When faced with two alternative precepts, a perplexed conscience fears to choose any course of action in case he commits a sin. For example, someone faced with the dilemma of being grateful to his benefactor who has made him what he is and testifying in court about a crime that this benefactor has committed. A perplexed conscience is a type of doubting conscience but it could also be a special type of an erroneous conscience. If decision can be delayed, such a person should postpone action until he gets the facts. If he must act, then he should choose the lesser evil; and if this is not also possible, choose any of the alternatives. However, the perplexed conscience needs to be guided by the fact that a natural law precedes a precept of divine positive law; and a divine law precedes any human law.

For example, if a nurse feels obliged to go to Church on Sunday but has to attend to someone who is critically sick, the obligations of charity to the sick person precedes her obligation to go to Church.

But if an employer forbids a worker for no grave reason from going to Church on Sunday, the obligation to obey the divine law precedes the human authority.

I seem to have a very strong conscience and it’s clear for the most part. Although I do regret some things I’ve done in the past, none of it is bad enough to beat myself up over forever. My personal motto is to treat others as I want to be treated. Yes, it’s hard sometimes when you are annoyed or tired or driving in thick traffic or waiting in a 30-minute line or getting bumped into by people in a crowd, but I try. And if I fail and I say something curt or unkind during the day, I try to apologize to God for it later. If at the end of the day I feel I’ve been kind to everyone with whom I came in contact that day, then I’m satisfied.