“Non-violence requires a double faith, faith in God and also faith in man.”
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Probable attribution
This saying is widely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, but the attribution is not supported by a reliable primary source.
Likely origin: Attributed to Gandhi; consistent with his Harijan-era writings linking faith to non-violence; no dated primary confirmed.
About this quote
Choosing restraint over force needs two kinds of trust at once: that a larger moral order holds, and that the person across from you can still be reached and can still change. Lose faith in either and you fall back on coercion; the double trust is what keeps patience alive.
When to use it
- A negotiator keeps talking because she believes the other side is capable of moving, not because she is naive.
- A parent stays patient with a rebellious teen, trusting the person underneath will come through in time.
- Organizers keep reaching out to opponents on the bet that minds can genuinely change.