History Main / IBelieveThatYouBelieveIt

* In ''Film/{{Ghostbusters}}'', Dana is hooked up to one of the group's special machines while she gives her account of a supernatural experience. When she's finished, Egon reports, "She's telling the truth, or at least she thinks she is." They then clarify that they do this to weed out people who are lying in order to get attention.

* Xander overhears Buffy talking about being the Slayer in the pilot episode and confronts her with, "I only know that you ''think'' that you're the Slayer." Getting attacked by actual vampires [[BrokenMasquerade quickly clears up his misconception]].

* ''GreysAnatomy'' episode "Dream a Little Dream of Me"

* Liz on ''{{Roswell}}'' got this reaction from another character when trying to tell them about the aliens.

* Xander overhears Buffy talking about being the Slayer in the pilot episode of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and confronts her with, "I only know that you ''think'' that you're the Slayer." Getting attacked by actual vampires [[BrokenMasquerade quickly clears up his misconception]].

* In one episode of ''ThatSeventiesShow'', Eric fixes a lawnmower all by himself, but it gets destroyed after Kelso accidentally drives into it. Red walks away, muttering "Well, it was broken anyway", but Eric insists he fixed the mower on his own, and asks Kitty if she believes him. She answers "I believe that you believe you fixed it.".

* ''JoanOfArcadia'' episode "Silence"

* This is effectively how the United States and the People's Republic of China deal with the issue of Taiwan when the two established formal diplomatic relations in 1979. Up to that point, the United States recognized the Republic of China on Taiwan as the sole legitimate ruling authority of China, and both the PRC and ROC maintain a "One China" policy (the difference, of course, being who represents that One China)[[note]]To this day, neither will have diplomatic relations with any country that has relations with the other[[/note]]. To get around the potential relations nightmare (both international and public) of dropping the anticommunist government for the communist one in the midst of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, the US's official position on the issue (as expressed in the Shanghai Communiqué of 1972) is that it "acknowledges" the PRC's position on the One China policy (as opposed to "endorsing" it). China was willing to [[JustGoWithIt go along with this]] in order to develop relations with the West after the Sino-Soviet Split.[[/folder]]

* This is effectively how the United States and the People's Republic of China deal with the issue of Taiwan when the two established formal diplomatic relations in 1979. Up to that point, the United States recognized the Republic of China on Taiwan as the sole legitimate ruling authority of China, and both the PRC and ROC maintain a "One China" policy (the difference, of course, being who represents that One China)[[note]]To this day, neither will have diplomatic relations with any country that has relations with the other[[/note]]. To get around the potential relations nightmare (both international and public) of dropping the anticommunist government for the communist one in the midst of the UsefulNotes/ColdWar, the US's official position on the issue (as expressed in the Shanghai Communiqué of 1972) is that it "acknowledges" the PRC's position on the One China policy (as opposed to "endorsing" it). China was willing to go along with this in order to develop relations with the West after the Sino-Soviet Split.[[/folder]]

* This is effectively how the United States and the People's Republic of China deal with the issue of Taiwan when the two established formal diplomatic relations in 1979. Up to that point, the United States recognized the Republic of China on Taiwan as the sole legitimate ruling authority of China, and both the PRC and ROC maintain a "One China" policy (the difference, of course, being who represents that One China)[[note]]To this day, neither will have diplomatic relations with any country that has relations with the other[[/note]]. To get around the potential relations nightmare (both international and public) of dropping the anticommunist government for the communist one in the midst of the ColdWar, the US's official position on the issue (as expressed in the Shanghai Communiqué of 1972) is that it "acknowledges" the PRC's position on the One China policy (as opposed to "endorsing" it). China was willing to go along with this in order to develop relations with the West after the Sino-Soviet Split.[[/folder]]

* In ''{{Peanuts}}'', Linus got this reaction from Peppermint Patty after he told her about the Great Pumpkin.

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', a successful use of the Bluff skill is used to make someone believe you're being genuine even when you're not. A particularly [[KillerGameMaster sadistic DM]] (or simply a reasonable one trying to curb {{Munchkin}}ism through BotheringByTheBook) can use this trope to make people believe characters aren't lying without actually buying into their bluffs. Given how easily it is to turn the bluff skill into a GameBreaker if you do ''not'' employ this trope (as demonstrated by ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0767.html here]]), this may be justified.
* This is basically the entire reaction of the Tau in Warhammer40K where the Warp is concerned. Since they have a natural immunity to anything Warp-related, (including, but not limited to, HearingVoices, psychic powers, and that perennial favorite DemonicPossession), they see the Imperium happily slaughtering their own men by the thousand to prevent this kind of corruption, but simply can't imagine it happening to them (they know Chaos daemons exist, but see them as a race of psychic aliens rather than sentient emotion given form, and their FTL travel doesn't go near the Warp, but is much slower, so no HyperspaceIsAScaryPlace for them).

* In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', if you try to convince the Council about the giant killer robots from deep space, they say they believe that you believe this but they still think Sovereign was just a Geth ship.

* A lot of SwordOfTruth deals with the question of what truth is, so this issue crops up rather frequently.

** Buffy says this regarding Spike's professions of love, as she refuses to believe that you can love without a soul. Spike is furious to have his feelings dismissed so casually, especially as he believes that Buffy shares them.

* In ''SilentHillShatteredMemories'', Cybil tells Harry toward the end that she believes that ''he'' believes he's [[spoiler:Harry Mason, even though the real Harry Mason is on record as having died 18 years ago]].

* ''The Death of Grass'' by JohnChristopher. Roger tells Pirrie about a defensible farm in a valley.
-->"And now?" John pressed him. "Do you believe us?"
-->Pirrie sighed. "I believe that you believe it."

* In ''DungeonsAndDragons'', a successful use of the Bluff skill is used to make someone believe you're being genuine even when you're not. A particularly [[KillerGameMaster sadistic DM]] (or simply a reasonable one trying to curb {{Munchkin}}ism through BotheringByTheBook) can use this trope to make people believe characters aren't lying without actually buying into their bluffs. Given how easily it is to turn the bluff skill into a GameBreaker if you do ''not'' employ this trope, this may be justified.

[[/folder]]

* In AvatartheLastAirbender, Jet tells a story that is obviously false, yet Toph's normally foolproof lie-detector ability suggests he's telling the truth. The conclusion is that Jet thinks he's telling the truth, but has actually been the victim of brainwashing.

* After John Doe's MotiveRant in ''Film/{{Seven}}'', Somerset says "I don't doubt that ''you'' believe that, John."

Either way, Bob's not accusing Alice of lying, but he's still not quite as understanding as Alice might hope. He's implying (in the former case) that she's over-imaginative, paranoid, even crazy, or (in the latter) that she doesn't know herself as well as he does or that she lacks follow-through. In any case, Alice usually finds it pretty insulting, even though in most cases Bob means well by it. Related to DamnedByFaintPraise, TriviallyObvious, TheoryBeforePhenomenon. [[IThoughtItMeant Not related to]] [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann believing in someone who believes in you.]]

* Melinda's friend, Delia, in ''GhostWhisperer'' is an egregious example of this. She spends at least one season/year ''trying hard'' to fit this trope into her life, and for an episode [[TookALevelInDumbass Taking A Level In Stupidity]] by not believing anymore.

* In ''VideoGame/DragonAge Origins'', the PC can say this about Leliana's vision.

* Xander overhears Buffy talking about being the Slayer in the pilot episode of ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and confronts her with exactly these words. Getting attacked by actual vampires [[BrokenMasquerade quickly clears up his misconception]].
** PlayedForLaughs when Buffy says its not true that she always resorts to violence. Xander replies, "The important thing is ''you'' believe that."
** Buffy says this about Spike's declaration of love for her, as she refuses to believe that you can love without a soul. Spike is furious to have his feelings dismissed so casually, especially as he believes that Buffy shares them.

** PlayedForLaughs when Buffy says its not true that she always resorts to violence. Xander replies, "The important thing is you believe that."

** Buffy says this about Spike's declaration of love for her, as she refuses to believe that you can love without a soul.

* ''{{Supernatural}}'' episode "Hunted"

* Xander overhears Buffy talking about being the Slayer in the pilot episode of ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and confronts her with exactly these words. Getting attacked by actual vampires [[BrokenMasquerade quickly clears up his misconception]].

* In the SwordOfTruth, this happens all over the place.
** There's a spell that Lunetta uses that lets her know if others believe what they're saying. However, she says this to the people asking the questions, though.
** When the Chainfire spell was unleashed, Richard had this exchange with more than half of the ten most dangerous people in the world. They believed that he believed it.
** Sister Verna to Richard. He was completely right.