Secterianism can be found everywhere remember that Jesus could easily be described as such where a man manufactures weapons in order to violently evicte the money changers from the temple because it broke with his domga.
Secterianism is often found where old dogma is threatned but it also describes very well most revolutions and peoples uprising.
Even the quote from Jefferson is dogma.
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
That is a really good point but I don't think that dogma and absolute truth are the same. For example am I being dogmatic when I insist that 2 + 2 = 4? Or am I being dogmatic if someone breaks into my house and I do whatever I can to defend my family?
Interestingly in one of the passages about Jesus doing this it talks about His zeal.
G2205 ζῆλος, zēlos, dzay'-los
From G2204; properly heat, that is, (figuratively) “zeal” (in a favorable sense, ardor; in an unfavorable one, jealousy, as of a husband [figuratively of God], or an enemy, malice): - emulation, envy (-ing), fervent mind, indignation, jealousy, zeal.
Which made me wonder what is the difference between being passionate about something and being dogmatic about something?
Any time someone tries to convince my they have the absolute truth I make sure not to drink the Koolaid.
dogma, ideology, or faith aren't really judged by a standard of absolute truth only by functional truth.
I might believe that I'm held to the ground by magical strings held by a wizard at the center of the earth while you believe its gravity while my belief may be far from absolute truth we both still gain from the functional truth of our belief and by conducting our live accordingly.
If you where to threaten my faith in the wizard I might very quickly appear to be excessive in my adherence to dogma after all your threat might end with me floating of into space.
Passion is valuable but most wouldn't kill or die over a zeal for knitting despite the warmth provided by a well knitted scarf.
so are you saying there isn't any absolute truth?
Wow huge question? A whole bebate on its own Getting into that one to much will take us way off topic.
I think there is probably an absolute truth but we are ill equipped to find and express it our thoughts and language including math are symbolic.
The map is not the territory and sometimes 1+1=1
I think we need to be careful in that dogma is defined as a set of principles laid down by an authority. If an individual expresses their own truth that is not dogma. However, if that truth came from an authority, then we can call it dogmatic. But each individual has their own truth and it is up to each individual to work through that truth. That is separate from fact as your mathematics is pointing out.
Agreed although when man is self governing he becomes his own authority and his own belief is dogma held as indisputably true.
This state may be preferable to external authority but both are a choice at an individual level.
I think your key word is 'indisputable'. If a self-governing individual is not willing to be confronted or explore his own beliefs, that is dogmatic much like a centralized authoritarian regime. But now you are into the area of faith. So how do you start to differentiate between dogma and faith?