Word: dogma (noun)

Associations

Dogma means a set of beliefs or principles that are accepted as true without question. It is often used in religion, philosophy, or politics to describe ideas that people must follow strictly.

• In religion: "The church teaches its dogma to all followers." Here, dogma means religious rules or beliefs.
• In politics: "The party's dogma influences its policies." This means the party's fixed ideas shape what it does.
• In everyday use: "She refused to accept the dogma and wanted to think for herself." This shows dogma as strict ideas people follow without doubt.

Synonym: doctrine. The main difference is that dogma often implies strictness and no questioning, while doctrine can be more general teaching or belief.

Substitution

Instead of dogma, you can say:

• doctrine (more formal, often religious or legal teaching)
• belief (more general, less strict)
• ideology (a system of ideas, often political)
• principle (a basic rule or idea, less strict)

Using these changes the tone. Dogma sounds very strict and unchangeable, while belief or principle can be more flexible.

Deconstruction

Dogma comes from Greek "dógma" meaning "that which seems good or true." It entered English from Latin and Greek, keeping the meaning of a fixed belief.

• Root: dog- means opinion or belief
• Suffix: -ma means result or thing (like in "schema")

So dogma literally means "a fixed opinion or belief."

Inquiry

• Can you think of a dogma in your culture or religion?
• Have you ever disagreed with a dogma or strict rule? How did that feel?
• How is dogma different from just an opinion or a suggestion? When is it important to question dogma?