Everyone – and I mean everyone – engages in dogma.

Any firmly held belief is a dogma. According to the dictionary, a dogma is: something held as an established opinion; especially: a definite authoritative tenet. In this sense, all personal beliefs, values, preferences are forms of dogma.

However, within this general definition, there are many ways that dogmatism can be used. For the sake of simplicity, I’m going to be focusing on two types, positive and negative dogma.

To practice dogmatism positively is to share not enforce your ideas. When your grandparents tell you about their experiences and the lessons they learned from their lives, they probably hope that you will come to believe the same principles they do. However, they do not force you to believe those same principles.

In many ways, each article I’ve written are examples of the more positive senses of dogma. I share my beliefs and I’m not offended if the reader disagrees with me.

To practice dogmatism negatively is to force your ideas on others. Not that anyone can make you believe something, that is an individual choice, but if they were to force you to claim to accept their dogma – that is a negative use of dogma. This is especially wrong if their view includes false information – known or unknown – designed to reinforce the dogmatism.

The story of Nicolaus Copernicus is particularly relevant to shed light on the dangers of dogma and how it can be used as a tool of oppression.

Copernicus was an astronomer of the Renaissance era. He formulated a model of the universe that placed the Sun rather than the Earth at the center of the universe. This was in stark contrast to the dogma enforced by the Roman Catholic Church for over eighteen centuries.

In response to the challenge that Copernicus’ theory posed the Roman Catholic Church issued a decree, where it described Copernicus’ theory as a “false Pythagorean doctrine, altogether contrary to the Holy Scripture”. Copernicus was a target of negative dogma where he experiences prosecution and rejection based on his discovery and unwillingness to withdraw his discovery.

Knowing the distinctions of how to positively and negatively use dogma has helped me be a better communicator and writer. I hope you will gain some value from it as well.