doesn't give any overtly religious speeches to his children, instead choosing to show them his
faith through the choices that he makes and the way he lives his life. He must attend church
regularly, as evidenced in one of the rare occasions when he addresses the topic of God within
the book:
This case, Tom Robinsons case, is something that
goes to the essence of a mans conscienceScout, I couldnt go to church and worship God if I didnt
try to help that man. ()
Atticus is telling Scout that he
is not like the religious hypocrites who fill their town. He believes in the principles of
Christto love your neighbor and help the weak. Tom is definitely a neighbor in need of the
kindness of a man in a position to help him, and Atticus delivers to the best of his abilities.
The matter of his "conscience" is therefore a correlation to the Holy Spirit living
within Atticus, guiding his moral decisions and prompting him to serve those in need. Atticus
realizes that should he fail to be Tom's advocate, he is no better than the other hypocrites of
their town. By following Christ and worshiping God, Atticus believes in a life that produces the
fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
and self-control. He's a fine example of living an honorable life, following Godly
principles.
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