Hi fourniernorman and welcome to the JCF Conversations of a Higher Order!fourniernorman wrote:Syncretism: Isn't this the combining of various influences in ones life to come up with your own belief system? Otherwise know as the path to bliss, or for those whom it may be, lead into a path of destruction or perhaps confusion. I prefer to call it one's own journey. All of our paths meet in the end perhaps?
The dictionary defines syncretism thusly"
It pretty much boils down to, "God is unknowable, so any one god is just as good as any other."the attempted reconciliation or union of different or opposing principles, practices, or parties, as in philosophy or religion.
Campbell distinguished between ethnic and syncretic religions. Syncretism was common in the ancient world, where parallels between pantheons were often drawn, major cities had temples to just about every god under the sun and moon, and some had a temple to the unknown god to cover anyone who may have been missed. They really didn't care what god you worshiped.
The ethnic religions, those of the biblical tradition being the most obvious, claimed exclusive rights to a one and only true god. The result of this is still rampant in the Middle East, and contemporary American politics.
Your definition seems to fit the bill. I guess to 'be syncretic' is not only to follow your own path, but to respect the validity of other's paths.
Cheers,
Clemsy