dogma

This term carries a strong association with institutional authority and absolute certainty. In religious contexts, it refers to official doctrines that are required to be accepted as truth for membership in a faith. It implies a top-down imposition of belief where the source of the truth is an established hierarchy. In secular or political contexts, the word often takes on a pejorative tone. It suggests a stubborn refusal to adapt or a blind adherence to a set of rules regardless of evidence or changing circumstances. It describes a mental rigidity that precludes critical analysis or open debate.