The English language is ambiguous on any difference between "belief," and "opinion." The former is often taken as just "strong opinion."
I would argue that in reality there is a psychological difference. Beliefs are obtained mainly from indoctrination, opinions from investigation and education. Beliefs tend to be defended "no matter what," opinions are alterable, with difficulty but without emotional trauma. There are meditative techniques that can inculcate a belief, none that merely make opinions (which is a reason meditation under the wrong or a misguided teacher can be dangerous). Mostly, our beliefs derive from what we were taught as children before we had mature skeptical minds. That is why most Egyptians are Muslims, most Italians Catholic, most Cambodians Buddhist.
It behooves a person who would truly know themselves and truly understand things to root out beliefs, study them objectively, and either keep them as opinions or reject them.
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