Just Follow Your (Informed) Conscience

Is it really that simple? Yes. No. Maybe! Yes, it's simple, but not quite that simple.

A woman steals food for her family when her unemployment runs out. A man decides not to report cash income on his taxes. When faced with moral decisions, people say that you must follow your conscience, and indeed that is what one must do. But how do we hear our consciences, and is it possible to follow one's conscience and still be wrong?

The Catholic Church teaches a principle called "primacy of conscience," which means that conscience is the ultimate authority and we're compelled to follow it: "A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1790). We must also make the effort to have an "informed" conscience: "The education of the conscience is a lifelong task" (CCC, #1784). "To this purpose, man strives to interpret the data of experience and the signs of the times assisted by the virtue of prudence, by the advice of competent people, and by the help of the Holy Spirit and his gifts" (CCC, #1788). In other words, it's not just doing what feels good.

So how does a person develop a well-formed conscience? Here are some traps as well as positive steps to consider in coming to decisions of conscience.

Traps to conscience formation

1. Rationalization. When faced with paying income taxes, it's tempting to think, Hey, rich people get big tax breaks. Is it really so wrong for me to fudge a little on my income tax return? Sometimes we so strongly want to do something (or avoid doing something) that we talk ourselves into (or out of) it. We find ways to justify our actions even though an outsider would spot flaws in our logic.

2. Scrupulosity. Another trap is being scrupulous about the letter of the law while missing its spirit. When Susan was a child, her godparents took her out for a lobster dinner every Good Friday. Technically, they kept the law of abstaining from meat, but a lobster dinner was hardly the sacrifice the law intended.

Sometimes avoiding scrupulosity might mean praying less formally or putting aside a man-made rule for the good of another person. This has pitfalls, of course, but when we are unsure, Scripture counsels that the final goal "is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith" (1 Timothy 1:5).

3. Going along with the crowd. How could so many people be wrong? For years, most adults didn't think twice about driving after drinking. Just because it's common doesn't make it right. When we're in the minority, we need to have the courage to make unpopular decisions and use our voices respectfully. Decisions are stronger when many different voices are considered, but conscience is the final arbiter.

4. If it feels good, do it. Conscience shouldn't be guided solely by emotion. Following it may not coincide with happiness—at least not fleeting feelings of bliss. Eating half a dozen doughnuts may feel good—temporarily—but this affects one's long-term health. Conversely, taking medicine or studying for a test might not be pleasant but is conscientious. A feeling of uneasiness may be our conscience warning us, but feeling happy doesn't necessarily mean an action is O.K. Sometimes the best action might be restraint.

5. It's my body; it's my business. Just because I'm not directly harming another person doesn't mean my action is good. Drug addiction or pornography may seem like victimless crimes, but they not only hurt the doer, they also weaken the moral fabric of society.

Steps to forming a Christian conscience

The STOP method is an easy-to-remember framework for checking one's conscience.

S — Study. Decisions of conscience begin with knowledge. It's not a matter of being smart, but of making serious efforts to learn the facts from credible sources, such as reading what the Church teaches and consulting experts in the field. Don't just go on hearsay or Internet blogs.

T — Think Together. It's best not to make decisions in isolation. A married couple shouldn't make an important moral deci­sion without discussing it and coming to something mutually agreeable. In faith consensus before making a decision. In both situations, it involves evaluating and weighing the information gathered in the Study phase.

O — Others' Experiences. Wisdom is also carried by others who have had experi­ence with the issue. Consulting others whose experience has led them to differ­ent conclusions is a helpful way to sort out our rationalizations. Don't listen only to people with whom you agree.

P — Pray. Important decisions should always be brought to prayer so that we can check our rationalizations and be honest before God. Prayer provides us time to listen and sort. It's not the same as waiting for a magical sign from God, but rather noticing if we're at peace with the emerging decision.

Criteria for well-formed decisions

Done all the steps? Checked for traps? Still not sure? This quick version of conscience formation could be summed up by asking oneself two other questions: Is my contemplated decision life-giving? Is it generous? A well-formed conscience doesn't simply apply rules but brings the whole self to the decision and weighs how each decision will affect the common good.

Decisions are meaningless without actions. Sometimes it can feel satisfying just to keep thinking, sorting, weighing and praying. There are times, however, when a person of conscience has to act in a public way. For example, a whistle-blower may risk a job in order to bring attention to a faulty product or dishonest superiors. Writing letters to the editor or attending a public demonstration against unjust policies takes time and stretches our comfort level. Sometimes complaining can be the lazy alternative to investing the self-discipline it takes to come up with a concrete plan. Ah, what cost discipleship!

Permission to Publish received for this article, "Just Follow Your (Informed) Conscience" by Jim and Susan Vogt, from Rev. Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, 5-13-2010.