Bible Quote by Blaise Pascal
““There are two ways of persuading men of the truths of our religion; one by the power of reason, the other by the authority of the speaker. We do not use the latter but the former. We do not say: 'You must believe that because Scripture, which says it, is divine,' but we say that it must be believed for such and such a reason. But these are feeble arguments, because reason can be bent in any direction.””
About This Quote
Source Treatise: Pensées, 1670
Reason alone cannot compel belief; authority is often used, but both are vulnerable to manipulation.
In simple terms: Reason is weak for convincing faith.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of rational persuasion.
Themes
faith
reason
authority
persuasion
Mood
thoughtful
critical
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- debates
- religious teaching
- public speaking
- education
- dialogue
Key Concepts
Epistemology
theology
rhetoric
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance reason and tradition in belief?
- When is authority justified?
A Different Perspective
Reason can be twisted to support any claim, reducing its reliability.
