Private Conscience

Note: a repost from an article i've written in May 20, 2009 in a blog that i've discontinued

I think that when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties, they lead their country by a short route to chaos. 

from"A Man for All Season"

I am watching once again the 1966 movie of Fred Zinneman about the Life of Sir Thomas More entitled " A Man for All Seasons". It a wonderful movie about standing one's group over an issue even at such insurmountable odds and dire consequences.

Most of us know that Thomas More has already been declared a saint by the Catholic Church and rightly so. What is wonderful about the movie is the fact that it didn't present it is the view of his saintliness by his humanity. The dialogue is much more of a courtroom drama rather than drama.

The quote above is something to ponder about because it creates a debate on which is to be followed when holding office, is it your own conscience or is it your duty as a civil servant. With the separation of church and state, we sometimes encounter laws that must be implemented but is not morally sound based on our beliefs.

Which would you follow? I have my own convictions about it and that's a blog for another day.