this post was submitted on 20 May 2025
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When you think about it belief is a childs word. Adults either know or dont know. When an adult uses the word it is to signal ambiguity. "Hey man is there still that arbys on 5th street?"........" I BELIEVE so, but I havent been to town for a while"
This is the only appropriate adult usage of the word. People who say they believe in god, santa, tooth fairy, bigfoot, chthulu, are showing you they never mentally evolved beyond childhood.
Do you believe that to be true?
"adults either know or don't know" then you immediately acknowledge there is room for ambiguity. Revealing that you worked backwards from the premise of "belief in God is childish".
Why else would your example of a reasonable "adult" usage of believe be valid but not
"Hey man is there a god" "I believe so but I haven't seen him personally"
In both examples there is a being/place beyond our current reach which we believe to be there, for whatever reasons, but are unable to confirm at the moment.
Ironically in your rush to call others childish you posted the most childish response here by assuming your understanding is the only valid one.
Hurt dog barks loudest