For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe, no explanation will suffice?

Question

Does anyone know what the intended meaning of this quote is? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

The quote has nothing to do with religion, it was by magician and mentalist Joseph Dunninger and he was referring to his apparent ability to read minds. He never claimed to have any paranormal abilities and was a skeptic of spirit mediums. By all accounts he was very, very convincing as a mind reader.



The first sentence implies that those who believed he had telepathic powers did so because they wanted to. The second sentence possibly refers to his critics' claims that he used accomplices.

Answer 2

Actually, the 'best answer' (above or below, wherever this ends up) from "charcinders" is utterly incorrect,

the quote is actually quite religious, as it was a Church Doctor, St Thomas Aquinas in the 1300s, (who, it appears may have understood a verse from 2Peter 3:15) 600yrs earlier than the suggested magician (who plagerized the quote for show) Joseph Dunninger.

and has been used as the entrance to Song of Bernadette..

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

― St. Thomas Aquinas

Answer 3

For those who have faith nothing is necessary and for those who don't - you might as well be barking up a tree. But I ask you the following....



Why is it always the "skeptics" who feel so defensive at this quote? If others have faith, don't be jealous. We ALL have science - and it came from the same place that others also believe in - divinity. Don't be a hater because you lack another dimension to your lives.

Answer 4

It is pretty much a smack in the face of both sides of a position.



It asserts on one hand, those who believe do so blindly (no explanation is necessary)



And those who don't believe are blind (no explanation will suffice).



Kind of nonsensical -- many who believe believe because of the evidence not in spite of the evidence. Many who do not believe do not believe because they have a different interpretation of the evidence so technically they are in the same position as those who believe only they believe differently.

Answer 5

It's a quote meant to show the faith of believers, while putting-down the Atheists - yet, to an Atheist, no explanation QUOTING THE BIBLE, with no actual EVIDENCE, will suffice.



If your brother is in court for murdering his wife, your 'belief' that he wouldn't do such a thing, is outweighed by the eye-witnesses who saw him kill her, his prints on the knife, the fact he was seen chasing her with the knife whilst yelling "I'm going to kill you!" - see, in a court, EVIDENCE counts for more than BELIEF.



All that Atheists ask for, is evidence.

Answer 6

It's an illogical cop-out for believers. Basically, it implies that nothing will convince people who do not already believe.



It's nonsense of course- if theists could provide any actual objective evidence of a god's existence, atheists would believe it. They simply can't provide any such evidence, so they try to shift the Burden of Proof away from themselves.





This quote is really a way of trying to glorify believing in things without a good reason to do so.

Answer 7

Wow that is a beautiful quote.

It means, to those people that believe in God, they do not have to explain themselves WHY they believe in God (i.e., the person that wrote this also believes in God).

And to the person that does NOT believe in God, no reason AT ALL for their belief will be enough (will not suffice) to convince the writer into disbelief.

Answer 8

It probably means that those who believe don't need an explanation becaus they already know and those who don't believe just can't understand.

Answer 9

Actually, Stuart Chase said it.

Answer 10

For those who believe in Jesus no explanation is necessary. For those who do not believe in Christ, no explanation will suffice?

Answer 11

It means that believers are satisfied and nonbelievers are completely anxious. XD Sadly, most nonbelievers I know do not question life, and rarely give a crap, so the quote is half-bull.

Answer 12

It's a way of degrading those who do not believe. The statement is patently false ... the fact is, that an explanation would suffice if that explanation was based in reality and facts.

Answer 13

If you believe and don't think then no amount of trying to think will help.

Answer 14

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For those who no not God, they are judged already.

Answer 15

Faith is called faith for a reason, the definition means putting your trust on chance.

Answer 16

It's *intended* to place the "burden of proof" on those who lack belief, shifting it from where it rightly belongs -- on those making claims -- and then implying that non-believers are ignoring facts, when they're not.



All it actually does is demonstrate the complete worthlessness of "belief."



Peace.

Answer 17

It means that delusion is a more powerful force than reason.











Unfortunately. :(