Post # 1
Member
926 posts
Busy bee
Ahh! Pet peeve! It’s not that you “don’t believe,” in something that happens all the time. It’s that you don’t support it.
Maybe you don’t believe in Santa Clause, and that’s fine, but saying you “don’t believe in,” things that actually exist in the world makes you sound silly.
Edit: this is not in response to a post on here in particular. I see it all the time on FB and in email and on here and it’s so annoying!
That’s all. Flame away. 
Post # 3
Member
5427 posts
Bee Keeper
That is a valid point,.. I never thought of it that way.
From now on I will state: “I don’t support ________”
Post # 5
Member
114 posts
Blushing bee
No reason to be flamed. But, I’d love to know what you say. This will be an nteresting thread.
Post # 6
Member
4693 posts
Honey bee
Well, I believe in and fully support Santa Claus.
Post # 7
Member
1856 posts
Buzzing bee
Yeah. Sometimes I need to hold my tongue on this, because it just strikes me as plain ridiculous to say you don’t believe in something when it’s a fact that it exists. You don’t like it? Cool. You think it’s wrong? We can agree to disagree. But when it’s a fact of life, with documented proof, you really just need to accept it for what it is.
Post # 8
Member
926 posts
Busy bee
@MammaMouse: I tend to say I don’t agree with x, or don’t support the use of x for purpose, or don’t subscribe to x religion, or I have decided that x won’t be an option for us.
I don’t know, I’m probably just being silly, but using the word “believe,” calls into question the existence of something.
Post # 9
Member
926 posts
Busy bee
@MissBoPeep: lol, and I support your right to believe in him. I don’t support the Lucky Charms leprechaun. A little bit he creeps me out.
Post # 10
Member
4753 posts
Honey bee
I don’t support sounds worse, and inviting more conflict than I don’t believe (IMO).
Which is why I will continue to use the phrase I don’t believe.
Post # 11
Member
4693 posts
Honey bee
@bells219: He is creepy, but his marshmallows are damn good. 
Post # 12
Member
9816 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
This lady I used to work with used to be like “I don’t believe in being gay.” It’s not a unicorn hunnie.
Post # 13
Member
114 posts
Blushing bee
Actually, I think you have a good point. I’ve just never given thought to it. It seems that the “I believe” comes into play when people are talking about holiday figures or religious ones instead of values. I love these types of ponderings.
Post # 14
Member
3218 posts
Sugar bee
some of it is just never going to be reconciled because some people think that certain stances aren’t facts? like evolution. personally, I think it’s impossible to disagree with the scientific fact of evolution. however someone who doesn’t see that information as a fact would say “I don’t believe.”
I also think that God exists, whether you “believe” in him or not. Some people are going to say “I don’t believe.” 
That said, it’s all semantics, I know what people mean.
Post # 15
Member
1676 posts
Bumble bee
I’ve always assumed people meant this phrase in the context of “I don’t believe in supporting this” or “I don’t believe this is right/should be allowed”. I think it’s obvious the subject they’re referring to does exist or is a real issue; otherwise, there would be no point in discussing it.
Post # 16
Member
5827 posts
Bee Keeper
When people say “I don’t believe in divorce” I always want to say “Its not fairies”
Member