Word of The Day - Eclectic
Word of the Day: Eclectic - meaning: from Greek eklektikos, from eklegein to select, from ex- out legein to gather.
It's like picking up pretty rocks on the side of the road. Putting them all together in a jar creates a nice conversation piece, but it's unlikely to mean anything to anyone else. It's defined by the individual and thereby transcends the word Tradition, or Denomination. It is neither. Using it as an adverb indicates that the noun it modifies is NOT what it says it is. Example: Eclectic Wicca...it is not and cannot be a Tradition, what it CAN be is a collection of appealing practices drawn together by their respective appeal. To say you are an Eclectic Wiccan or Eclectic Jew means you are NOT Wiccan or Jewish but are inspired by those faiths. It can mean your spiritual practice may be similar, but it is not recognized by the practitioners of Wicca or Judaism as part of those Traditions.
There is NOTHING wrong with being eclectic in one's approach about anything one finds of interest. But it is misleading, even dishonest to call oneself something while using the word Eclectic to modify a proper noun. It's even tiresome when people insist that 'Oh yes we are Jews! You can't say we're not" without practicing that faith. It works the same way with any other faith you want to put it in front of. It might be LIKE it...but it is not, in fact, the thing in question. Don't mislead yourself or others by using the term to describe what you believe is a 'Tradition'. Being respectful of Traditions should also be part of your practice if you are 'eclectic' in your spiritual path. Until a practice can stand alone, different from others around it, it is not a Tradition, and it is wrong and disrespectful to 'borrow' the title of another religion just because it is similar to what you do.
The Greeks defined the word. It's spells out that it is 'taken from'. Use it correctly.