What is on Your Conscience?

Many were at least a little stunned at the this statement  by convicted Cleveland kidnapper and rapist Ariel Castro at his sentencing Thursday.
"I am not a monster. I am sick."
While many might agree with the "sick" part, just what DOES Ariel Castro think a monster acts like?  This brings us right to the point of this post, which is about the human conscience.At his sentencing, victim Michelle Knight had the following to say:
"I will live on.  You will die a little every day."
She seems to be saying that although he did not appear to show any remorse the acts he did still linger in his conscience in some way.  Humans were created with feelings, after all.

It was stated at his sentencing that Mr. Castro did not feel any remorse for what he did.  One could wonder if this is meant outwardly or inwardly. 

There were a few signs that inwardly he was aware of his conscience of what he was doing.  These were things such as:

• A so-called suicide note was found in his home from 2004, stating he contemplated killing himself for the guilt he felt.
• Presumably in this note included the phrase (written by him) that said "I am a sexual predator."  By this he said he meant someone who repeatedly commits crimes.
• When he abducted Georgina DeJesus he drove past his own daughter on the sidewalk  to pick her (Georgina) up.   He later said he made a "cold-blooded move."
• While being questioned with his brothers he said "I am a criminal."
• In an interview with authorities he reportedly said that he knew what he was doing was wrong.

Many people wonder how he could have done the things he did.  He defended his actions by stating he was physically abused at a young age. 

The posts in this blog are about adding meaning to life and it is being asserted that humans were created a certain way, which is to love and be in union with their Creator.  Thus, regardless of what Mr. Castro did outwardly, there was some type of dysfunction between his conscience and his actions.  One perspective would look at this and say that it is an example of God showing how humans are dependent on him.  The dichotomy between the conscience and actions can only be resolved through Jesus Christ, according to Christianity,

I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!   - Bible, Saint Paul's Epistle to the Romans 7:23-25
God created humans with feelings.  In my opinion what people refer to as God speaking to them could also be called "conscience."  This conscience is still there when we do what we know is wrong.

For Mr. Castro's sake it might be good to know that it is never too late to repent and come to God.  God wants to save all of his creation.  If he believes, sincerely repents and changes inwardly he can still be with God for eternity, according to Christianity.

This adds meaning to life because:  As humans we do what we know is wrong from time to time.  However Jesus knew this and suffered to atone for this for our redemption.
You might also be interested in:
Judge Sentences Ariel Castro To Life Plus 1,000 Years
A Biblical Theology Of The Human Conscience
How Much Does God Forgive?