Is there any difference in what you think and what you believe?

sometimes just depends on what the subject is

I think (and drive) American cars are better, but i really believe that most foreign cars are better.

You could look at this difference as a classical left brain vs. right brain thing. You can know as a fact that there are no unicorns, but that does not stop you from dreaming of them, liking them, collecting them, reading about them, writing about them, etc.

Writers call this “the suspension of disbelief”, which is a basic premise of all the arts. You can paint what you cannot see, compose what you cannot hear, write what is unknown – as long as you can conceptualize it in your imagination.

Well what i usually think is incorrect and what i believe is often just silly ill get it straight one of these days

A belief for me, is usually stronger.

@ark_a_dong yes same here

I agree with @ark_a_dong.
There’s a different between “I think the bus will be on time today” and “I believe (oh I believe, I believe, I really believe) the bus will be on time.” The latter seems to carry more weight. The first sounds a bit more natural and nonchalant.

Rats. Was that a bad example? =[

I believe I think the same as I believe.
Or is it..
I think I believe the same as I think.

What I think and what I believe is about the same. What I fantasize about of course is a whole nuther ball of wax.

I think braces hurt but I believe some of it is just in my head

I think I’ll paint my dog’s toenails. I believe I’ll have another beer first.

I think they are the same thing for me.

…and then there’s knowing…

I’m not sure whether it’s possible to believe something different from what you think. When you say you “believe” unicorns exist even though you don’t think they exist, what are you saying? Is belief a wish? Are you making some subtle dig at people who believe in God, even though they see no evidence to suggest that a god exists? I really don’t understand what you mean when you say beliefs are different from thoughts.

I think that the existence of magical unicorns is illogical but I believe they are real, though I know that it doesn’t really make sense. I also believe in God but understand that not every aspect of my belief makes sense. I didn’t intend to make a subtle dig at the religious people I count myself among, was just wondering if anyone else compartmentalized the way I do. Part of me also believes in Santa, though he doesn’t make sense, and another part of me thinks that women are more valuable to society than men because they ban bear (sp?) children and are more necessary, but I don’t believe that at all.

It really sounds like wishfull (or wistful) thinking to me.

I AGREE WITH @ark_a_dong
Beliefs are stronger.

I’m not sure I believe in anything. I do however think a lot of things, I also think a lot of things that I think are not necessarily true. Did you get that? I am unwilling to say that anything is impossible. Is there a word for that?

You are not religious?

Nope. I do not believe, nor do I think that god exists, but, I can’t say that the idea is impossible.

Ok, just trying to disprove your theory. Aren’t I so mean?
Kidding ;)

Ultimately, I think that our thoughts are a part of our beliefs.
But the difference is similar to the difference between a snapshot and a movie.

@mrswho – It sounds to me like you just haven’t explored your beliefs deeply enough.

You say that part of you believes in Santa, but to what extent? Do you believe that he lives in the north pole? Flies around the world with his reindeer delivering presents?

Or do you believe in the idea of Santa? Do you believe in the stories, or do you believe the stories? There’s a difference.

Saying that you think the existence of unicorns is illogical doesn’t say whether you think they exist. When you say that you believe they exist, then you are expressing what you are thinking.