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THE TRUTH
99
27-FAITH
Faith is the attitude of the mind; the leaning towards a particular group of ideas, that is, a special mental 'complex.'
Wrong faith is centred round the welfare of the lower ego, the physical self. Whoever or whatever is believed to be helpful in the interests of the lower ego is readily acknowledged as a patron and protector. The patron of the highest rank is termed god (generally spelt with a capital g). This kind of faith is strengthened by prayer, that is to say, the supposed response by the devotee's god to his prayers. The thoughtless are ever seeking for such a response in the favourable occurrences of daily life, and are never slow to turn the most logically natural causations into a mark of divine favour. Such a mind is fast travelling on the high road to fanaticism.
The difference between information and faith (firm belief) is only this that the element of uncertainty, characteristic of unbelief, present in the former, is wanting in the latter. In other words, faith is free from mental agitation; information is not.
Faith arises from conviction, whether it be due to theory or experience; but naturally experience has preference over mere mental ratiocination, since it is tant
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