Mind and Automaton
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author emphasizes that faith must engage both the mind through reason and the 'automaton' through custom, ultimately arguing that the heart's immediate feeling is a more reliable guide than slow, wandering reason.

...ived among Christians than among Turks.) Finally, we must have recourse to it when once the mind has seen where the truth is, in order to quench our thirst, and steep ourselves in that belief, which escapes us at every hour; for always to have proofs ready is too much trouble. We must get an easier belief, which is that of custom, which, without violence, without art, without argument, makes us believe things, and inclines all our powers to this belief, so that out soul falls naturally into it.
It is not enough to believe only by force of conviction, when the automaton is inclined to believe the contrary. Both our parts must be made to believe, the mind by reasons which it is sufficient to have seen once in a lifetime, and the automaton by custom, and by not allowing it to incline to the contrary. Inclina cor meum, Deus. The reason acts slowly, with so many examinations, and on so many principles, which must be always present, that at every hour it falls asleep, or wanders, through want of having all its principles present. Feeling does not act thus; it acts in a moment, and is always ready to act. We must then put our faith in…
otherwise it will be always vacillating. 253 Two extremes: to exclude reason, to admit reason only. 254 It is not a rare thing to have to reprove the world for too much docility. It is a natural vice like credulity, and as pernicious. Superstition. 255 Piety is different from superstition. To carry piety as far as superstition is to destroy it. The heretics reproach us for this superstitious submission. This is to do what they reproach us for ... Infidelity, not to believe in the Eu...
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Miracle Against Miracle
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author asserts that while miracles serve as a test in times of doubt, the established miracles of the Church take precedence over any subsequent claims made by heretical sects.

...e and the same way. As they are all without miracles, and as the Church has always had miracles against them, they have all had the same interest in evading them; and they all make use of this excuse, that doctrine must not be judged by miracles, but miracles by doctrine. There were two parties among those who heard Jesus Christ: those who followed His teaching on account of His miracles; others who said.... There were two parties in the time of Calvin.... There are now the Jesuits, etc. 840
Miracles furnish the test in matters of doubt, between Jews and heathens, Jews and Christians, Catholics and heretics, the slandered and slanderers, between the two crosses. But miracles would be useless to heretics; for the Church, authorised by miracles which have already obtained belief, tells us that they have not the true faith. There is no doubt that they are not in it, since the first miracles of the Church exclude belief of theirs. Thus there is miracle against miracle, both the first and greatest being on the side of the Church.
These nuns,[334] astonished at what is said, that they are in the way of perdition; that their confessors are leading them to Geneva; that they suggest to them that Jesus Christ is not in the Eucharist, nor on the right hand of the Father; know that all this is false, and therefore offer themselves to God in this state. Vide si via iniquitatis in me est.[335] What happens thereupon? This place, which is said to be the temple of the devil, God makes His own temple. It is said that the childre...
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The Holy Disposition
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

A description of the inward holy disposition that allows some to believe in Christianity without formal study, driven by a felt need for God and a recognition of self-corruption. For such individuals, the doctrine of God becoming man to unite with humanity perfectly matches their internal spiritual experience.

...lines their heart; and they will believe as soon as He inclines it. And this is what David knew well, when he said: Inclina cor meum, Deus, in ...[106] 285 Religion is suited to all kinds of minds. Some pay attention only to its establishment,[107] and this religion is such that its very establishment suffices to prove its truth. Others trace it even to the apostles. The more learned go back to the beginning of the world. The angels see it better still, and from a more distant time. 286
Those who believe without having read the Testaments, do so because they have an inward disposition entirely holy, and all that they hear of our religion conforms to it. They feel that a God has made them; they desire only to love God; they desire to hate themselves only. They feel that they have no strength in themselves; that they are incapable of coming to God; and that if God does not come to them, they can have no communion with Him. And they hear our religion say that men must love God only, and hate self only; but that all being corrupt and unworthy of God, God made Himself man to unite Himself to us. No more is required to persuade…
287 Those whom we see to be Christians without the knowledge of the prophets and evidences, nevertheless judge of their religion as well as those who have that knowledge. They judge of it by the heart, as others judge of it by the intellect. God Himself inclines them to believe, and thus they are most effectively convinced. I confess indeed that one of those Christians who believe without proofs will not perhaps be capable of convincing an infidel who will say the same of himself. But those...
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Errors That Cancel
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author observes that while the Church faces multiple conflicting errors simultaneously, these errors ultimately serve to neutralize one another.

...d that nothing false has always existed. 857 The history of the Church ought properly to be called the history of truth. 858 There is a pleasure in being in a ship beaten about by a storm, when we are sure that it will not founder. The persecutions which harass the Church are of this nature. 859 In addition to so many other signs of piety, they[359] are also persecuted, which is the best sign of piety. 860 The Church is in an excellent state, when it is sustained by God only. 861
The Church has always been attacked by opposite errors, but perhaps never at the same time, as now. And if she suffer more because of the multiplicity of errors, she derives this advantage from it, that they destroy each other.
She complains of both, but far more of the Calvinists, because of the schism. It is certain that many of the two opposite sects are deceived. They must be disillusioned. Faith embraces many truths which seem to contradict each other. There is a time to laugh, and a time to weep,[360] etc. Responde. Ne respondeas,[361] etc. The source of this is the union of the two natures in Jesus Christ; and also the two worlds (the creation of a new heaven and a new earth; a new life and a new death;...
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The Weak Against Power
Blaise Pascal
Pensees

The author highlights the paradoxical triumph of Christianity, where simple and weak men overcame the combined opposition of kings, scholars, and worldly powers through divine grace.

...em from it to favour hope. For men thus accustom themselves in inward virtues by outward customs. 781 The victory over death. "What is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?[309] Whosoever will save his soul, shall lose it."[310] "I am not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil."[311] "Lambs took not away the sins of the world, but I am the lamb which taketh away the sins."[312] "Moses[313] hath not led you out of captivity, and made you truly free." 782 ...
Then Jesus Christ comes to tell men that they have no other enemies but themselves; that it is their passions which keep them apart from God; that He comes to destroy these, and give them His grace, so as to make of them all one Holy Church; that He comes to bring back into this Church the heathen and Jews; that He comes to destroy the idols of the former and the superstition of the latter. To this all men are opposed, not only from the natural opposition of lust; but, above all, the kings of the earth, as had been foretold, join together to destroy this religion at its birth. (_Proph.: Quare fremuerunt gentes ... reges terræ ... adversus…
783 Jesus Christ would not have the testimony of devils, nor of those who were not called, but of God and John the Baptist. 784 I consider Jesus Christ in all persons and in ourselves: Jesus Christ as a Father in His Father, Jesus Christ as a Brother in His Brethren, Jesus Christ as poor in the poor, Jesus Christ as rich in the rich, Jesus Christ as Doctor and Priest in priests, Jesus Christ as Sovereign in princes, etc. For by His glory He is all that is great, being God; and by His mort...
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