I will take a specific example before I try and write a master thesis.
Dogma is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, or a particular group or organization.[1] It is authoritative and not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from, by the practitioners or believers. [
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogma]
Disclaimer: I have nothing specifically against Islam any more than other religions' with dogma. It just happens that I have studied some of its history, and it makes a good, bright line xample.
One of the pillars of Islam is charity [concern for the needy] and the word
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_does_Islam_mean) Islam, a name given by Allah to this religion (Quran 5:4), is an Arabic word which literally means submission, obedience and
peace. [Read more:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What...m_mean#ixzz1xk5jtDuy]
Now, as I understand it, the Sunnis and Shiites have fought primarily over who should have succeeded Muhammed as the leader of the religion. How is this matter of dogma more important than peace? Why kill for it? Why not say, You know, let's have some discussions on this and see if we can work it out some how, or agree to disagree, but in the meantime let's get into helping the poor, feeding the needy, etc...
But the dogma of "one's faith/group" is apparently worth killing and dying over to a big enough number of people that violence strikes again and again on an appalling scale. Mostly by ultra-religious folks (not just Islamic , other religions too, of course!). That is an absurd and perverse course of action, and proves the point that religious folks who unquestioningly follow dogma would rather be right than loving or peaceful. Even if it violates a core tenet! Right makes might (acceptable). Therefore, dogma serves little purpose overall than to separate "us" and "them" and justify extreme action of the "us" group against the "them" group.
Ok it's pretty rough, but I think the kernel is solid.