The foundations of a religion are known as dogma.
A dogma is a proposition that is taken as true and undeniable . These are the foundations and basic principles of any science , religion , doctrine or system .
The dogma is supported by some authority and does not admit of replicas . Its propositions can be scientific, but also religious or philosophical (that is, they cannot be subjected to tests of veracity). The teaching of dogmas is known as indoctrination .
The term, currently, is strongly associated with the dogma of theology , which are the foundations that a religion maintains and disseminates as indisputable truths . For the Catholic Church , for example, dogma is a doctrine of God that was revealed by Christ (the divinity of Christianity) to men. Likewise, all religions have their own dogmas.
The Apostles' Creed contains several of the main Catholic dogmas, such as the belief in a single God who appears as the Father who created the Universe, the Son who saves humanity (Christ) and the Holy Spirit.
Catholic dogmas
The dogmatic theology of Catholicism recognizes various dogmas, which are taught through the catechism. Some of them are:
- Dogma of Original Sin : It is the pillar of the dogma of Redemption and the justification of the priesthood, the sacraments and the institution of the Church in general. It implies that the first sin of Adam and Eve was transmitted to their descendants and, therefore, to human nature.
- Dogma of the Trinity : Another of the bases of the Catholic faith. It establishes that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a single nature.
- Dogma of the Incarnation : Through him, God the Son assumes human nature in the womb of the Virgin Mary.
- Dogma of the Immaculate Conception : Holds that the Virgin Mary, from the moment of her conception, was preserved from sin by divine grace.
- Dogma of the Assumption : Indicates that the Virgin Mary, having completed her earthly life, entered Heaven body and soul.
The Pope is the highest Catholic authority and is responsible for ensuring respect for this tradition. Whoever does not believe in a dogma of faith of this type cannot consider himself a Catholic. Agnosticism and atheism , for example, reject them.
Evangelization and preaching contribute to the dissemination of Catholic dogmas.
Hinduism
In the case of Hinduism , there are several dogmas that become fundamental pillars of said religion. Among them would be the fact that they must believe in two elements: karma and reincarnation . The first term refers to the fact that it is considered that everything that was done in past lives is fundamental to being able to understand the situation in which we are in this existence and that these experiences will also be decisive for future lives.
The second concept mentioned, that of reincarnation , would make it clear that the faithful of the Hindu religion absolutely believe in the fact that they will return to life after death, either again as people or as animals.
All religions have their dogma.
Dogmas in Buddhism and Judaism
In the case of Buddhism , on the other hand, we find that among its fundamental dogmas are nirvana , karma (as in Hinduism) and finally samsara .
For Judaism , meanwhile, Israel is the people chosen by God, a particularity that is part of its dogma. Islam , for its part, maintains that all Muslims must make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lives, as long as their means allow it.
Derived concepts
Some words that derive from the term are dogmatism and dogmatic . They are generally used, both as dogma, in a Christian religious context, however these words are not absolute of this religion; In fact, they appear in most faiths and can also be used from a scientific or philosophical point of view.
Dogmatism is the tendency to establish formulas that express knowledge as truths that are impossible to debate, beyond research , criticism and the exchange of opinions . Politics and philosophy can acquire a dogmatic character, which ends up defending ideas in an uncritical and conformist way.
Dogma in cinema
On the other hand, "Dogma" is a film directed by Kevin Smith that features the participation of Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Salma Hayek and Alanis Morissette , among other figures. Dogma 95 , finally, is a cinematographic movement created in Denmark that proposes filming films without post-production or special lighting, with a handheld camera and direct sound.
Other fundamental principles of Dogma 95 are that it must be filmed in real spaces, without any type of scenery, and that the format must be 35 millimeters. All of this without forgetting that the film that is recorded must be in color, that under no circumstances must the director appear in the credits and that the film cannot show crimes or weapons of any kind.
Among the most relevant filmmakers within this artistic movement we find Lars von Trier , Kristian Levring and Thomas Vinterberg .