Believe in Anything

Widely credited to Chesterton, the line does not appear in his writings. It derives from Émile Cammaerts's 1937 book about him, The Laughing Prophet, which paraphrased ideas found in Chesterton's work; the compact modern form spread afterwards.

In practice

• A secular society's bookshops fill their spirituality shelves with astrology and crystal healing.
• A colleague who calls himself an atheist reads his horoscope every morning.

Possible explanations

One explanation offered is that the need for meaning persists when religious belief declines, and finds other objects. Another is that organised religion once filtered out less structured beliefs.

In its favour

Consistent with the growth of spiritual-but-not-religious identification as church membership has fallen in several Western countries.

Against it

Evidence on paranormal belief is mixed: several surveys find it highest among the irregularly religious rather than among the committed secular, who mostly reject it. The claim can be used to dismiss unbelief without engaging with it.

Standing

Misattributed to Chesterton. Compare Chesterton's fence, which is his.

Subject

Sociology & Culture

Essay

Proverbs that recur across cultures