I’ve asked this before, but reptilicus’ question for nano has made me think it might be interesting to pursue again.

Thought experiment: You’ve studied scripture, you’ve prayed, and you sincerely believe that you’ve been lead by the Holy Spirit to the understanding that abortion represents an act of murder, that it’s permissible to kill in the defense of an innocent life, and that it is god’s express will that you immediately pick shoot dead your next door neighbor, who’s a physician who performs abortions at a public health clinic, before he can leave for work.

What possible justification could you give for refusing to do what you sincerely believe your god has commanded you to do?

It seems to me that if one’s faith is genuine and one is sincerely convinced this is god’s will there can be NO excuse for failing to act—refusing to do so because there will be adverse legal consequences—the possibility of imprisonment or execution—is self-centered and cowardly.

So that's the fundamental question: doesn’t one have an absolute and inescapable moral responsibility to act in accord with god’s will as they understand, regardless of any other stricture or concern?