What is the definition of matter of conscience in the context of elected officials and how they vote?

Because only bad things happen when we bring up that topic. Having it between a mother and her doctor is a cop out and gives a sense of relief to politicians.

@talljasperman what wouldn’t qualify as a matter of conscience? Is labeling the GMO products an example of what wouldn’t qulaify as a matter of conscience?

Anything can be construed as a matter of conscience, because what that does is co-opt the conversation away from a real debate, and makes it a religious rights issue.

It’s a manipulative move and it’s hard to question because one gets to say “it’s a faith issue.”

It’s the usual coating of semantics that further defines politics as a very oily despicable business. As a reply to a question “it’s a matter of conscience” is carnival speak for I’m not going to answer”

What @zenvelo said.

Matters of conscience are usually moral issues. Issues where conscience might not come into play are those with a concrete core where there is no moral dilemma.

So, please give most obvious examples that can’t be matter of conscience?

@flo Building a highway, oops! Then it’s a matter of spending money that belongs to rich people, that’s theft not taxes and and against the Ten Commandments. Anything can be a matter of conscience. It’s part of being holier than thou.

What do labor unions for eg., say about the rich? That they got that rich by underpaying employees to one degree or another.

By the way according to a couple of you, only religious people have conscience!

@flo It’s only “religious people” who claim their conscience takes precedence over everyone else’s.

What labor unions say about the rich is not a matter of conscience, but a matter for debate and public policy, and they don’t say if you disagree with them that you are trampling on their First Amendment right of religious freedom.