> i'm guessing its not the only religion that synthesizes what came before
> - perhaps a universal of all religions,
> even when ideologically they claim "purity".
I agree. I think all things build on what comes before them. It is the
desire to be new or 'true' that causes religions to claim they fell out
of the sky.
Regards,
Morgan Leigh
PhD Candidate
School of Sociology and Social Work
University of Tasmania
mandrake wrote:
> Jake Stratton-Kent wrote:
>
> Contemporary Pagans sometimes beat themselves up about being "eclectic" -
> but as you say seems like this was a big part of classical Paganism
> (a synthesis of Greek, Babylonian & Egyptian magical religion) -
> i'm guessing its not the only religion that synthesizes what came before
> - perhaps a universal of all religions,
> even when ideologically they claim "purity".
>
> Mogg
>
>> Hi Mogg, Nagasiva and all,
>>
>> not meaning to distract from the conversation, but this topic is
>> convergent with one I've been discussing lately elsewhere, and more
>> importantly perhaps, thinking and writing about. That is, the
>> prevalence of syncretism in ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
>> paganism.
>>
>> Syncretism has a very bad reputation is some quarters of the modern
>> occult scene; sometimes with good reasons (Erzulie does not =
>> Aphrodite). There is also a marked tendency for this antagonism to
>> spill over into areas where it is out of place.
>>
>> When writing about ancient religion where syncretism was a long
>> standing tradition, this antagonism virtually demands a reiterated
>> justification whenever syncretic features arise in the discussion.
>> This is perhaps less the case in some quarters of the neo-pagan scene,
>> and in the UK especially - but there is still a definite speed-bump to
>> be negotiated where historical syncretism is involved.
>>
>> ALWays
>>
>> Jake
>>
>>
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