Absolute Values and Personal Responsibility

I would argue that the pursuit of absolute values and the notion of personal responsibility are incompatible with each other. By absolute values I mean that there is a set of values which are immutable and apply in all circumstances and at all times. It is generally fundamentalist or evangelical religious people who espouse this idea. Such values are usually articulated in religious scriptures or by a religious leader. By personal responsibility I mean that one follows what one believes to be right and is prepared to take full responsibility for his actions.

The conflict arises when a person's conscience leads them to a different view than that which is proscribed by the absolute values which they otherwise believe to be infallible truth. A recent survey revealled that 80% of Catholics in UK do not accept all the teachings of the Pope but rather follow their own conscience in such matters!! But what happens when we go against our own conscience or sense of what is right or wrong in order to conform to a set of absolute values or beliefs?

It is here I believe that we would be abandoning the principle of personal responsibility. We are in effect saying "I will pass responsibility over to what my scripture is telling me or to a religious leader who is interpreting them for me even though in my heart of hearts I believe it to be wrong".

This can lead to otherwise good and tolerant people becoming discriminatory or worse in the name of absolute values. No, the proper course must be to say "My conscience is king and I will follow what it tells me and I am prepared to take full responsibility for what I believe, even if it conflicts with what you tell me!"