What Was the Pope Thinking?

Can someone please explain to me what the Pope was thinking when he said that non-believers would be forgiven by God so long as they followed their consciences. Huh? With all due respect, what Bible is the Pontiff reading?

Read more in the article below by, The Independent.

In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences.

Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: “You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don’t believe and who don’t seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing – that God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience."

“Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”

Here is the actual letter written by the Pope. I read the full letter and it seems muddied to me.

Umm, Catholics can you please give me some insight into this? The Bible is clear about the way to get into Heaven:

John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

Ephesians 2:8-9
"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Romans 10:9
"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

John 14:6
"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Case closed.