History Main / IBelieveThatYouBelieveIt

* In [[DragonAge Dragon Age: Origins]], the PC can say this about Leliana's vision.
* In ''[[MassEffect Mass Effect 2]]'', 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 RunningGag on ''{{Freakazoid}}'' had Dexter's JerkJock older brother trying to convince their parents about the big blue-and-red fairy tormenting him (actually Dexter's eponymous AlterEgo exacting some revenge). After one plea, [[StepfordSmiler Mom]] replies cheerily, "Oh, we believe that ''you'' believe it, dear, but ''you'' believe it because you're an incurable nutcase."

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.]]

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]] [[TengenToppaGurrenLagann believing in someone who believes in you.]]

* In ''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.

-->'''Kalinda:''' {{You have to believe me}}.

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

[[folder:NewspaperComics]]

[[folder:TabletopGames]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

* Kyle uses this line on Cartman in the ''SouthPark'' episode "Fishsticks", where Cartman is concerned that Jimmy is going to take all the credit for a joke they "co-wrote." Kyle tells Cartman that he believes Cartman thinks he helped write the joke because his [[SelfServingMemory ego won't let him think otherwise]]. Later in the episode, Cartman remembers what Kyle said and [[IronicEcho applies it to Jimmy]], thinking this is what Kyle really meant.
* A {{running gag}} on ''{{Freakazoid}}'' had Dexter's JerkJock older brother trying to convince their parents about the big blue-and-red fairy tormenting him (actually Dexter's eponymous AlterEgo exacting some revenge). After one plea, [[StepfordSmiler Mom]] replies cheerily, "Oh, we believe that ''you'' believe it, dear, but ''you'' believe it because you're an incurable nutcase."

-->'''Bert Banana:''' You've read the Bible, haven't you?

[[folder:RealLife]]

* ''The Death of Grass'' by John Christopher. Roger tells Pirrie about a defensible farm in a valley.

* From the ''AquaTeenHungerForce'' episode ''Bible Fruit'':

-->Marjorie Worden: Can you believe that I believe that the devil's in my house?
-->Harry Lincoln: Yes. If you believe there's a devil, you believe the devil's in your house; then for you it's true.

-->Cherokee Putnam: You think I'm crazy?
-->Dr. Roy Basch: No, no, you are not crazy.
-->Cherokee Putnam: You believe that he's . . . you know, screwing her in therapy?
-->Dr. Roy Basch: I believe that you believe it.

-->Xyon: Kalinda, this is insanity.
-->Kalinda: You have to believe me.
-->Xyon: I believe that you believe it, but that's as far as it goes.

* in ''The Feathered Serpent'' by Chris Heimerdinger, King Jacob says this to Melody after she tells him her Uncle Garth doesn't know the information he wants. Still convinced that Garth has the info,[[spoiler: he threatens Melody's life and starts to slowly murder her before the helpless man's eyes.]]

-->Joan: [Explains about her talks with God] You have to believe me. If you believe me, then... I know it's not crazy, but if you don't... you promised.
-->Adam: I believe... that you believe it.

-->Meredith: So what, you didn't believe that I would let you move in, in the first place?
-->Derek: I believe that you believe it.

-->Scott: I have this ability. When I touch something, I can electrocute it if I want.
-->Dr. Waxler: How do you know?
-->Scott: I did it to the neighbor's cat. Its insides fried up like a hamburger.
-->Dr. Waxler: [frowns and takes a note, his face passive]
-->Scott: You don't believe me.
-->Dr. Waxler: I believe that you believe it.

* 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 ''SilentHillShatteredMemories'', Cybil tells Harry towards 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 eighteen years ago]].

* Kyle uses this line on Cartman in the ''SouthPark'' episode "Fishsticks," where Cartman is concerned that Jimmy is going to take all the credit for a joke they "co-wrote." Kyle tells Cartman that he believes Cartman thinks he helped write the joke because his [[SelfServingMemory ego won't let him think otherwise]]. Later in the episode, Cartman remembers what Kyle said and [[IronicEcho applies it to Jimmy]], thinking this is what Kyle really meant.

* From the AquaTeenHungerForce episode ''Bible Fruit'':
-->Bert Banana: You've read the Bible, haven't you?
-->Frylock: Yes.
-->Bert Banana: And you believe ''that'', don't you?
-->Frylock: Well, I believe that I've ''read'' it.

-->Jay: I'm not going anywhere, neither are you. [snip]
-->Oprah: You don't believe I'll do it?
-->Jay: I believe that you believe it.

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.

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 TriviallyObvious, TheoryBeforePhenomenon.

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, TheoryBeforePhenomenon.

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 DamedByFaintPraise, TheoryBeforePhenomenon.

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.

[[folder:Real Life]]
* Jay Leno's interview on the Oprah Winfrey show. Oprah was talking about her decision to stop doing her show.
-->Jay: I'm not going anywhere, neither are you. [snip]
-->Oprah: You don't believe I'll do it?
-->Jay: I believe that you believe it.
[[/folder]]

** With notes enphasizing that what the heretic means in this case is "I believe that you believe this, though I do not."

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

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

[[folder]]

[[AC:{{Film}}]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

* in The Feathered Serpent by Chris Heimerdinger, King Jacob says this to Melody after she tells him her Uncle Garth doesn't know the information he wants. Still convinced that Garth has the info,[[spoiler: he threatens Melody's life and starts to slowly murder her before the helpless man's eyes.]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:RealLife]]

** With notes enphasizing that what the heretic means in this case is "I believe that you believe this, though I do not."

* Medieval heretics didn't like to be caught by the Inquisition but a lot of them also didn't like to lie, since that was frequently one of those things that they found so reprehensible about mainstream religion that they would bother to be heretics with the associated risks and effort, so Inquisitors' manuals are full of warnings of their trying tricks based on this. Especially in the form:

* A {{running gag}} on ''{{Freakazoid}}'' had Dexter's JerkJock older brother trying to convince their parents about the big blue-and-red fairy tormenting him (actually Dexter's eponymous AlterEgo exacting some revenge). After one plea, [[StepfordSmiler Mom]] replies cheerily, "Oh, we believe that ''you'' believe it, dear, but ''you'' believe it because you're an incurable nutcase."

* Kyle uses this line on Cartman in the ''SouthPark'' episode "Fishsticks," where Cartman is concerned that Jimmy is going to take all the credit for a joke they "co-wrote." Kyle tells Cartman that he believes Cartman thinks he helped write the joke because his [[SelfServingMemory ego won't let him think otherwise]]. Later in the episode, Cartman remembers what Kyle said and [[IronicEcho applies it to Jimmy]], thinking this is what Kyle really meant.

* Melinda's friend, Delia in ''GhostWhisperer'' is an egregorious 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.