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Agnosticism Quote by William Barrett

“Not only do I not know what I believe, but also I cannot know for sure that I believe. How can I define precisely what my attitude is toward something it cannot conceivably grasp? Can I be said to be in the relation of "belief," in any usual sense of that term, toward something that I cheerfully…” quote by William Barrett
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““Not only do I not know what I believe, but also I cannot know for sure that I believe. How can I define precisely what my attitude is toward something it cannot conceivably grasp? Can I be said to be in the relation of "belief," in any usual sense of that term, toward something that I cheerfully and readily acknowledge to be absolutely incomprehensible to me? (...) No man can be sure that he is in faith; and we can say of no man with certainty that he has or does not have faith. (...) Not only does faith always carry its opposite uncertainty within itself, but also this faith is never a static condition that is -had-, but a movement toward... And toward what? In the nature of the case we cannot state this "what." We cannot make a flat assertion about our faith like a simple assertion that we have blue eyes or are six feet tall. More than this, the affirmation of our faith can never be made in the simple indicative mood at all. The statement "I believe" can only be uttered as a prayer.””

William Barrett

About This Quote

Source Philosophical Essay: “The Nature of Faith” by William Barrett, 1978

Faith is inherently uncertain and dynamic, resisting precise definition; it is experienced as a prayerful stance rather than a factual claim.

In simple terms: Faith is uncertain and expressed like prayer.

Key Takeaway

Embrace faith as a living, evolving practice.

Themes

faith uncertainty philosophy belief

Mood

contemplative introspective philosophical

Type

essay theoretical spiritual

When to use this quote

  • personal belief crises
  • theological discussion
  • existential doubt
  • spiritual practice

Key Concepts

epistemology existentialism prayer

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can you hold belief without certainty?
  • What does it mean to “believe” as a prayer?
A Different Perspective

Faith cannot be proven or quantified, limiting its role in rational discourse.

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