BELIEF-FAITH

While reading Napoleon Hill about faith and belief I got somewhat confused. First I thought it was because I am not a native English, now I know that I am not the only one struggling with the meaning of faith versus belief. Faith is not the same as belief. Like many words in the English language that are taken as synonyms, these two words actually express quite different concepts. In order to understand the difference, we’ll need to explore the processes of the rational mind we know, and the non-rational mind we don't know. It might be helpful to explore the words confidence and knowing as well…Let’s check the dictionaries.

BELIEF
1. something believed; an opinion or conviction: a belief that the earth is flat.
2. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof
3. The mental act, condition, or habit of placing trust or confidence in another
4. Mental acceptance of and conviction in the truth, actuality, or validity of something
5. Something believed or accepted as true, especially a particular tenet or a body of tenets accepted by a group of persons.

FAITH
1. In faith, in truth; indeed
2. Confidence or trust in a person or thing
3. Belief that is not based on proof
4. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.
5. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance
7. The body of dogma of a religion

CONFIDENCE
1. Trust or faith in a person or thing.
2. A trusting relationship
4. A feeling of assurance, especially of self-assurance.
5. The state or quality of being certain

KNOWING
1. To perceive directly; grasp in the mind with clarity or certainty.
2. To regard as true beyond doubt
3. To have a practical understanding of, as through experience; be skilled in
4. To have fixed in the mind
5. To perceive as familiar; recognize
6. To be able to distinguish; recognize as distinct
7. To discern the character or nature of

I’ll let this sink in for a night…
To be continued!