So, what is Syncretic Religion? (tradition, contradiction, beliefs, choice)

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Victor

Hope you all don't mind me chiming in....

Excuse my ignorance but what's the major difference between syncretic and pluralism?
Just from reading wiki, pluralism seems to have tolerance attached to it, while syncretic seeks to find an identity through reconciliation.

Pluralism recognizes there are many religions and that those religions should and can peacefully co-exist. For example, the United States is religiously a pluristic society. For the most part, religions respectfully, peacefully co-exist here and none are (supposed to be) deemed greater than another.

Syncretism is where a religion (or person) seeks to merge beliefs from different religions and making a new religion. UU does have some syncretic elements to it just by are nature of encouraging self-exploration, but as Lilithu pointed out, it's not completely accurate either. Our syncretism is a by-product of our beliefs, not a requirement for them.

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by lilithu

Just out of curiosity... and at the risk of initiating total bedlam... what would my UU sisters and brothers think of moving UU to the same category as atheism/agnosticism/humanism? I wouldn't call it "secular beliefs." I'd call it "Humanist traditions" and move Deism in there as well. (Right now, it's kinda weird that Deism is listed with Taoism and Confucianism.) My argument is that atheism, agnosticism, Deism, and UU all come from the humanist tradition that gained full fource during the Rennaissance - a tradition that puts human reason and human experience above revelation and other sources of spiritual authority.

BUT I totally understand if people object. It might make it seem like we're hostile to religion, which we're not.

What d'yall think? At the very least I am curious to see how other UUs think of where we are in relation to other religions.

I know i'm not UU, but reading how you guys describe your beliefs, they seem (to me anyway) to be the embodiment of Omnitheism;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnitheism

Maybe you should have a category of your own?

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Maize

Pluralism recognizes there are many religions and that those religions should and can peacefully co-exist. For example, the United States is religiously a pluristic society. For the most part, religions respectfully, peacefully co-exist here and none are (supposed to be) deemed greater than another.

Syncretism is where a religion (or person) seeks to merge beliefs from different religions and making a new religion. UU does have some syncretic elements to it just by are nature of encouraging self-exploration, but as Lilithu pointed out, it's not completely accurate either. Our syncretism is a by-product of our beliefs, not a requirement for them.

Gracias senorita. That was short, clear, and to the point.

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Halcyon

I know i'm not UU, but reading how you guys describe your beliefs, they seem (to me anyway) to be the embodiment of Omnitheism;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnitheism

Maybe you should have a category of your own?

Omnitheists? That's a new one to me. I'll have to read up on that! Thanks!

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Victor

Gracias senorita. That was short, clear, and to the point.

De nada.

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Maize

Omnitheists? That's a new one to me. I'll have to read up on that! Thanks!

I thought there was non-theist in UU?

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by Victor

I thought there was non-theist in UU?

Yes, there are. UU itself is neither theist or non-theist though. So I'm not sure where that leaves us on the question of omnitheist, unless omnitheism allows for an atheistic worldview as well.

[Halcyon]

Originally Posted by Victor

I thought there was non-theist in UU?

That's true. The omnitheism article doesn't go into too much depth, but it appears that a multitude of beliefs can be held in omnitheism, including deism and agnosticism. I don't know how atheism would fit in, although omnitheism doesn't have a specific concept of God, so i guess you could be an omnitheist atheist if you didn't believe in a creator God, but had an open mind towards spirituality in general.

For example;

The belief that the spiritual aspect of existence is a natural phoenomenon, like gravity or electro-magnetism. This view holds that spiritual life evolved alongside physical life, and that each may have guided the development of the other. While some who hold this view believe in an intelligent Universe, they do not believe that said intelligence created existence.

This quote from the article suggests you could be atheist, i think. It's all a bit complicated.

[Victor]

You know, not that my opinion counts on this but syncretic does seem appropriate for UU.