--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faith consists in believing when it is…" description: "\"Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.\" — Voltaire" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/voltaire-173_believe_faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-b_1518068.png" --- # Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of… ![“Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” quote by Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/voltaire-173_believe_faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-b_1518068.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/voltaire-173_believe_faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-b_1518068.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/voltaire-173_believe_faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-b_1518068.png) > “Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith transcends rational proof, relying on belief beyond logical limits. **In simple terms:** Belief beyond reason defines faith. Key Takeaway Accept mystery beyond logic. Themes faith reason philosophy spirituality Mood contemplative inquisitive spiritual Type philosophical religious When to use this quote - religious practice - personal crises - ethical decisions - creative inspiration Key Concepts existentialism skepticism metaphysics Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile faith with reason? - When is faith essential? A Different Perspective Faith may conflict with empirical evidence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [Faith consists in believing not what seems true, but what seems false to our understanding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/faith-consists-in-believing-not-what-seems-true-but-what-seems-false/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Faith consists in believing what reason cannot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/faith-consists-in-believing-what-reason-cannot/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. It is not enough that a thing be possible for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inglath-cooper/faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-beyond-the-power-of-reason-to-2/) [Inglath Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inglath-cooper/) > [“- “I don’t know what to believe in.” - “If you want to believe in something, then believe in it. Just because something isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-what-to-believe-in-if-you-want-to-believe-in-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Faith consists, not in ignorance, but in knowledge, and that, not only of God, but also of the divine will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/faith-consists-not-in-ignorance-but-in-knowledge-and-that-not-only-of/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [All faith consists essentially in the recognition of a world of spiritual values behind, yet not apart from, the world of natural phenomena.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-faith-consists-essentially-in-the-recognition-of-a-world-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/faith-consists-in-being-vitally-concerned-with-that-ultimate-reality/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [The essence of our Faith consists simply in this freedom of the Ishta.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-essence-of-our-faith-consists-simply-in-this-freedom-of-the-ishta/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Faith consists not in ignorance, but in knowledge - knowledge not of God merely...but when we recognize God as a propitious Father through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/faith-consists-not-in-ignorance-but-in-knowledge-knowledge-not-of-god/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Keep exploring. Keep dreaming. Keep asking why. Don’t settle for what you already know. Never stop believing in the power of your ideas, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/keep-exploring-keep-dreaming-keep-asking-why-don-t-settle-for-what/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Fear in sooth holds so in check all mortals, becasue thay see many operations go on in earth and heaven, the causes of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/fear-in-sooth-holds-so-in-check-all-mortals-becasue-thay-see-many/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [“But I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/but-i-stopped-believing-there-was-a-power-of-good-and-a-power-of-evil/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“When you stopped believing in God,” he went on, “did you stop believing in good and evil?” “No. But I stopped believing there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/when-you-stopped-believing-in-god-he-went-on-did-you-stop-believing/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-pullman/i-stopped-believing-there-was-a-power-of-good-and-a-power-of-evil/) [Philip Pullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-pullman/) > [“By believing we have no power, we are giving up our power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-aitchison/by-believing-we-have-no-power-we-are-giving-up-our-power/) [Steven Aitchison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-aitchison/) ## More by Voltaire > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Fanaticism, to which men are so much inclined, has always served not only to render them more brutalized but more wicked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/fanaticism-to-which-men-are-so-much-inclined-has-always-served-not/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [History is the study of the world's crime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/history-is-the-study-of-the-world-s-crime/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [We’re neither pure, nor wise, nor good; we do the best we know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/we-re-neither-pure-nor-wise-nor-good-we-do-the-best-we-know/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is with books as with men: a very small number play a great part, the rest are lost in the multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-with-books-as-with-men-a-very-small-number-play-a-great-part/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Meslier was the most singular phenomenon ever seen among all the meteors fatal to the Christian religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/meslier-was-the-most-singular-phenomenon-ever-seen-among-all-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Being unable to make people more reasonable, I preferred to be happy away from them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/being-unable-to-make-people-more-reasonable-i-preferred-to-be-happy/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When his highness sends a ship to Egypt, does he trouble his head whether the mice on board are at their ease or not?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/when-his-highness-sends-a-ship-to-egypt-does-he-trouble-his-head/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Madness is to think of too many things in succession too fast, or of one thing too exclusively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/madness-is-to-think-of-too-many-things-in-succession-too-fast-or-of/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Providence has given us hope and sleep as a compensation for the many cares of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/providence-has-given-us-hope-and-sleep-as-a-compensation-for-the-many/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Men use thought only to justify their wrong doings, and employ speech only to conceal their thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/men-use-thought-only-to-justify-their-wrong-doings-and-employ-speech/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/work-spares-us-from-three-evils-boredom-vice-and-need/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) [Explore all 934 Voltaire quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [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/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Voltaire" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-beyond-the-power-of-reason-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Believe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-beyond-the-power-of-reason-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/voltaire-173_believe_faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-b_1518068.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/voltaire-173_believe_faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-b_1518068.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/voltaire-173_believe_faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-b_1518068.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” — Voltaire", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Voltaire", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Faith consists in believing when it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-beyond-the-power-of-reason-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/faith-consists-in-believing-when-it-is-beyond-the-power-of-reason-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```