The more rigid the system of beliefs that a society lives by the more resistant to change the society is. Not just change that directly opposes the belief, but to all types of change. Most notably, those societies that are governed by a religious doctrine, often have the basic tenant that any change is evil. Societies that border them are in a constant state of conflict with them, whether the bordering society lives by an equally strict set of beliefs or not. When brought down to the individual level, people set themselves apart from each other by their beliefs. They judge all others by their beliefs and limit the ability for any true intellectual or emotional relationship to culminate.

When life is viewed through an accumulated set of beliefs, everything experienced is judged and labeled, then neatly put away in a corner of the mind. Those things, which cause opposition to the beliefs, are avoided. Those, things which cause doubt in the belief, tend to create breaks in the armor of the accumulated beliefs and cause conflict within the person. The person avoids or otherwise puts up barriers to such encounters, and seeks comfort within the confines of those who have the same beliefs.

Belief dictates the necessity of constantly passing judgment and setting up barriers against the world. So what is one to do. Clear the view by transcending the beliefs. If so many people have lived on this earth for so long a time, with so many opposing beliefs, each of which professes to be right, then isn't it plain to see that they are not necessarily right or wrong. They are simply rules that were made up either out of a perceived need to know what is not or cannot be known or in order for the people of a given area to live by as a cooperating social entity.

When the beliefs become the driving force, it becomes impossible to know what is staring you right in the face because the filter created by the belief system is distorting or covering up the view. Belief becomes the destroyer or distorter of reason, which is the tool that allows us to create belief in the first place. Reason is our main tool of survival as instinct is for other animals. If an animal goes against its instinct it risks its survival. One cannot reason oneself out of a belief.