Quotes About Conscience

The older cruelty, which took the ugly form of workhouses, shame and stigma, was hard to bear because it required active harshness from the state and from individuals. The new cruelty, which leaves hundreds of thousands of children without a proper family, is imposed through many acts of generosity by the state and the taxpayers, and through the broad-minded tolerance of individuals and opinion-formers. It is therefore easier to bear in a society which has nationalized its conscience.

Our religion, such as it is, has abandoned the only territory where it could not be challenged, the saving of souls, and has given up troubling our individual consciences. Instead, it has joined in the nationalization of the human conscience, so that a man's moral worth is now measured by the level of taxation he is willing to support, rather than by his faith or even his good works.

“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

And the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brotherís keeper?”

“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brotherís blood cries out to Me from the ground.

Then God said to Abimelech in the dream, “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience, and so I have kept you from sinning against Me. That is why I did not let you touch her.

But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”

And if one of the common people sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the LORDís commandments, he incurs guilt.

Or if he touches human uncleanness—anything by which one becomes unclean—even if he is unaware of it, when he realizes it, he is guilty.

If someone sins and violates any of the LORDís commandments even though he was unaware, he is guilty and shall bear his punishment.

But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty of sin.

Afterward, Davidís conscience was stricken because he had cut off the corner of Saulís robe.

then my lord will have no remorse or guilt of conscience over needless bloodshed and revenge. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, may you remember your maidservant.”

After David had numbered the troops, his conscience was stricken and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg You to take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.”

Even if I have truly gone astray, my error concerns me alone.

Though evil is sweet in his mouth and he conceals it under his tongue,

Is not your wickedness great? Are not your iniquities endless?

The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight. Thinking, ëNo eye will see me,í he covers his face.

I will cling to my righteousness and never let go. As long as I live, my conscience will not accuse me.

If my heart has been enticed by my neighborís wife, or I have lurked at his door,

For that would be a heinous crime, an iniquity to be judged.

what will I do when God rises to judge? How will I answer when called to account?

this would also be an iniquity to be judged, for I would have denied God on high.

Why has the wicked man renounced God? He says to himself, “You will never call me to account.”