How do you define the human conscience?

[fish2plus2]

Logically, it is impossible for me to believe in a Christian God, heaven and hell, a human soul or Karma.

However, I have to admit that one of the reasons I do not do bad things is because a am scared of the consequences.

I do not cheat because I think it is unethical, however whenever I think about cheating, I start thinking that maybe karma is real and that it will come back to haunt me. But really, if my friend told me that he was going to cheat then in no way would it ever occur to me that it would open a door of evil to him or that it would come back to haunt him.

So why is that exactly? Is our conscience a subconscious voice that we do not fully understand? Is it because these ideas about karma/heaven and hell have been ingrained in us since we were little kids? Do we logically reject the idea of heaven and hell in our minds, however feel it in our hearts?