Syncretic?

[Trey of Diamonds]

In the Religious Adherents Poll I asked what religious belief system you subscribed to and it turned out that many wanted it to be a multiple choice poll rather than single choice. So I want to know how many of you are Syncretic, ie subscribe to multiple belief systems. The debate is naturally, is it good or bad to pull from multiple belief systems? My brother says religion shouldn't be a salad bar where you can pick and chose. I say hes wrong, about this and most other things too.

 

[Breathe]

I'm syncretic.

I think syncretism is good - if done well. It can be easy to screw up and make ugly, but if you can do it well, it's damn beautiful.

A significant chunk of people are. Nepalis are often Hindu and Buddhist. Japanese Shinto and Buddhist. Chinese Taoist/Shenist, and Buddhist, often with Confucian elements. Many people are Hindu and Sikh, or even Hindu and Muslim.

 

[BruceDLimber]

I'm a Baha'i, and the Baha'i view is that ALL the great religions are legitimate and of God!

We're not "syncretetic," though, because we have our own scriptures (fully 200 volumes of them!), procedures, and practices.

Best!

Bruce

 

[Gaura Priya]

Yes.. the organised Baha'i Faith is nowadays staunchly separatist and isolationist...

Anyways...

I think syncretism is good in one way, and that all religions ended up adding and removing elements and then progressing forward. However, sometimes it's good to maintain that tradition because it fosters a strong sense of identity and solid values. Syncretism *can* be seen by external society as wishy-washy or non-serious in matters such as religion.

Which is why I say, "I'm a Hindu, but I also appreciate..." just so I can get away with it.

 

[Gjallarhorn]

I mainly pull from Buddhism, but there's always a bit of something else finding its way in.

It's not really a good or bad thing. Sometimes it just makes sense to mix and match. Other times it's just fun to do the old "will it blend".

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Yes. Nihilism, Satanism, Jediism, and Deism


I'm spechulz

 

[Mike182]

Difficult for me to say. I adhere to one religion, but that religion has many sources, which technically makes it syncretic. But I don't adhere to more than one system.

I don't have any problem with syncretic systems, but I do have a problem with cultural not honoring the tradition from which you are using something. Kinda like plagiarism, you can use so long as you reference.

 

[BruceDLimber]

Yes.. the organised Baha'i Faith is nowadays staunchly separatist and isolationist.

Sigh.

The Big Lie Technique yet again!

The Baha'i Faith follows its own scriptures, which command, "Consort with the followers of all religions with joy and fellowship"; and holds memberships in interfaith councils and groups in many (if not most) communities!

Check around for yourselves, and you'll discover this is the case, and the accusatory put-down above mere hatred.

Bruce

 

[Gaura Priya]

Sigh.

The Big Lie Technique yet again!

The Baha'i Faith follows its own scriptures, which command, "Consort with the followers of all religions with joy and fellowship"; and holds memberships in interfaith councils and groups in many (if not most) communities!

Check around for yourselves, and you'll discover this is the case, and the accusatory put-down above mere hatred.

Bruce

And yet the Baha'i Faith can not even allow those who are against the Universal House of Justice to be called "Baha'is" as if they can even copyright a religious tradition in the first place!

Baha'is who are faithful to the Universal House of Justice strictly are told not to participate in former places of worship of the former religions because they are 'former' dispensations. They are also forbidden to partake in world politics, be part of politics, and are not to celebrate other religious holy days such as Vaisakhi or Christmas. Only Baha'i Holy Days are to be followed and implemented, and all these things are found in the Lights of Guidance.

Many Baha'is that I know of, because of their sexuality, had to either a) leave the Faith voluntarily, b) moved towards disenrolling, or c) end up living a double life. I have been told that I was to be separate from those who are not of the Faith, and to continuously 'teach' non-Baha'is to embrace "Baha'i principles" narrowly defined by the Universal House of Justice.

Not only that, but books published by individual members are heavily censored. I still recall that ban on ordering books from Kalimat Press and wondering why they would even cut out such an important source of Baha'i literature for the sake of 'internal and external unity?'

And shunning...

For a Faith in which we are supposed to be critical thinkers, to be independent investigators, and to respect the opinions of others, calling my own experiences and thoughts the "Big Lie Technique" and saying that this is but hatred is, well, pretty dirty.

I still have an appreciation for Baha'u'llah, but the Haifan variety of His religion has become one of the most censoring, monitoring, controlling forms of the Faith that I have ever seen.

 

[ohhcuppycakee]

I am just a Muslim. I read and learn about all religions and benefit from the stories, I think, but I don't believe in their beliefs if that makes any sense at all...?

 

[Quintessence]

I'm not sure how to really answer this. Where one system of belief ends and another begins is an arbitrary construct, set either in the minds of individuals or in some designated authority. The borders between religions are much like lines on a map to me. They are there for the sake of our own convenience as cognitive maps and do not represent the territory or the landscape. While I tend to consider my path simply my path, I also see where the territories I cover are occupied by other religions of the world.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

I'm not sure how to really answer this. Where one system of belief ends and another begins is an arbitrary construct, set either in the minds of individuals or in some designated authority. The borders between religions are much like lines on a map to me. They are there for the sake of our own convenience as cognitive maps and do not represent the territory or the landscape. While I tend to consider my path simply my path, I also see where the territories I cover are occupied by other religions of the world.

Makes perfect sense to me. The definitions used by the poll are also only for the sake of our own convenience so no need to over think it. If one of the answers sounds more right for you then it is.

 

[Breathe]

I'm not sure how to really answer this. Where one system of belief ends and another begins is an arbitrary construct, set either in the minds of individuals or in some designated authority. The borders between religions are much like lines on a map to me. They are there for the sake of our own convenience as cognitive maps and do not represent the territory or the landscape. While I tend to consider my path simply my path, I also see where the territories I cover are occupied by other religions of the world.

Agreed.

I find rigidity in one religion unnatural, lol.

 

[Trey of Diamonds]

Agreed.

I find rigidity in one religion unnatural, lol.

For yourself or in general? For myself I agree whole heartedly but in general I see lots of rigid people out there.

 

[ChristineES]

In a way I am. As a religion/faith, I follow Jesus but as philosophies I follow other teachings as well, maybe not "follow" them exactly but I am influenced by them for sure.

 

[Breathe]

For yourself or in general? For myself I agree whole heartedly but in general I see lots of rigid people out there.

For myself. For others, I imagine they like their rigid religious views, but I'll never understand why they like it.

In a way I am. As a religion/faith, I follow Jesus but as philosophies I follow other teachings as well, maybe not "follow" them exactly but I am influenced by them for sure.

Can you explain more, Christine?

 

[no-body]

All religions are ultimately syncretic anyway.

 

[Manfred]

I haven't made up my mind yet, as I'm only 33 and have many years left before I die.
I couldn't in good conscious label my beliefs, just seems a bit ignorant is all.

 

[Quintessence]

Perhaps some of the rigidity comes from people expecting you to have one answer when they as "what religion are you?" When census work is done, they do not generally allow you to check more than one box. Religions that tend to be exclusivist or claim to have the one true Truth will also tend to not allow overlapping. You are either part of church A or church B, and you cannot be a member of both. Doctrine is viewed to be rigid as well and fundamentally incompatible in certain areas. The focus of religion is seen as resting on believing X or Y instead of doing A and B. This understanding of religion seems to dominate in my country.

 

[ChristineES]

For myself. For others, I imagine they like their rigid religious views, but I'll never understand why they like it.




Can you explain more, Christine?

I think that if I wasn't a theist, I might have followed Buddhism. I like the philosophies of Buddhism and I have had a lot of friends who followed it. Hinduism seems to also have a few of the same kinds of philosophies as well. There is a lot of wisdom in the philosophies of Dharmic religions- I prize wisdom very highly, and I hope someday to possess it.