You are only FREE to the extent of information MADE AVAILABLE to you !!!

Citizens live their lives unaware they are constantly short changed by those in power - both the political masters and the religious gurus.

Lets take a look at the political masters. They control the entire "infrastructure and the environment" under which you are allowed to live. They do this by the policies and the laws that they make, mostly without the knowledge of the majority, within the corridors of the select elite few. You only get to hear and most of the time, experience the policies and laws when you become aware that they are affecting you.

Whatever laws and policies that are announced are announced concisely enough so that not much information on the long term consequences are divulged to you. Much information is hidden from you so that you are not free enough to evaluate the policies and the laws passed.

Look at the mainstream news. Read the pronouncements of those in power. Do they divulge information that is useful to the well being of the Nation and the People?

Every piece of news is selected, edited and crafted to give you just the information that is required to shape the perception that they want you to have. Can you imagine what amount of information you have to form conclusions on important issues affecting the Nation through the main stream media.

The more information you have, the more freedom you have to decide on the fate of this Nation. The more information the People have, the less powerful the political masters become.

Freedom of information is power to the People and this is something no politician will like!

The internet has given much power to the People because to a very large extent, it still allows expression of facts and ideas without much control. But be warned - this may not be for long. It hurts the power of the political masters because it allows ideas and facts alternative to theirs.

Lets now look at the religious gurus or masters. Directly and indirectly this group has always presented themselves as the most knowledgeable and therefore most qualified to speak in God's name. They also present themselves as armed with the most authentic, unquestioning and accurate divine information. They equally uphold their understanding of the scriptures as the only possible understanding and infallible at that.

Once upon a time, the dissemination of religious information was by way of mouth and once again, through the mainstream media. Hence, the ordinary people only get the mainstream information as approved and agreed upon by a select elitist mainstream few. Any views opposing these views will never get the opportunity to be published.

Hence, the general public never knows that an equally plausible alternative understanding of the scripture is possible. Hence, the general public does not really have freedom of understanding their faith due to control of information available.

This monopoly over "religious information" is largely broken down by the internet. Again, internet poses a major obstacle to those who want to hoard information.

Study the history of human civilisation and you will find that mainstream politicians and mainstream religious gurus work hand in glove. It is the political and religious elite who decide what can be believed and what cannot. They decide what information can be made available and what cannot. During the course of time, the unthinking public assumes that the "norm" is the only and right thing to believe.

Guard your access to information or it will cost you your life !

Peace !!!