--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: reject expressed belief – and exchange it…" description: "\"“reject expressed belief – and exchange it for the possibility of genuine change.The believers’ formula is a deception and they are deceived – which is..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/austin-osman-spare-13247_change_reject-expressed-belief-and-exchange-it_1410333.jpg" --- # reject expressed belief – and exchange it for the… ![“reject expressed belief – and exchange it for the possibility of genuine change.The believers’ formula is a deception and they are deceived – which is a negation of their purpose. Faith is denial, and the metaphor for faith is idiocy, hence it always fails. To make their power more secure…” quote by Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/austin-osman-spare-13247_change_reject-expressed-belief-and-exchange-it_1410333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/austin-osman-spare-13247_change_reject-expressed-belief-and-exchange-it_1410333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/347/austin-osman-spare-13247_change_reject-expressed-belief-and-exchange-it_1410333.jpg) > ““reject expressed belief – and exchange it for the possibility of genuine change.The believers’ formula is a deception and they are deceived – which is a negation of their purpose. Faith is denial, and the metaphor for faith is idiocy, hence it always fails. To make their power more secure, governments force religion down the throats of their slaves, and it always succeeds. Few people escape it; therefore the honour of those who do is all the greater. When faith perishes, the ‘Self ’ comes into its own.”” [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that organized religion is a tool of control, that faith is self‑deception, and that true freedom emerges when belief collapses, revealing the authentic self. **In simple terms:** Religion can imprison; losing faith can free the true self. Key Takeaway Question faith to discover your authentic self. Themes control freedom belief spirituality power Mood critical reflective skeptical Type philosophical political When to use this quote - Political oppression - personal awakening - psychological liberation - social movements - cultural critique Key Concepts Deception authority identity psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does “Self” mean to you? - How can belief be both oppressive and empowering? A Different Perspective Faith can also provide community and meaning for many, which the quote overlooks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [“He expressed his sincere belief in the position the limo driver’s soul would occupy in the afterlife. He finished by saying that he believed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-expressed-his-sincere-belief-in-the-position-the-limo-driver-s/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Faith is denial, or the metaphor Idiotcy, hence it always fails. To make their bondage more secure Governments force religion down the throats of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare-2/faith-is-denial-or-the-metaphor-idiotcy-hence-it-always-fails-to-make/) [Austin Osman, Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare-2/) > [Science adjusts its views based on what's observed Faith is the denial of observation so that belief can be preserved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/science-adjusts-its-views-based-on-what-s-observed-faith-is-the/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [“Faith is never the denial of reality; it is belief in a greater reality. In other words, the truth may be that you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/faith-is-never-the-denial-of-reality-it-is-belief-in-a-greater/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Remember, faith is never the denial of reality. It is belief in a greater reality.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/remember-faith-is-never-the-denial-of-reality-it-is-belief-in-a/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Faith is a quiet certainty that there is both a higher purpose to life and a higher power that oversees that purpose. Faith is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-belanger/faith-is-a-quiet-certainty-that-there-is-both-a-higher-purpose-to/) Michelle Belanger > [“You and I were put on this earth to serve something greater than our narrow interests. When our focus becomes self-centered instead of God-centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/you-and-i-were-put-on-this-earth-to-serve-something-greater-than-our/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [What if you are just one bend in the road away from achieving your God-ordained purpose? If you give up on your faith now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-franklin/what-if-you-are-just-one-bend-in-the-road-away-from-achieving-your/) [DeVon Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-franklin/) > [“Dawkins conveniently illustrates the rationalist's dilemma: How do you articulate a personal sense of purpose when you intellectually have concluded that the world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-burton/dawkins-conveniently-illustrates-the-rationalist-s-dilemma-how-do-you/) [Robert A. Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-burton/) > [“The purpose of my faith is to bring me hope without fear. This is not only beneficial for the life to come, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-a-ashbaucher/the-purpose-of-my-faith-is-to-bring-me-hope-without-fear-this-is-not/) [Reid A. Ashbaucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-a-ashbaucher/) > [The purpose of faith isn't always to keep us from having trouble. It is often to carry us through trouble. If we never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/the-purpose-of-faith-isn-t-always-to-keep-us-from-having-trouble-it/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“...every god serves a purpose and every faith fills a need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-g-williams/every-god-serves-a-purpose-and-every-faith-fills-a-need/) [Michael G. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-g-williams/) > [“Her faith will always be there. It’s there now. We’ve seen it. God has preserved her for some great purpose, and her faith is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-carpenter/her-faith-will-always-be-there-it-s-there-now-we-ve-seen-it-god-has/) Kim Carpenter > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) ## More by Austin Osman Spare > [And remember, you shall suffer all things and again suffer: until you have sufficient sufferance to accept all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/and-remember-you-shall-suffer-all-things-and-again-suffer-until-you/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Quietism, Buddhism, and other religions, everything which denies the flesh—is the great inferiority to God in ourselves, an escapism seeking sanctuary through fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/quietism-buddhism-and-other-religions-everything-which-denies-the/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [The more Chaotic I am, the more complete I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/the-more-chaotic-i-am-the-more-complete-i-am/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [For I am I: ergo, the truth of myself; my own sphinx, conflict, chaos, vortex—asymmetric to all rhythms, oblique to all paths. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/for-i-am-i-ergo-the-truth-of-myself-my-own-sphinx-conflict-chaos/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Belief is ever its own tempter to believe differently. You cannot believe freedom into existence, but can you free yourself from belief ? You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/belief-is-ever-its-own-tempter-to-believe-differently-you-cannot/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [Embrace reality by imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/embrace-reality-by-imagination/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Sigils are made by combining the letters of the alphabet after a process of simplification. For example, the word ‘Woman’ in Sigil form is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/sigils-are-made-by-combining-the-letters-of-the-alphabet-after-a/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Sigils are the art of believing; my invention for making belief unconscious66 and therefore true belief. A wish to believe something is of necessity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/sigils-are-the-art-of-believing-my-invention-for-making-belief/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“The intrinsic non-existence at the heart of entity is what Spare designated the Kiã, and he strove to convey his vision in a theory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/the-intrinsic-non-existence-at-the-heart-of-entity-is-what-spare/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“In what way can it act as master? Through scores of incarnations, the ‘self ’ we end up with is derived from the attributes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/in-what-way-can-it-act-as-master-through-scores-of-incarnations-the/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Oh, you men of small pleasure and enterprise, oblivious to your purpose, fault-finding, avaricious and sinful, who cannot live without women and cannot enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/oh-you-men-of-small-pleasure-and-enterprise-oblivious-to-your-purpose/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Oh God, thou art the stagnant environment’.12 All is quackery: these religions, whose very existence depends on their failure, are full of misery and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/oh-god-thou-art-the-stagnant-environment-12-all-is-quackery-these/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“The desire to be ‘great’can only become unconscious at a time of vacuity67 and by giving it (Sigil) form. If you become conscious of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/the-desire-to-be-great-can-only-become-unconscious-at-a-time-of/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“Know all ritual, ceremony, and conditions to be arbitrary (you have yourself to please): in the end, they are just a hindrance and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/know-all-ritual-ceremony-and-conditions-to-be-arbitrary-you-have/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) > [“The one law of Art is its own spontaneity, its pleasure and freedom. How mystic, pure and simple is its wish; it has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-osman-spare/the-one-law-of-art-is-its-own-spontaneity-its-pleasure-and-freedom/) [Austin Osman Spare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) [Explore all 51 Austin Osman Spare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-osman-spare/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“reject expressed belief – and exchange it for the possibility of genuine change.The believers’ formula is a deception and they are deceived – which is a negation of their purpose. 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