Dogma
Dogma: A Religious Comedy Overanalyzed
Using the words "religion" and "comedy" in the same sentence might as well be coined vulgarity, considering the controversial reactions that result because of it. Dogma is a comedy that takes on contemporary issues involving religion and asks its viewers, "What does it mean to have faith?"
When witnessing the film's violence and obscenity, it comes as no surprise to hear that this movie caused so much debate and controversy. Orthodox Catholics expressed their anger concerning the joking manner the movie possessed about the religion. The Catholic League proclaimed it "sight unseen," and blasphemous.
If you're a Catholic and serious about your religion, de-sensitize yourself before seeing this movie, and get ready to be shocked. On second thought, be sure to take this precaution even if you're not religious at all.
The variety of storylines and characters in Dogma keep us interested in the events that occur. The plot twists to portray in each character different views on the Catholic religion. Loki and Bartleby (played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) are two "fallen angels," kicked out of heaven ages ago for disobeying God's wishes. When they learn of a church in Jersey offering plenary indulgence (meaning, with a Papal sanction, all sin is forgiven when one passes through the church's arches), as a part of its campaign to revamp Catholicism, they realize they have found the loophole in the Catholic dogma that will lead them back to heaven; take them "home."
However, there is a problem concerning the angels' plan. If they were to succeed, and defy God's creed, He would be proven wrong and fallible. Since the existence of creation relies on the belief that God is never wrong, He being wrong would thus be the end of existence and everything. Nothingness would result.
Obviously this cannot happen. So the powers above must rely on a woman named Bethany (Linda...
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