink?

Hmmm, I never looked at hatred from that angle. That sounds interesting

Go on

You see our connection in Name is both individual and collective. Thus we have individual and collective wills. If I choose to stop hating someone, but I live in a society that values hating them, I will feel the desire to hate them from society if I have not freed myself from this collective will.

So what you’re saying is if we belong to the Democratic Party we will hate the Republican Party and vice versa simply because we belong to that party and have a collective will or hatred against the other party?

No, you’re forgetting about our personal will. Like the person who keeps drinking until he or she becomes an alcoholic, we entertain hatred against others until it has blinded our conscience to them. It is blindness in our own conscience that links us to blindness in the social conscience.

Ok I think I understand this, go on. So you are saying that we have ignored our conscience long enough that we don’t feel it when we are acting in hatred against a certain party. Am I correct?

Yes, when drunk, an alcoholic is unaware of their real actions and their consequences..

Ok got it

Go on. So you are saying we have become so drunk with our hatred against each other that we no longer consider its implications

Yes. When we are drunk on hatred, we easily think we are doing the right thing but are in fact keeping ourselves blind in our conscience.

Hmmm, please tell me you are not a 20 year old. I think I understand now what you are saying, both the democrats and the republicans have got it all wrong. I hope you know what you are saying because this is really something.

Please, let’s keep my details out of this. The Democrats are closer to loving their enemies because they have much greater empathy for the diversity of others. But they haven’t understood loving the enemies of conscience either.

I am sorry, I didn’t mean to get you all wound up, I was just making some light hearted comments

Haha, I really like you.

In other words, just kidding because if you were a 20 year old, I would feel deeply embarrassed

Your questions have helped me explain this in a better way. Thank you very much.

But hey, my son is 21 and he gives me advice all the time, so, no hard feelings. Yes, I wish to understand what I don’t and you seem to have a point. I look forward to reading your next newsletter explaining this infused with a little bit of humor if possible! It will be a delight to read it nonetheless and I will promote it in a heart beat! Thanks for enlightening me with your new concept!

Thank you for your help.

Of course, you deserve notice! It was good talking to you

The knowledge has changed me for the good. So I know it can change others for the good and heal our relationships damaged by hatred. Nice talking with you too. (The democracy of our conscience needs healing. Consider step one in learning this knowledge.)

Ping me when u come out with the newsletter explaining all of this in detail

Will do

I love a good discussion especially when it has the capacity to change my perspective! Thank you for choosing me to discuss this with.

Thank you !