Your essay underscores the debate regarding the use of conscience as the ultimate guide in determining the righteousness of human behavior. In some circles especially in the Church as led by Francis, established doctrine and the behaviors demanded by such doctrines are no longer being emphasized as the core of what dictates behavior. Francis has repeated often that it is conscience that is the basis of moral behavior. Yet history has shown just how easy it is to mold a conscience to accommodate immediate needs or desires. It is always interesting to study in retrospect the behavior of Hitler’s and Stalin’s henchmen who did the actual killing and performed the atrocities. Not only did they mold their conscience to function and do their duties but afterwards few if any publicly repented, committed suicide or sought forgiveness. Instead they seamlessly adapted themselves to the new realities and lost no sleep. This is seen in the behavior of abortionists, feminists, legislators, academics, media types and governors who celebrate and protect abortion even to the point of infanticide.They have molded their conscience and although inherently miserable people, function as part of the hedonistic and decadent Left. Legalized abortion was the first major crack in the reasonable social consensus that once unified Americans. Now there are many others such as open homosexuality with its inherent predatory destruction of children, neo pagan earth worship under the guise of environmentalism,drug and and sexual debasement just to name a few.
You covered a lot in your post there, but it all makes sense and I agree...especially the last three sentences.
I see this as a problem for our country, because our form of governance is not meant for an immoral citizenry.