It is commonly stated that faith cannot be prescribed, from which many people declare that it is not their fault if they do not have faith. Of course faith cannot be prescribed, and what is even more correct is that faith cannot be imposed. No, it cannot be prescribed but only acquired, and no one will be refused to possess it, even amongst those who are most resistant. We are speaking about fundamental spiritual truths and not this or that particular belief. It is not faith that should seek out these individuals; rather, they should seek out faith, and if they sincerely search for it, they will find it. Hence, you can be certain that those who say, “We would like nothing better than to believe, but we cannot,” say it only with their lips and not with their heart, because by saying it, they are plugging their ears. The proofs meanwhile multiply around them; why do they refuse to see them? On the part of some, it is indifference; for others, the fear of being forced to change their habits; for the majority, their pride refuses to acknowledge a higher power because they would have to bow before it.

For some individuals, faith almost seems to be innate; a spark is enough to develop it. Such ease in assimilating spiritual truths is an obvious sign of previous progress. For others, on the other hand, spiritual truths are difficult to absorb: a no less evident  sign of an unevolved nature. The former have already believed and understood; upon being reborn, they bring with them the intuition of what they know: they have accomplished their education. The latter must learn everything: they are yet to accomplish their education; but they will do so, if not in this lifetime, then in another.

We must agree that the resistance of disbelievers often has less to do with them per se than the way in which things are presented to them. Faith requires a foundation, and such foundation is the perfect understanding of that which is to be believed; in order to believe, it is not enough simply to see; it is essential above all to understand. Blind faith is no longer appropriate for this century, and it is precisely the dogma of blind faith that produces the greatest number of disbelievers nowadays,  because it wishes to impose itself and requires the abdication of two of the most precious prerogatives of human beings: reason and free will. It is mainly against this type of faith that disbelievers rebel, and about which it is true to say that faith cannot be prescribed. By not accepting proof, it leaves a void in the mind that gives room to doubt. Rational faith, that which is based on facts and logic, leaves no darkness in its wake; one believes because one is sure, and no one can be sure unless they have understood. That is why rational faith does not collapse, for unshakable faith is the kind that can stand face to face with reason in all human epochs. Spiritism leads to such a result and it also triumphs over disbelief as long as it does not encounter systematic and self- serving opposition.