All affirmations are true in some sense, false in some sense, meaningless in some sense, true and false in some sense, true and meaningless in some sense, false and meaningless in some sense, and true and false and meaningless in some sense. – The Principia Discordia

All beliefs are only beliefs. Conclusions are only conclusions. Opinions are only opinions. You owe it to yourself to not take anything given as given, even this. Every thing you believe, every political view, moral inclination, ethical swing are all structures inserted into the clear void of your mind. They are distinctions only. Distinctions are very important. Without them you would not know when to put on your shoes, what to eat, why not to stand in front of a bus. They are essential, but they are not factual. They are the tools you have to navigate this world, and they determine the reality you have access to. They can be changed.

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. – The Buddha

Beliefs are like a wardrobe. You should keep it up to date and examine it regularly. Discard those beliefs that don’t suit you anymore, that aren’t your style. And, when you are shopping for new beliefs, remember to try them on before you take them home as yours. Make sure they fit you well, perform the function you need, and go with the rest of your selection. But, just like a real wardrobe, the beliefs you wear early in life are not initially selected by you. They are offered by parents, teachers, television, friends. You work with what is handed to you.

A belief structure can only exist in your mind with your agreement. You must, at some level, accept the belief.  Most of us are ambushed at an early age with the input of belief structures from our parents and/or primary care givers.  We accept these belief structures without question due to our need to trust those with, what appears at the time to be, ultimate authority over us.  But, make no mistake, we accept theses things.  They are well intended, but may not always be the most effective tools.  People do make mistakes.  When we become able to we should, as responsible evolving expressions of Spirit, examine them with a critical eye and re-accept them if that seems the appropriate thing to do.

And, that, precisely, is where the war begins.   The powers that be do not want us to examine those structures.  Having them in place, and acting with them, keeps us in line.  Make no mistake – Every war fought, every battle waged, every law passed, every vote taken, every decision handed down from on high is made with the goal of winning more of your brain space; to get you to accept (or continue to accept) more belief structures.  All enemies are propped up to reinforce the mythic-membership, the clan mentality, which keeps those in power in power.  “It’s us against them.”  “The war on poverty.”  “The war on terrorism.”  “Mothers Against Drunk Drivers.”  They are all rallying cries to accept belief structures.  Now, some of them are all well and good, and effective.  But, not all.  They need to be examined.  The single thing that those in power fear most is your critical examination of your belief structures.  They fear you thinking.

That is why the controlling powers of the world have, over the past several decades, systematically degraded the educational systems.  They have very nearly made it a crime to teach children to critically think.  It is perfectly fine to teach kids what to think, but not how.  Perfectly acceptable to educate them on performing menial, repetitive tasks, but not to question the validity of those tasks.  It is a fine thing to teach them to follow, but not to lead.  Leadership courses, at the pre-college level, are more and more the exclusive property of exclusive private schools.  The dominant belief structures are squeezing the capacity to question, and create, belief structures out of the masses and into the hands of those whose bloodlines are already in control.

The war is being waged all around you, and the fundamental field of battle, and the only prize, is your mind.  Your beliefs.  You have a weapon against this onslaught, no matter how dusty.  Your thoughts.  Think.  Think critically.  Think about what you believe, and why.  Think about what matters to you, what makes sense,  what is effective.  If in the end you agree whole heartedly with the belief structures you find in your mind, more power to you!  At least you will have consciously chosen who you are rather than had it handed to you with a pat on the head and a smile.

Without the exercise of critical thought, and self-examination, we are reduced to the status of automatons.  Robots not truly alive.  Live, and think, free!