Stephen is a web developer, Bahá'í, and interfaith activist in St. Paul, Minnesota. He likes to write about religion, social justice, sustainability, science, programming, &c.

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poetry, prose, and other strings of words · 1993 - 2003

The Conquering of Dogma

1996 ?

All theories — be they scientific, political, or religious -- must change throughout time. As it is not given to us to know all things, it is not possible for humans at any one time to formulate a perfect theory. It is therefore incumbent upon us to constantly evolve and reconstruct our institutions.

From a religious perspective, and indeed from all others, the mechanisms of change are already in place. However, these mechanisms all too often are accompanied by violence and struggle. Many times these physical evidences of change are matched by spiritual or psychological damage. This, too, must be changed.

All systems become encrusted with dogma. Dogma is, in this sense, that built-up layer of thought that is not allowed to deviate from its former state (implying that some deviation has occurred nonetheless), an idea that is backed up with the force of will of the most powerful proponents of the dogma. This dogma stifles innovation in the presumptuous and incorrect notion that some man-made understanding or interpretation is infallible. Dogma really, then, stems from both ignorance and an unwillingness to re-evaluate the axioms that make up the basis for each system.

It is paramount that we, in the midst of a Revolution in Thought and a crossroads of humanity, learn how to overcome this dogma in order to ensure a future fraught not with pain but with understanding and concordance. This does not mean that all people will agree upon all things. This is not necessary. Likewise, it will not be necessary to put belief to the side. This new era in human evolution will simply be one in which reasonable discourse will be the goal of much of humanity.

The end of this reasonable discourse will be the evolution of thought, to the betterment of humanity. Crime and evil will never disappear entirely, but surely something can be done to alleviate the pain and suffering in this world.

A New Day is dawning on planet Earth, one in which, if we make it so, the state of humanity shall be raised to new levels. For this to happen, we must overcome the barriers in front of us. This includes finding peaceable and acceptable methods of overcoming dogmatism and the resistance to all things branded "new." We have two paths ahead of us: the one is this peaceable resolution of external conflict (which will, admittedly, take centuries); the other is a path accompanied by violence, death and the forceful overthrow of the old regime. Which shall we take?