# Things you believe in but cannot prove **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715 "2008-12-11T15:02:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/1 "2008-12-11T15:02:11Z")
I got this idea from a book with the same title. And of course, this thread is not limited to religion. \*\*I believe, but cannot prove that a boring routine can take years _off your life._ What do you believe but cannot prove? ---
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/2 "2008-12-11T15:24:25Z")
I believe that it’s impossible to prove anything. Trying to prove this runs into obvious problems. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/3 "2008-12-11T15:28:20Z")
> [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](#): > > I got this idea from a book with the same title. > > And of course, this thread is not limited to religion. > > \*\*I believe, but cannot prove that a boring routine can take years _off your life._ > > What do you believe but cannot prove? I once read a thing somewhere about a guy who knew he was dying, so he made it a point to get in the longest line, tackle the most tedious tasks, and generally drag everything out to make his life seem longer. However, I can’t prove this. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/4 "2008-12-11T15:43:42Z")
I’ll play. God exists, and is not the big hardass boogeyman most religions make him/her/whatever out to be. Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, but may have been put up to it. Dubya will be treated much kinder by the historians than he has been by the present day press, political opposition, and general populace. Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti, crop circles, and the like are all hoaxes. Psychics are all frauds. So are faith healers and TV preachers. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/5 "2008-12-11T16:10:51Z")
I believe I’ll have another beer. But I can’t prove it. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/6 "2008-12-11T16:18:53Z")
I exist. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/7 "2008-12-11T16:20:06Z")
There is life on other planets! I really hope this will be proved in my lifetime, though! ---
**Author:** ![Black\_Sunshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ce73a5/32.png) [@Black\_Sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Black_Sunshine)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/8 "2008-12-11T16:52:06Z")
Life after death. There is no way there could ever not be me. I’m even more compelled regarding big personalities in my life. My grandmother death last year really sealed the deal for me. It is impossible for me to believe that she no longer exists. Overly romantic wishful thinking, sure. But I can’t shake it. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/9 "2008-12-11T16:56:07Z")
I believe there is other life in the universe…somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/10 "2008-12-11T17:39:40Z")
Every even integer greater than two can be expressed as the sum of two primes. ---
**Author:** ![FallenAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@FallenAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallenAngel)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/11 "2008-12-11T18:06:03Z")
There’s no eternal reward for people, but all dogs do, indeed, go to heaven. ---
**Author:** ![Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ed655f/32.png) [@Crown\_Prince\_of\_Irony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crown_Prince_of_Irony)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/12 "2008-12-11T18:29:51Z")
I also believe other life exists elsewhere in the universe, possibly even in our galaxy. But I also believe that manned interstellar travel cannot be practically developed, so we’ll never find conclusive proof. Bummer. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/13 "2008-12-11T18:35:33Z")
It’s better to act honestly. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/14 "2008-12-11T18:41:30Z")
There are really only two forces at work in the universe: entropy and irony. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/15 "2008-12-11T18:59:51Z")
I believe real love only happens once. Or, in the words of La Bruyère, “_L’on n’aime bien qu’une seule fois, c’est la première ; les amours qui suivent sont moins involontaires_”. (Rough translation : man really only loves once, and that’s the first time ; for the affairs that follow are less involuntary.) It’s kinda like chasing the dragon, really. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/16 "2008-12-11T19:51:38Z")
I belive human life is the result of an alien experiment gone horribly wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/17 "2008-12-11T20:15:29Z")
I believe that religion has been overall a bad thing for humanity. There are some good aspects to religion, but they are overwhelmed by the bad. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/18 "2008-12-11T20:23:20Z")
Knowledge is better than ignorance. Paradoxically, that’s why I try to refrain from believing things I can’t prove. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/19 "2008-12-11T20:36:48Z")
Jazz, long considered “America’s music,” is retreating to a regional taste centered on New York. New Yorkers are no more likely to be jazz fans than ever, but jazz fans are more likely to be New Yorkers. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715/20 "2008-12-11T20:55:49Z")
I believe in tiny cows that are approximately a centimetre (half an inch) or so tall. They live under rocks, and ants farm them. You can’t see the tiny cows, because they’re mad fast. Like tiny cow ninjas or something. But because you can’t see them, I can’t prove they’re there. But I know they are… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-believe-in-but-cannot-prove/476715.md?page=2)