One's Own Conscience

"...but a real punishment, the only real, the only frightening and appeasing punishment, which lies in the acknowledgment of one's own conscience" (Dosteovsky, The Brother's Karamazov).

I have gotten the chance to read, The Brother's Karamozov, and am trying to reread (it's difficult).  I love the book.  It has had a profound impact on my thinking and every time, when I get to page 64 (where this quote lies), I have to stop.

In this scene, there is a gathering of people (mostly brothers and an wise elder).  In the scene they are discussing the issue of separation of Church and state.  The discussion had been about excommunication and the punishments that would come if the Church ran the state.  In the middle of it all, the elder made this statement about how the real punishment would come in the form of acknowledging one's own conscience.  His claim was that if the Church were truly to judge criminals, there would be no mechanical punishment, but there would be one that would be harsher than anything we have developed...our conscience.

The elder continues to speak of Christ's law and how it manifests itself in the acknowledgment of our conscience. What does that mean?

I've been thinking about this for a few days, since I just reread it a couple days ago.  What is it about our conscience that would hit us hard? How does Christ's law manifest itself this way?

If you haven't read this classic...pick it up and commit to reading it (because it takes commitment).  More to come on the book...

Comments

[klaeb]

I guess its the fact that once you come to a realization that you are truly the one to blame for all of the wrongs that you have done and you cannot be angry at anyone but yourself...that has to come with immense feelings of worthlessness and lonliness...no doubt worse than any mechanical punishment you would be forced to endure.

I love that book even though i probably understand about half of it.