Belief is with them mechanical, voluntary: they believe what they are paid for -- they swear to that which turns to account. Do you suppose, that after years spent in this manner, they have any feeling left answering to the difference between truth and falsehood?

Summary

This quote suggests that belief is often merely a mechanical and voluntary act, influenced by financial incentives. The speaker questions whether individuals who have been driven by worldly gains for years can still discern the difference between what is true and what is false. In other words, prolonged engagement in a system where personal gains replace genuine conviction may erode one's ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

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