Mixing Faiths / Syncretism

[MotherMarysStylist]

Hi,

I was wondering whether you had 2 different faiths in your family, possibly more, or if you followed one religion whilst adopting aspects of another?

It's official title is syncretism, it was said to be common in the UK where Pagan and Christian beliefs were mixed.

I was thinking in modern day terms such as the trend for self awareness / meditation / can't remember the name of the other popular trend, then having Christian beliefs, which the higher you get up the less you're meant to do say yoga, as it's believed to be bad for some reason.

My thoughts are God is All loving and forgiving, as long as you have faith, is he really that fussed if you meditate or do yoga etc. Another example Romany Gypsies are typically Catholic I believe, some are said to have talents that don't fit in with the Catholic faith, such as palm reading and any form of divination.

You could be a blended family that takes elements from 2 or more very different faiths. Ultimately even Pagan's believe in God, found this out reading about the Super Moon tomorrow.

You have atheists who will get their children baptised, get married in church, another thing is children who go to religious schools such as Catholic ones, with somewhat atheist parents, who buy into the first communion I think children do aged 7/8. So even with atheism you can have syncretism.

If you don't but have views on it, would love to hear them.

I remember cousins going on a Gap Year, considering themselves Christian but taking an interest in Hindu & Buddhist practises.

I think that a general interest in spirituality can be a good thing - it's all the ridiculous rules and customs that are adopted by the vast majority of religions that make a mockery of spirituality that get my goat. The way belief in something has to be channeled or fixated on a 'god' also makes no sense and allows people to excuse behaviour or twist reality into a shape that suits their purpose. On balance I think the world would be a much better place if organised religions didn't exist and people were strong enough to make their own way through life.

Ultimately even Pagan's believe in God Not quite . 'Some' Pagans believe in a single God. Some believe in both a God and Godess. Some believe in multi deities and some do not believe in any Gods at all.

I am a Pagan.

I think there is truth in every religion, I just think the one I follow (Islam) has the most truth. I actually think that under the surface most religions are pretty similar. I sometimes meditate in ways which are uncommon to most Muslims, taught to me by my Auntie. She is from Lombok in Indonesia, she follows a version of Islam that is heavily influenced by Buddhism, Hinduism and traditional beliefs, it's completely normal there. Various female members of my Mum's family casually practice witchcraft while also being Muslim. Most of their spells incorporate verses from the Quran. I think syncretism is very common throughout the world and especially when people follow a faith that isn't originally from their location then their culture also usually has a large effect on their religious practices.

My husband is Hindu, my dad's family are Irish Catholics whilst mum's family were are also Irish but into pre-Christian stuff. I think there's a lot of similarities in our belief systems and history.

All religions are syncretic in nature. They evolve out of earlier religions, sometimes breaking away from their ancestral form, sometimes merging with other forms. They can be visualised as occupying locations on a religious version of the biological phylogenetic tree.

The Darwinian revolution brought a new understanding of the fundamental interconnections amongst all living creatures.

When humankind becomes ready to accept that all religions are also dynamic and interrelated, with none superior to others in an absolute sense, then we might have a better chance of establishing a harmonious world.

The way belief in something has to be channeled or fixated on a 'god' also makes no sense and allows people to excuse behaviour or twist reality into a shape that suits their purpose. It helped me by getting away from the idea of god being the man with the white beard. More that god or the source, essence, soul or life force is within all of us.

When humankind becomes ready to accept that all religions are also dynamic and interrelated, with none superior to others in an absolute sense, then we might have a better chance of establishing a harmonious world. Exactly, away from the dogma and inward to the spiritual.

Ultimately even Pagan's believe in God, no they don't.

And what you describe sounds idyllic.

Disagreements between religions are what causes many wars and family rifts.
I have a very religious family.
It causes deep divisions.

I find the idea of a god as an overlord a judge quite horrible.
I have a deep sense of the spiritual but have no need for a big boss

"Various female members of my Mum's family casually practice witchcraft while also being Muslim. Most of their spells incorporate verses from the Quran"

Yes stateless my family are pretty similar. its pretty common in folk islam where if a witch converted to islam she pretty much sets up shop and starts practising 'good' magic rather than 'black' magic. the islamic ideas about evil eye, black magic and good/bad jinn made islam relatable to pagan peoples like in africa, asia, the far east etc and though not encouraged lead to people searching out practitioners in 'repelling' those crafts (and some people to use it for their own advantage too!).
as well as herb lore passed down from the prophetic tradition there is also the incorporation of spells with verses from the quran, either in writing form then you eat the paper, or wash down (edible) ink the quran is written then drink it, or they have special verses from it written in a tiny scroll and wear it around one's neck for protection. i grew up with all of that. and its always done in arabic btw because even if people cant read it its still imbued with holiness. its just not done with the Quran written in another language it becomes flat the paper the script would be considered lifeless.

Also in africa there is Chrislam which is very popular and is the syncretism of christianity and islam, which sets the proper adherents of both flapping. www.beliefnet.com/columnists/news/2011/10/what-is-chrislam-and-does-anybody-really-preach-it.php

branches of my family attend mosque on friday, then church on sunday then they go to the pagan priest and theyll keep doing that until their prayers are answered they dont mind where and by whom. we find that at turns amusing!

I find the idea of a god as an overlord a judge quite horrible. This is it, it's been used as a way to control and turns people away which is a tragedy and a shame.

missfatty- I have seen this blend too- I spent a while in Indonesia, although a nominally Islamic country many people especially in rural areas practice a type on animism, - there seems to be an easy mix of Islam and forest gods.

Ah it's nice to know there's a word for it (Catholic with pagan leanings)

I am fairly syncretic. If my Christian friends knew, I would probably be kicked out of church!

Not all churches are open to a pick and mix style attitude.
Some take a very dim view.

My family would go batshit if they knew half of what I do.
They have a very strong christian faith. The times they visit I have to hide things and take prints off the wall.

My church would take a fairly dim view, speakout, so would the Christian members of my family. I don't have anything ostentatiously pagan out in the house, except my smudge sticks. I have the four elements represented on my prayer space, which changes according to the wheel, but the only one who realises this is DD and she thinks it's hilarious.

I think that God is in all things and each of us has to find our own path.

I think the problem is that not all christian churches would agree that "god is in all things".

The idea of the divine within us, or indeed animals, trees, lakes, mountains is for some the antithesis of christian thinking.
In fact more bound with lucifer than god.

Yes speakout I could imagine so you see such practises in traditional Islam. My ancestors were tree worshippers not monotheists, and that the tree has a lot of symbolism in Islam appealed to them. Christianity in my humble opinion syncretised too much with European pagan beliefs : trinity, Yule, oestre etc that it made it harder for pagans of other parts of the world to relate to. I think Islam because of its seeming austerity with the banning of religious imagery actually has a blank canvas and provides much more linchpins for people from a wide range of cultures to latch onto. worshippers of the cosmos found satisfaction in the prominence of the moon for the lunar months, the sun for prayer times, the stars to navigate for Mecca. This allowed people to piggyback some of the significant symbols of their pagan belief system into their new faith. Not to mention occultists and fetishists who just replaced belief in spirits and magic with belief in jinn (both good jinn and bad), quranic amulets/talismans, hand of Fatima etc.

missfattyfatty That's so interesting about Chrislam, I hadn't heard of it before, it sounds fun, I love churches lol thinking about it now the Alawites have blended Christianity and Islam too. And there are religions like the Druze faith and Bahá'í faith that blend elements and figures from various religions. It's fascinating.
My cousins do things with herbs and the ink drinking spells, I was always told it's haram and not to do it by my Mum but I've always worn taweez and she does too.
I suppose I'm quite a syncretic sort of Muslim but outside of my pretty open minded family I generally keep my views to myself, things like that are really frowned upon in mainstream Islam, which is a shame I think.

You're right about that, speakout, but what many Christians forget is that it is God's creative power that gives everything existence and holds everything in being. A lot of churches are far too dogmatic.

but what many Christians forget is that it is God's creative power that gives everything existence and holds everything in being.

Each to their own- I'm not a christian, don't do that creation stuff.

I don't really do creation stuff, either, in a seven days kind of way. More that God provides the energy for things to start.

It would be a boring world if we all thought the same.

I think there is a difference between recognising common ground in different religions (good) and picking and choosing your religion to suit your life (not good). I am a Christian who used to try to convince myself things like tarot cards and reiki were God-given gifts so okay. I don't think the same any more and steer clear of them but we had a very interesting discussion at my church home group recently about whether people from other religions go to Heaven. A lot of different views and still in my heart I believe most religions worship the same God in different ways.

purple- I thought the only way to get to heaven was to accept jesus as saviour?