Listening to Benebell Wen on religious syncretism. If you don’t already know, this is a thing.
There’s this:
"The fixation with reconstructing the past and correlating authenticity with history or even specific [sic] the color of your skin or even your DNA is a fascinating conversation . . . ." Syncretic Religious Practices | Bell Chimes In #4 at 14:11.
That’s a great way place to start. She’s promised more on that topic. I’m looking forward to it.
And there’s also this, on the subject of borrowing from other cultures and reinterpreting the material:
"Slam the door shut on the naysayers and keep doing what you're doing. But I will probably criticize you because imperialism, post-colonialism, social studies, critical race theory, privilege, and politics." Syncretic Religious Practices | Bell Chimes In #4 at 15:16.
The people in my world tend to be metaphysical but they do not like — not at all — these topics. I’m very pleased whenever I find someone who enjoys teasing out the underlying ideas.
More on a related topic from this remarkable woman at Cultural Appropriation | Bell Chimes In #5.
