The thing about conscience is that when someone feels unsure about something, he's unsure about it - no matter whether it's him doing it or us doing it.
That's why it's unreasonable for us to expect someone who feels unsure about something to keep his conviction to himself and not to have misgivings about us doing it.
Because if something's indeed wrong, it wouldn't only be wrong for him, it would be wrong for us too!
So we shouldn't demand that someone keeps his conviction to himself and not take issue with what we do - because that would mean we don't really understand how conscience works.
Or, we know - but don't want to be responsible for it. Because if we know, it means we have to make allowances not only for our own conscience, but also for our brother's.
It might mean we have to modify our behaviour to suit our brother's conscience - because we can always refrain from doing something and still have a clear conscience: but our brother can't be expected to go against his conscience.
We have to take responsibility, rather than place a responsibility on our brother which is impossible for reasons of conscience.
If we shut down discussion on the matter, accuse our brother of not walking in love for having a conscience - that's not really walking in love on our part.
Therefore the onus of keeping the peace, is not with our brother who feels something might be wrong, it's with those of us who think it's fine.
I'm talking about non-essentials. Things we can live without.
Love makes provision for others' consciences, it doesn't just do what we want.
That's maturity.
That's why it's unreasonable for us to expect someone who feels unsure about something to keep his conviction to himself and not to have misgivings about us doing it.
Because if something's indeed wrong, it wouldn't only be wrong for him, it would be wrong for us too!
So we shouldn't demand that someone keeps his conviction to himself and not take issue with what we do - because that would mean we don't really understand how conscience works.
Or, we know - but don't want to be responsible for it. Because if we know, it means we have to make allowances not only for our own conscience, but also for our brother's.
It might mean we have to modify our behaviour to suit our brother's conscience - because we can always refrain from doing something and still have a clear conscience: but our brother can't be expected to go against his conscience.
We have to take responsibility, rather than place a responsibility on our brother which is impossible for reasons of conscience.
If we shut down discussion on the matter, accuse our brother of not walking in love for having a conscience - that's not really walking in love on our part.
Therefore the onus of keeping the peace, is not with our brother who feels something might be wrong, it's with those of us who think it's fine.
I'm talking about non-essentials. Things we can live without.
Love makes provision for others' consciences, it doesn't just do what we want.
That's maturity.
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