The Spiritual Jacuzzi

[Win]

Here's (http://www.reason.com/0305/fe.jw.inside.shtml) an article from Reason discussing the trend toward syncretism in modern religious practice.

Interesting, in a sociology of religion kind of way.

Can we draw any insights from this trend?

Who knows?

Just my contribution to raising the tone, such as it is.

[Loki]

Win,

...the trend toward syncretism in modern religious practice.
This seems to be the "growth corridor" for religion here in Australia. "Dial-your-own" theology is the current fad. Lots of it seems to get lumped under (or near) the "buddhist" label, since that's a nice mystical/spiritual sounding name with a very broad theological unbrella.

I find it interesting to watch how people like John Edward and Sylvia Browne are managing to construct their own little cults out of a merging of the paranormal and some psuedo-christian theology.

*****Edited to add *****

Opps, forgot to say that it seems to me that this trend is often a simplistic way for people to reconcile their "spiritual" beliefs with some cold hard facts of life. Also, it provides a bridge between the "old-school" style of black-and-white moral issues promoted by the traditional churches, and the "new-school" shades-of-grey morality embraced by humanism.

*****End of Edit*****

From the article:

Yet Kissling not only embraces the Catholic label but sees herself as part of a proud Roman tradition. She is a Catholic, not a Protestant, because something in Catholicism appeals to her. "There are parts of me that do say, ‘Give it up, go someplace friendlier,’" she confesses. "But religious faith is not a matter of rationality...."
Glad to see she understands Catholicism so well!