# What Do You Believe is True Even Though You Cannot Prove It? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 6, 2005, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480 "2005-01-06T23:52:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/141 "2005-01-13T19:05:24Z")
I believe that the tale of the Golden Calf in _Exodus_ is based upon a series of civil wars between monotheists and polytheists. I also believe that the historical basis for Moses was a separatist Egyptian nobleman (perhaps with Hebrew blood) whose family remained loyal to Akhenaton after the collapse of his new religion and that the exodus may have coincided with the eruption of Santorini. I believe Santorini provides any historical basis to be found for Atlantis. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/142 "2005-01-13T20:34:55Z")
> [@Risha](#): > > I believe that animals have feelings and opinions, even though they’re not as smart as a human. I’m not sure that this qualifies as something “you cannot prove” (unless you take the soliphsist position that every other living creature could be just meat robots for all you know). My cats certainly show obvious behavior indicative of feelings and opinions about food, their litter boxes, their humans, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/143 "2005-01-13T20:45:46Z")
I believe that there is life and intelligence elsewhere in the universe, but that the latter is rare enough that we’re unlikely to make any real contact (we will probably find signals if we keep looking, but from so far away that communications will effectively be one-way). I believe that the laws of nature will never be **completely** understood (but that we will develop models that are ever-closer approximations). I believe that true artificial intelligence is possible, but may prove too difficult to demonstrate in my lifetime. I believe that the existence or not of God is fundamentally unknowable. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/144 "2005-01-13T20:58:01Z")
I believe that if there is one God, then there are probably billions of billions (for different times, different places, etc.). I believe that the end to the Middle East problem will come only when alternative fuels to oil are discovered and they can go back to being the “_little people, a silly people - greedy, barbarous, and cruel_” again (in other words, it’ll never happen). I believe (and fervently hope) that there is a causal connection between Robert Novak’s outting of Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA operative and his breaking his hip in an “accident” shortly after. I believe that there is a plot by the Jews to control the leadership of all of the world’s synagogues. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/145 "2005-01-14T04:51:05Z")
> [@](#): > > Quote: > > > [@](#): > > > > Originally Posted by Risha > > I believe that animals have feelings and opinions, even though they’re not as smart as a human. > > I’m not sure that this qualifies as something “you cannot prove” (unless you take the soliphsist position that every other living creature could be just meat robots for all you know). My cats certainly show obvious behavior indicative of feelings and opinions about food, their litter boxes, their humans, etc. Well, they’ve certainly proved it to _my_ satisfaction, but there are plenty of people out there that will tell you that animals are just following their instincts, and don’t feel pain - yeah, they’re screaming when you hurt them because of reflexes. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Corrado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a88e4f/32.png) [@John\_Corrado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Corrado)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/146 "2005-01-14T15:31:06Z")
I believe I am destined for something. I wish to God I knew what. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/147 "2005-01-14T16:12:08Z")
I believe that some day I will be able to purchase my own Robot Butler, but probably not until I’m a senior citizen. ---
**Author:** ![LucyInDisguise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucyindisguise/32/18064_2.png) [@LucyInDisguise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LucyInDisguise)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/148 "2005-01-15T16:05:59Z")
> [@John Corrado](#): > > I believe I am destined for something. > I wish to God I knew what. It may be that you are destined to serve as a warning to others … 😃 I believe that organized religion will prove to be the doom of all mankind. (… and I sincerely hope that someone finds a cure.) ---
**Author:** ![Arch\_Trout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Arch\_Trout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arch_Trout)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/149 "2005-01-15T20:40:39Z")
I believe that the world would be a better place if I was omnipotent. I believe that “The Legend of Zelda” Ocarina of Time" is the finest video game ever made. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480/150 "2005-01-15T20:46:00Z")
That there is/are no god(s). That we are not the only intelligent life in the universe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-believe-is-true-even-though-you-cannot-prove-it/283480.md?page=7)