Definitions HQ

Belief (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠alienated from compulsion. Just as no one can be forced into belief, so no one can be forced into unbelief.

Belief (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠not belief if not reflected in action. He does not believe who does not live according to his belief.

Belief (n.) acquired ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠at school can be so shallow that seeing the Acropolis with one's own eyes astonishes: 'So it really is true, just as we learnt at school!'

Belief (n.) held ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠firmly enough forbids its own test: the Tongans so believed taboo-breakers would die that 'no native ever made an experiment to prove the contrary.'

Belief (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a derivative of love: a person first accepts arguments only from someone he loves, and in most lives arguments without that support carry no weight.

A Belief (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be kept and given up at once: the child holds on to it and drops it, a compromise only the unconscious allows.

Belief (n.) in ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a returning memory is credo quia absurdum: whatever comes back from the forgotten past seizes the masses with an irresistible claim to be believed, against which all logical objections remain powerless.

Belief (n.) eventually ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠overpowers spirituality itself — credo quia absurdum — and whoever achieves it counts it the highest achievement.