History Main / GodBeforeDogma

* In ''Franchise/DeadSpace'', there is one, single Unitologist in the franchise who is devout in his beliefs yet a calm and reasonable person: Engineer Samuel Irons. He makes an appearance in ''Dead Space: Downfall'' helping to calm down a group of Unitologist crew members shirking their work and demanding to be allowed to worship the Marker, basically by saying "Guys, StopBeingStereotypical, calm down, and do the work you promised in your contracts you would do. Are you civilized people or are you savages?" He does ask to be allowed to worship the Marker himself, but when told no he just smiles and walks away without complaint. He later helps fight the Necromorphs, not believing for a moment that they are the salvation that his religion has promised.

* In ''XenobladeChronicles'', Lady Meyneth is a kind and benevolent deity who only wants the best for Mechonis and Bionis. Her disciple Egil, however, thinks that she's not going far enough to defend their world and becomes the WellIntentionedExtremist KnightTemplar BigBad of the game.

** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia'', the [[spoiler:Ferines]] want to use the power of Nerifes to wipe out the [[spoiler:Orerines]] as vengeance for years of persecution. The Quiet Nerifes, however, doesn't want this to happen - being appalled by the idea of so much slaughter - and guides the heroes into making sure it doesn't.

* This is a recurring theme in Katherine Kurtz's {{Deryni}} novels, because members of the Christian hierarchy claim that Deryni are evil by nature (hence justifying persecuting them), but a schism eventually occurs within the Church when some clerics, led by Cardiel and Arilan, dispute this assertion. Things get complicated when some few Deryni discover they have Healing abilities and as everyone knows Christ healed. A rebel leader who has been attacking mages' estates and tenants (particularly those of a certain Deryni duke) is forced to confront this when he gets a demonstration of Healing; Cardiel [a human bishop] is there to emphasize the contrast between the religion and some of its self-styled followers. Later, a guilt-stricken and self-hating Deryni [King Kelson's mother, Queen Jehana] has her anti-Deryni religious indoctrination overcome by Deryni clerics Arilan and Father Nivard. It's important to note that the Deryni are true believers, at least in part because of the evidence of experience. They sometimes perform rituals for powerful workings that summon beings taken to be angels (and specifically named: Raphael, Gabriel, Michael and Uriel). They mostly see coloured light and fleeting impressions of wings, and of course they could be mistaken or rationalizing their experiences, but they do believe. It also helps that their powers are triggered by an altered state of consciousness akin to meditation or prayer. Human Queen Richeldis suggests that Deryni may be above ordinary humans and just below angels on the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_chain_of_being:Great Chain of Being]].

** Leliana is this in the [[VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins first game]]. Chantry dogma holds the Maker to be remote and uncaring about human suffering. Leliana believes the Maker can be found in the beauty of the world, and takes am active role in bringing an end to the Blight.

** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia'', the [[spoiler:Ferines]] want to use the power of Nerifes to wipe out the [[spoiler:Orerines]] as vengeance for years of persecution. The Quiet Nerifes, however, doesn't want this to happen - and guides the heroes into making sure it doesn't.

** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfEternia'', the Church of Seyfert is inept at best - although this is less a result of the actual church's failings and more to do with the fact that the country's political system is run by an assholishy judgemental king. Seyfert himself, however, is such a cool dude that not only does he ''give'' you the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Infinity Plus One Skills]] to defeat the BigBad - he even ''congratulates'' you in the ending [[spoiler:and casually breaks the laws of physics to save the heroes from certain death just because he likes them]].
** In ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'', the Church of Martel is quickly revealed as a CorruptChurch [=/=] PathOfInspiration. However, [[spoiler:Martel herself after she becomes the Spirit of the World Tree]] is a kind and benevolent force who only wants to protect the world.]]

[[spoiler:-->'''[[GodIsGood Lorelei]]:''' [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming You have done admirably]].]]

* In ''DragonAgeII'', GoodShepherd and BadassPreacher Sebastian will take this view if he's convinced to side with the Mages: stating that Andraste and the Maker don't want their [[TheChurch Chantry]] to be used to imprison and torture the magic-users of the world.

Due to the controversial nature of this trope, '''NoRealLifeExamplesPlease'''

Done well, it's an aesop about how people are people and there is a fundamental core of reasonable humanity in every institution. Done poorly (usually because [[DidNotDoTheResearch the sympathetic character is blatantly incorrect in his knowledge of relevant scripture]], making him more offensive than TheFundamentalist to true believers) it can read as a weak attempt to not lose a substantial number of readers who may be religious.

Compare TheHeretic, TurbulentPriest

Due to the controversial nature of this trope, '''NoRealLifeExamplesPlease'''

* In Chris Crutcher's novel ''Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes'', the liberal Rev. Ellerby is contrasted with the uptight and hypocritical Christian Mark Brittain.

* Ironically Jesus in the New Testament.

This trope happens often in series where the main villain is TheFundamentalist, but the author doesn't want to imply that ReligionIsWrong or BeliefMakesYouStupid. Instead, a sympathetic character is shown as being religious, but as rejecting the flaws of the religious villains, such as corruption or intolerance. The hero may call out the villain's restrictive or intolerant doctrines, and say that God/the gods/Cthulhu would be ashamed at what is being done in his name. Often done by TheHeretic and accompanied by phrases like "Jesus wants us to love everyone."

* Ironically Jesus in the New Testament.

* Timothy/Camellia in ButImACatPerson spent several of his teenage years in a cult focused on one of the series' resident [[Mon]]s, and as an adult considers himself a Catholic with a strong aversion to any imposition of one person's dogma beliefs on another.

* The plot of ''{{Saved}}''

* Aramis's devotion to God is contrasted in ''TheThreeMusketeers'' with the conniving Cardinal Richelieu.

* ''{{Dogma}}'' runs on the trope. The whole point is that following the dogma gets you into trouble, but faith is what gets you out of it. Rufus's comment that Jesus is kinda ticked off about being used to justify "Wars, slavery, televangelists", and Serendpity's comment that faith is more important than belief. Add to that the fact that even the fallen angels lampshade the fact that the rules change over time and that it's the rules set down by mankind, not God, that creates the potentially world-destroying loophole.

* In the original, good version of ''The Wicker Man,'' when the protagonist, a dogmatic, virginal conservative policeman, and a young cop see graffiti spelling out "Jesus Saves," the young cop comments approvingly of it while the protagonist demands it be wiped clean.

* Called out several times in TabletopGame/InNomine, where religions are mostly seen as a "human thing," given to mankind as a way to approach the God that the angels already know to worship. Even the few Archangels that explicitly prefer a particular religion (Catholicism for Laurence and Dominic, Islam for Khalid and Zadkiel) still acknowledge that worthy contributions can be made by those of other faiths. By contrast, the Demon Prince of Factions known as Malphas *loves* fine points of dogma ...

* Called out several times in InNomine, where religions are mostly seen as a "human thing," given to mankind as a way to approach the God that the angels already know to worship. Even the few Archangels that explicitly prefer a particular religion (Catholicism for Laurence and Dominic, Islam for Khalid and Zadkiel) still acknowledge that worthy contributions can be made by those of other faiths. By contrast, the Demon Prince of Factions known as Malphas *loves* fine points of dogma ...