dictionary :

dog·ma ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dôgm, dg-)
n. pl. dog·mas or dog·ma·ta (-m-t)
A doctrine or a corpus of doctrines relating to matters such as morality and faith, set forth in an authoritative manner by a church.
An authoritative principle, belief, or statement of ideas or opinion, especially one considered to be absolutely true. See Synonyms at doctrine.
A principle or belief or a group of them: “The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present” (Abraham Lincoln).


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[Latin, from Greek, opinion, belief, from dokein, to seem, think. See dek- in Indo-European Roots.]


K -
Thats the definition, an opinion tyhat is taken as fact, like religious doctrine.
Maybe the word is not used other than for religious 'dogma'? Eg?

dogma is not a good thing.
We humans have had to resort to dogma a lot, esp in times past where communication was less than it is now, because dogma would 'lend a hand' to the organisation of society. Dogma could get people in line by us all doing the same thing.

This is a new era. Now I can see more clearly why religion and dogma bopthers me so much - we are "moving up" to a way of life that allows and encourages individualism, and allows "all the various religions".
OBVIOUSLY dogma in this situation is what will lead to conflicts - severeal different dogmas will certainly collide

Imagine our society that has 5 or 6 different dogmatic doctrines that tell us hopw to live, with 5 or 6 groups following each their own dogamatic protoccols, ALL BEING ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED THAT THEIRS IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

i can see that that will lead to conflicts.

What do you propose to do abou it? let it happen and the strongest will survive [the way its alwys been done in the past, condemning us to wars without end].
Silly to just do that and have faith that your dogma will lead to victory over other dogmas. Faith and 'the biggest gun' - bullying. That will certainly lead to a society ful of grief and violence, since it was born of violence and brought grief to the losing side, who will be still here.

A better way to proceed with a culture of 6 dogmas would be to encourage people to go al the way with individualism and make up their own dogma, and that way we cannot "group up" defending a dogma. thats how it allwyas starts - a few get together and say "lets be a force to get the upper hand".

This "better way" needs individuals to help it along, not groups against groups. Respect for another ONE, a person, comes easily that way, but acceptance of a whole group under one dogma does not encourage respect.

Without respect for each one of us, there will continue to be conflict. if it walsk like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it just may be a duck. The "duck" here is that if you are involved in a group dogma thing, you are the problem.
Tell me if you can see that this is true.if not, please enlighten me as to how its not true that the root of human conflict is other than people following a "

Karlin