Some Definitions

Notice the differences between these definitions:

Belief: refers to the mental acceptance of an idea or conclusion, often a doctrine or dogma proposed to one for acceptance.

Fact: A thing that has actually happened or that is really true; a thing that has been or is. The state of things as they are; reality; actuality; truth. Something that can or has been proven.

"Belief" refers to accepting and idea or conclusion as true and valid. Often beliefs come "prepackaged," meaning that there is a whole series of little "truths" that make up the doctrine or "dogma."

For example, consider the question, "Do you believe in UFO's?" The question involves more than whether one believes in the existence of unidentified objects flying in the sky. The question really asks about a whole set of packaged ideas (dogma) about life in the universe, aliens visiting earth, alien technology, government conspiracies, the whole X-Files storyline.

The term "fact" includes more of that concept of "truth," something that really happened, the state of things as they are, or something that can or has been proven. Facts are more concrete; they are often the "little truths" that lead to proving a larger concept. "The facts show that crime is down in the country."

On to Beliefs vs. Facts