So think of it like this:
“Choosing” a belief is not like choosing an apple over an orange, or a bagel with the cream cheese or with the lox (trick question - it’s the sausage biscuit - always choose the sausage biscuit). By the same token, I’m not discussing beliefs like “I believe that French Bulldogs are better pets than Anacondas.” Yeah, that’s a belief - and maybe you are talking about those kind - but I’m not. And actually, in that example, I believe (irony intended) a more accurate statement would be “I think that French Bulldogs are better pets than Anacondas.” (I once had both as pets at the same time. Poor Frenchy… he was a good dog… just not a particularly fast dog.)
“Beliefs,” at least at the scale I’m talking, are infinitely deeper and more significant. A belief can be formed by good information or bad information - we’re talking beliefs, not “truths,” and there is quite a difference between the two. People who truly believe the world to be flat simply believe bad information (or do they??? Yes. Yes, they do.)
A true belief is nigh unshakable - until another belief comes along and, well, shakes it.
If you aren’t familiar with Harry Potter, this might not make much sense - but if you are, here’s a twist on his visit to Ollivander’s Wand Shop.
Harry Potter goes into Ollivander’s Belief Shop to choose his core beliefs. My, there are so many of them on the shelves in such pretty boxes! Why, there’s a belief about anything and everything for everyone here!
God? The trinity; a man; a woman; an undefined energy; a myth; a flying spaghetti monster - the list is endless!
Earth? Round; Flat, Oval; A figment of our imagination in which we are nothing but batteries utilized by a superior intelligence to power their world while making us THINK we are in OUR world until our energy is used up and we are discarded like the Pop Tart crumbs at the bottom of a toaster oven until this dude named Neo comes along and he takes the blue pill (or was it the red pill??) and…
but I digress. Again, endless possibilities!!
Bigfoot? Well, you get the idea.
Anyhoo, Mr. Potter starts with (insert belief here). He goes through a few boxes and hits one that he really likes! “This is it, Ollivander!! Wrap that sucker up. And don’t forget the student discount.”
Ollivander, wiser than his years says “Fine choice, Mr. Potter, but perhaps you should open a few more?” Harry says “Nope. This is the one. I’m certain of it - I can’t imagine a better belief than this one!” Ollivander says “What’s the harm, Mr. Potter… just a few more?”
“OK, OK. Not sure of the point though. This belief makes SOOOO much sense to me!”
So anyway, five boxes in, Harry opens a box and a light shines on his face, a wind whips through his hair, and he gasps “By the power of Grayskull!!! This… this… well, this changes everything…”
Ollivander smiles. “It seems you have a choice now, Mr. Potter… or do you, Mr. Potter? Do you really have a choice?”
“Certainly you can choose any belief you want, Mr. Potter… but it appears the belief has chosen you.”
If it is really a hardcore, deep belief - it chooses you - your power to honestly choose anything else is non-existent.