Aye, any idea I like becomes mine.
I'll share though.
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Is there Anything Wrong with Cherry-Picking Ideas from Multiple Religions?
- Thread starter Sunstone
- Start date
I'll share though.
Geoff-Allen
Resident megalomaniac
It must be a legitimate thing to do otherwise my conscience would not allow me to do it
Seriously though Gandhi said the following:
“The various religions are like different roads converging on the same point. What difference does it make if we follow different routes, provided we arrive at the same destination?”
More of his thoughts can be found here -
Mahatma Gandhi Quotes (Author of The Story of My Experiments With Truth)
All the best!
EverChanging
Well-Known Member
My private and personal religion is influenced by various ideas I've gathered from different places as is my interpretation of my communal tradition (Anglicanism), so if I thought something was offensive about this I would be in the wrong.
That said, there are respectful and disrespectful ways about appropriating from other religions. Passing off one's own inventions as shamanism or a Native faith is not only distasteful, but erodes accurate representation and preservation of the original traditions.
One can run into other problems, too. Some people simply haven't understood the ideas they are incorporating or they collect a bunch of "shiny" bits that don't really fit together to form a coherent tapestry. There are lots of bad ways to do eclecticism.
But if one can do it respectfully and create a ritual-symbol set and ideas or philosophy into a coherent system this can be immensely fulfilling! What exactly would be wrong about it I might ask?
I see It is a wonderful thing to be given the opportunity to pursue the common foundation of all Gods Faiths.
The key is to look at the source.
Regards Tony
Nothing whatsoever imo
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
No. It highly depends on your view of other peoples religions (the people included). To me, synronism is like goin to a Christian, Buddhist, Lukumi, and Pagans individual homes, take their sacred possions and walk off to use it for your own altar. Its basically doing the same thing in history just reinventing.
If you dont share those mroals, than I dont see a problem with it. But it highly depends on how you see other peoples religions (as well as the people). If you feel they invite you into their home so you can take some of their things, then thats fine. Some Pagans who practice ancestral worship would ideally got to the graves of people they may not be related to, ask their permission to take an item or dirt from their grave, wait for an answer yes or no, and then setup shop for their rituals.
It depends. Personally, I feel icky inside but as the demon in Demon Nights (movie) would put it: if it makes you feel good, do it.
Not if that's all you have time for.
Subduction Zone
Veteran Member
I don't see anything wrong with this. I have yet to meet someone of any sect that does not pick and choose from their own religion, why would it be wrong if others did the same?
Jumi
Well-Known Member
I was cherry-picking good parts about ethics from religions when I was atheist, I see no reason to discontinue doing so. Same with people, if someone shows me a better way to think about things then of course I learn from them. It doesn't matter if they're a Muslim, Christian, Hindu, LHP, Buddhist or Atheist.
All religions are founded on what has gone on before to some degree.
If taking different teachings from different faiths works for you then I can't see a problem with it.
Shadow Wolf
Certified People sTabber & Business Owner
That free exchange of ideas is really how I was able to save myself Evangelical Christianity. I remember learning about the epic of Gilgamesh in high school, and that was specifically one thing that starting to lead me away from my former faith. Without having the church there to censor and filter information and present it in a way to affirm their faith, I began to realize how much the church had lied to me and distorted facts and history to twist them into something that suits the Evangelical narrative.
Not so much about making it "mine," no more than I made evolution mine after I learned about it and accepted it.
Bear Wild
Well-Known Member
I do not understand what you mean when you say "Some pagans who practice ancestral worship would ideally got to the graves of people they may not be related to … and then setup shop for their rituals." The pre-Christian religions of the were very tolerant of other beliefs and seemed to have no problem incorporating different beliefs/rituals or sacred sites. Modern "pagans" learn what they can but I do not know any that go "grave borrowing".
There is nothing wrong with cherry picking.
There is, however, something wrong with referring to this culmination of ideas by the name of an organized religion with prescribed tenets and dogma. Those that identify that religion that follow these tenets and dogma more often than not take exception to eclectics or syncretics self-identifying with the name of their religion.
For example, my ideas align heavily with Hinduism, specifically the Advaita Vedanta school. However, I do not refer to myself as such, as there are aspects that I don't adhere to, such as reverence or acknowledgement of deity, and there are ideas I draw from other philosophies, such as those of the Toltec. I feel it would be an affront to many Hindus if I labeled what I hold to be true as 'Hinduism' or 'Advaitan.'
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The intent of the Rede is not to give validation to McWicca, but to advise those followers of Wicca to behave in a fashion that brings harm to none.
Wicca is a religion that has rigid beliefs and dogma, especially in the Garnderian and Alexandrian traditions.
I guess I cherry picked that, I don't really know much about it tbh although I read something about different coloured witches.
Unveiled Artist
Veteran Member
With some pagans, when they synronize and use a sacred object, they ideally ask permission from the spirits, spirit, ancestors, or so have you, wait for an answer, then take it if its a yes.
I dont believe in syncronism, but if I did, I would follow the same idea is whatever believe I use, I want to make sure I follow or respect the foundation for the beliefs I take (ask permission-inwardly, I guess).
The pagan christian mix wasnt intentional. It was by force, a life or death issue.
But, anyway, in my opinion, as long as the beliefs and objects you take arent contradicting the nature of the religions you take it from, I dont see an issue. But thats just me.
You seem to be doing that yourself according to things you wrote in your topic on Krishna: Who was Krishna in your tradition?
The question is, is this is a wise thing to do?
The preceptor of a tradition has usually combined different elements from different traditions and enriched this with his/her own specialities and this unique combination has a certain balance that is only found with this particular preceptor.
Now if you start combining those practices and teachings with those from other preceptors you will disturb the flow of that unique tradition and you create something new that may not at all be balanced because you don't have the capacity to create such a balance in the same way a preceptor has.
It can also create confusion in your mind because different preceptors may have had very differents viewpoints on certain matters that are important to you and now you could become confused as to which viewpoint is correct or better than the others.
