A question of conscience

Being a good citizen. Paying taxes. Serving the community. Being political. The Social Contract. Patriotism. Nationalism. When the state asks for something do we give it? How much do we give?
In the year 2000 my book, In the World But Not of the World: Christian Social Thinking at the End of the Twentieth Century, was published. It was the culmination of of fifteen years thinking that produced three advanced degrees along the way.
If you boil it down, what I was thinking about then was loyalty to a way of living—a life committed to loving nonviolent relationships (following the Christ, and other witnesses to the Realm of God)—in the midst of a culture that all too often pulls in a different direction. I am still thinking about it now.
You see, life is dandy when the culture and the Realm get along fine. Problems arise when they conflict. Then it becomes a matter of conscience.
H. Richard Niebuhr wrestled with this in his classic Christ and Culture. If you haven't read it, it will be worth your while.  Niebuhr gives us five typical positions. When you read the book you will probably switch between the positions. Is there opposition between the Realm and culture, or perhaps similarity, is one above the other, is there an unsolvable paradox between them, should we seek to change culture to make it more closely resemble the Realm?
The issues are real. After September 11 2001, my thinking about war and violence did not change. But, it brought me into conflict with good friends who thought the only response should be a violent one. I lost quite a few friends who just couldn't understand a loving nonviolent response to terrorism. It was a matter of conscience.
How far do you take these matters of conscience? Well, that's a matter of conscience! I know folk who would be conscientious objectors to a draft into the military. This has not been tested for a long time. It is unlikely to be tested again anytime soon. I know others who are "tax resisters" and refuse to pay the percentage of taxes that is used for military purposes. I have never felt drawn to this step, but respect those who have been. It seems to me to be a symbolic stance as once the money is in government hands, it's all in the same pot.
I am watching the "Occupy Wall Street" movement with great interest. Here are citizens who have had enough of the status quo and are taking a step of conscience to resist. I am unclear what they are resisting or what change is to be effected. But, the social movement is fascinating.
In my book, I drew the tentative conclusion that small groups of loving support were the most hopeful structures to help us make sense of "being in, but not of the world." I have not changed that viewpoint, though I hold it even that more tentatively than before.
British philosopher and ethicist G.E. Moore came to the conclusion that a good life was one that enjoyed friendship and experienced beauty. I like the simplicity of it. When you read his work you realize that "friendship" is code for the ethical life as relationships characterized by love and goodness. If we can achieve that, that would be a happy achievement. It's a ll a matter of conscience.
+Ab. Andy