The Onus of Moral Responsibility

The Onus of Moral Responsibility

1991 7 July 18-19 The Onus of Moral Responsibility (495) When Jews were being arrested in Germany in the days of Adolf Hitler, many jokes about them came into vogue. One of them went like this. A Jew was running frantically along the road. Seeing him run so fast, another Jew asked him what the matter was. ‘You run too’” was his reply. When the other asked him why, the first Jew replied. “A wolf has escaped from the zoo and an order has been issued to shout it dead.” The second Jew then asked in amazement, “But how are we in danger? We aren’t wolves. Why on earth should we run away? The first Jew replied, “All right, we aren’t wolves. But can we prove it?”

This story illustrates the psychology of fear. One who goes in fear and trepidation considers every problem as if it were his own, anticipating that he will be held responsible if anything goes wrong. Being afraid of someone means that he finds himself weaker than the other party. When he is of the belief that the power of judgement lies in the hands of another person, and he fears that he might be held guilty, he wonders how he will plead ‘not guilty’ and whether he will finally be exonerated of all blame.

God’s power is the greatest of all powers, the ultimate power of all judgement rests with Him. As such, one who realizes God becomes ever conscious of, and perennially concerned about the consequences of his actions in the eyes of God. He starts thinking of how many errors he might be held guilty in the court of God. In order to save himself on this occasion, he becomes over-cautious in dealing with people, trying always to be generous towards others and to give them more than their due.

When any colleague or subordinate does anything wrong, he takes the blame on himself, because if God on the Day of Judgement were to say that he was responsible for the wrongdoer’s actions, he would have no excuse to offer to his Creator. If an act of cruelty is perpetrated, even without his knowledge, he trembles in fear of God. He holds it against him that, as a leader in full enjoyment of the trust of his followers, he remained in ignorance of this injustice. Again, he would have no excuse to offer to God. Similarly if anyone is unjust to another within his sphere of influence, he becomes agitated, because he fears that if God decreed that this incident had taken place due to the atmosphere created by his activities, he would not be able to prove his innocence. Then again, if someone calls out to him for help, and he subsequently becomes ill at ease thinking of his own inevitable condemnation, if God should consider that it was more important for him to have helped one of His servants, who was in need, than to have made excuses about having to do his own work.