Dogmatism

Dogmatism is not limited to religious ideas. The Merriam-Webster dictionary define dogmatism as: 

 
Dogmatism 
noun  dog·ma·tism  \ˈdȯg-mə-ˌti-zəm, ˈdäg-\ 
Definition of dogmatism 

1:  positiveness in assertion of opinion especially when unwarranted or arrogant 
2:  a viewpoint or system of ideas based on insufficiently examined premises 

An absolutist notion can easily be regarded as dogmatism if the premise of the idea is irrational. 

Let me show you some examples of this kind of silly dogmatisms: 

*)Christians can't be evil. If any person claims he is killing in the name of God that automatically makes him an atheist. Because Christians can't be evil. 

*)For something to be created there has to be a creator. Refusing to believe in my God is the same as saying that all came from nothing. Because it's either embracing my God or rejecting all that exists. 

*)Atheists are immortals. Because if you don't have religious belief therefore you don't have moral values. If you don't believe in heaven or hell then murder isn't wrong. So the fact that you feel empathy towards other human life means that you believe in heaven and hell. Because it's either being religious and respecting human life or being a murderer. 

*)If you don't want to bomb every middle east country therefore you're facilitating terrorism. We are in a war against terrorism and since many of the world's terrorist come from those places that makes every person living there our enemy. 

*)You either let me discriminate and make all the hates speeches that I want against Jewish people otherwise you're against the freedom of expression. 

*)Humans come from the union of a man and a woman. If you advocate for gay marriage that means that you are against life and traditional marriage. Since Gay can't breed that makes the the opposite of life. Because being gay means you worship death. 

*)It has been proven that black people have lower IQ that white people. Which make them the retarded ones. It's very simple, if theres someone who is smarter than you that means you are a retarded person. Therefor black people are dumber and retarded. 

*)Gay adoption is child abuse. Since Gays feel attracted to people of their same sex therefor they're not qualified to be parents. Because every Gay person secretly is dying to sleep or rape their sons. Because Homosexuals can't control themselves otherwise they would be satisfied being let alone to pork one another in locker rooms. And therefor they wouldn't leave the closet. 

*)If you're not against every Muslims man, woman and children that means that you advocate Sharia law. Since the Quran promotes hate and intolerance and every Muslim follows the Quran Therefor you're supporting Sharia law. Muslims are ordered to kill and rape all infidels by their fucking wannabe prophet! There are no good Muslims! Everybody who read this book of lies and still calls himself a Muslim isn't a human being but instead a potential killer and hater of all people who don't believe in this shit! 

*)If you support the Latinos, that means that you support the fact that those illegal aliens come and take our jobs. That's why is so important that you reject the Latino community. Otherwise your opening your door to let them steal from you. 

*)If you believe in evolution therefor you're not a Christians. Because you either embrace and belief everything that's in the holy book or you don't. You're either a religious person or a science worshiper. 

*)If you don't let me practice my religious beliefs and impose them to other then you're against the freedom of religion. Because my religious beliefs won't allow me to live side by side with someone who doesn't share them. And by telling me that I have to live together with someone like that goes against my freedom of religion, therefor you are oppressing me. 

*)If you feel comfortable and okay when gay person/or persons are around you that means you're gay. Because no one can't feel comfortable around a gay person unless you secretly wish to be raped. 

*)You can't study religion without embracing it. If you study religion yet at the end of the day you don't believe in God that means you didn't studied it well. Because in order to understand my religion you have to be a believer. And if you're not, that means you don't understand my religion at all. 

 
These are among many of the black and white mindset that I've heard during my life (Yeah you heard me, this are all real life comments and statements made by people, depressing isn't it?) 

I'm not saying that every person who develops a black and white mindset is mentally impaired. Or that by having a absolute idea towards something automatically means you have a black and white mindset. There are many people, many many people who play for all or nothing at some point(specially during a competition or a business). And that's okay. Just because you apply an absolute thinking on a certain action that you do during the course of your life is one thing. Because let's be realistic who hasn't done that at some point in our lives. But I'm talking about the people who classify many of this worlds forces to promote absolute thinking yet because they prefer generalizing than judging each situation individually, or judging a situation at all. 

Let's be honest, who doesn't have a set of principles or code that consider it wrong no matter what? Racism for example. Many of us would believe that racism is wrong no matter the circumstances. But that doesn't mean we fall in the category of black and white mindset. And it's very easy know the difference. For example if you see a person committing racism then you understand that these particular individual has some past or experience which made him like that. And that it's not their fault, and given the opportunity that person may be willing to ignore his prejudice towards certain topics or at least with an specific individual. But how many dogmatists are willing to respect homosexuals despite thinking they're flawed? Because in order to embrace an dogma you need to stereotype or generalize people and concepts to unchangeable terms. 

Now let's be realistic, most dogmatism are the product of an absolute thinking. And dealing in absolutes (who else is having a "Revenge of the Sith" flashback ha?  ) is most often contradictory and childish. And this isn't just my opinion let me give you a professional opinion. 

 
Ugo Uche is a Licensed Professional Counselor says the following: "The problem with absolute thinking is that it causes pain and suffering in the life of the person who adheres to an all-or-nothing attitude in any facet of his thought process. This is because the person is routinely exposed to contradictions to his beliefs, which creates a sense of threat to his world view." 

That's why most dogmatisms are considered intolerant. 

That's why it's very important to judge each situation individually and apply critical thinking.