A

Conscience, Time, and Life 115

have shown the various places that we could visit and pointed out which
directions would be most profitable for this job of programming the mind.
In summary, I suggest that so far we have come up with four main
conclusions: First, the task of mental programming should start with Mercy
and Perceiver thought because, in every person, they contain the mental
map and tour guide. Second, we should focus our effort on the project of
building an internal world. Applying ourselves to this task will allow us to
become individuals and to construct the type of mental home which we
want, thus freeing us from the factory built, assembly line, row house
version delivered by automatic thought. Third, any system of belief which
we put together should leave room for time and sequencing. If we want to
build something which is truly capable of supporting life, we will not settle
for static facts. Rather we will look for something dynamic which can
handle change. Finally, our statements of belief will need to be given in
general terms. That way we leave room for human freedom.
Summarizing all of this, we should pursue „life.‟

Conscience

So what is a „general principle within the internal Mercy-Perceiver
world that includes time‟ other than a mouth full of intellectual words? I
suggest that this combination describes conscience. But wait. Didn‟t I just
relate this mixture to „life‟? How can the same mental elements be
connected with both life and conscience? After all, isn‟t conscience the
„little voice‟ that stops me from living? Hmmm. Well, let us see if logic
can get us out of this dilemma. We will dissect conscience and examine
whether its components are compatible with life.
First, we need a specimen to dissect. Suppose that mother turns to
Johnny, wags her finger at him and says, “Johnny, if you take a cookie
from this table, then you will get a spanking.” First of all, we have a solid
Perceiver connection: The Mercy experience of „taking a cookie‟ is being
linked with the Mercy event of „getting a spanking,‟ and if mother‟s hand
is as firm as her word, this definitely promises to be a solid connection.
Does this connection involve belief? You‟d better believe it does! If
Johnny wants to avoid a spanking, he needs to believe the words of his
mother.
Second, this
Perceiver connection
involves experiences
which are separated by
time. „Taking the
cookie‟ is followed by
„getting a spanking.‟
Conscience would not work very well if father came home and said,
“William, I have decided to punish you now for all of the cookies which