“Apparently, two sets of factors come into action to produce this diversity of mind and consciousness: First, the quality of life from which the thought is formed; second, the beliefs of the person. But, in reality, the quality of life, that is, the character of the consciousness—or vital-thought just defined—is determined by the beliefs of the person according to his sphere of use; for the beliefs govern the inspirations which in turn give quality to the life. The plant gathers to itself the elements for use in its growth and preservation; but the human mind, being more highly developed, may gather as wide a diversity of qualities as it has diversity of desire, that is, it may gather any quality that it believes to be useful.
The consciousness of the individual, being an aggregate of qualities of universal consciousness, bound or ensphered for a purpose, for use, the individual is acting under a law which enables him to gather within himself, ensphere as an added consciousness, the element of any vital thought that he believes to be useful. It is intimated in the early portion of this chapter, and we believe it is generally admitted, that the activities of the reasoning mind spring from this inner selfhood, that which we have termed the vital-thought.
Why could not our ancestors in the early stages of the race reason so clearly as we of modern times? Were they not drawing and living from the same great fountains from which we live? Certainly, they were, but experience had not matured more perfect brain organs, broader beliefs, and wider sympathies and desires. It has been well said by one of the ancients that, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
At this point we meet the coincidence of reason and religion. Can we divorce them? Are they not a dual manifestation of the same underlying principle? They are, most unquestionably. Religion has as a base, love, desire. Reason is the phenomenon of love. The difference is that religion opens up the life toward its Cause, and reason directs life into the active phenomena of forming, or, better still, of being formed into images of which the sensory nerves of the brain take cognizance, when they become conscious thought. But the quality of the thought, as well as the quality of the love, depends upon the quality of the life, and all these depend upon the underlying phenomena of the foundation belief.
Why did Jesus the Christ hold so firmly and continuously before the people the importance of belief, and of right belief? Not only so, but he insisted upon the fact that belief without a doubt would give power to control physical nature around one. So extreme was his utterance as to claim that, by the means of this belief, mountains could be removed from their place. A careful investigator may experiment in the everyday walks of life, upon this power of belief, in its control of the inspirations of the person.”
Hiram Butler
The Mark Of God: Understanding Your "I AM Presence" 