Believe in miracles Quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
““...in my opinion miracles will never confound a realist. It is not miracles that bring a realist to faith. A true realist, if he is not a believer, will always find in himself the strength and ability not to believe in miracles as well, and if a miracle stands before him as an irrefutable fact, he will sooner doubt his own senses than admit the fact. And even if he does admit it, he will admit it as a fact of nature that was previously unknown to him. In the realist, faith is not born from miracles, but miracles from faith. Once the realist comes to believe, then, precisely because of his realism, he must also allow for miracles. The Apostle Thomas declared that he would not believe until he saw, and when he saw, he said: "My Lord and My God!" Was it the miracle that made him believe? Most likely not, but he believed first and foremost because he wished to believe, and maybe already fully believed in his secret heart even as he was saying: "I will not believe until I see.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Brothers Karamazov, 1880
A realist does not need miracles to believe; belief precedes evidence, and once belief exists, miracles can be accepted as natural discoveries.
In simple terms: Belief comes first, miracles follow.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate belief before seeking proof.
Themes
faith
realism
miracles
perception
skepticism
Mood
contemplative
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal crisis
- scientific discovery
- spiritual awakening
- intellectual debate
Key Concepts
philosophy
psychology
theology
Questions to Reflect On
- What belief would you hold without evidence?
- How do you balance doubt and faith?
A Different Perspective
Even a realist may rationalize miracles, risking self‑deception.
![“if [God] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without God?” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/09b/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_ethics_if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of_16023.jpg)
