The film "Dogma" analyzes many aspects of Christianity as an institution. Filmmaker Kevin Smith does a great job in his vivid portrayal of Christianity in the 20th century. Kevin Smith claims to be a religious Catholic, yet the church has condemned the film. The original studio dropped the film for fear of repercussions. On the other side, people who support the film condemn such opposition as an infringement upon the right of free speech. How do we reconcile the value of free speech with the need for reverence toward religious matters? Freedom of speech is a vehicle to correct mistakes; it is not a license to ridicule. Does "Dogma" think or just take cheap shots at something meaningful to Christians?.
The film is a representation of organized religion, Cardinal Glick (played by George Carlin), is a slick suave PR figure, more a salesman than a saint. Promoting a revamping of the Catholic Church, called the Catholism Wow campaign, the Cardinal Glick makes a statement that anyone who crosses through the doors of his church comes out totally cleansed of their sins. Most of the movie is downright silly. Two banished angels (played by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) discover these theological loopholes that allow them to go against God's will and allow them back in to heaven. The only thing is, they will be destroying existence in the process, by proving God wrong. Alanis Morrisette plays God. The prophets are two horny teenagers who spew obscenities and have no clue that they are in fact prophets. The savior of the world, the last Zion, Bethany, is a woman who works in an abortion clinic. Bethany in fact is having doubts about her own faith. Bethany attends church on a regular basis but complains that her faith just isn't their any more. The heavenly force responsible for all worldly creativity, the muse, is an Indian woman who works as a stripper. In the end, God appears as a woman who runs around and plays in the grass like a ten-year-old boy.