aka why I am the greatest professor of religion ever (side note: that is so untrue)
Behold, the worst extended metaphor in the world to explain syncretism:
ladysisyphus: Okay, so there's a steak restaurant and a candy store.
ladysisyphus: If you go to the steak restaurant and the candy store, you have just ... gone to both.
ladysisyphus: But! If you decide that what the world really needs is a steak-and-candy store, and you start your own, that's syncretism.
relvetica: Indeed.
ladysisyphus: Now, you can create steak in the shape of candy, or candy in the shape of steaks.
ladysisyphus: Or you could have steak on one page of the menu and candy on the other.
relvetica: this metaphor just got gross
ladysisyphus: Or you can put candy on the steak.
relvetica: really gross
ladysisyphus: Yeah, that's what the owners of the steak restaurant and the candy store would think.
ladysisyphus: That's why organized religions don't tend to like syncretism! Because theologically, it's like putting candy on steak.
ladysisyphus: Now, if you consider that there are some vegetarians in the world who have been kidnapped from their homes and forced to eat steak, so they respond by making steak-shaped candy so it looks like they're eating steak, you understand most African diaspora religions.
relvetica: huhhhh
relvetica: that is very interesting!!
ladysisyphus: Cao Dai is more along the lines of putting steak and candy on the same menu, and then saying they are equally good choices.
ladysisyphus: And the Sikhs are more the kind who put candy on the steak, but in an Iron Chef way.
ladysisyphus: Okay, so there's a steak restaurant and a candy store.
ladysisyphus: If you go to the steak restaurant and the candy store, you have just ... gone to both.
ladysisyphus: But! If you decide that what the world really needs is a steak-and-candy store, and you start your own, that's syncretism.
relvetica: Indeed.
ladysisyphus: Now, you can create steak in the shape of candy, or candy in the shape of steaks.
ladysisyphus: Or you could have steak on one page of the menu and candy on the other.
relvetica: this metaphor just got gross
ladysisyphus: Or you can put candy on the steak.
relvetica: really gross
ladysisyphus: Yeah, that's what the owners of the steak restaurant and the candy store would think.
ladysisyphus: That's why organized religions don't tend to like syncretism! Because theologically, it's like putting candy on steak.
ladysisyphus: Now, if you consider that there are some vegetarians in the world who have been kidnapped from their homes and forced to eat steak, so they respond by making steak-shaped candy so it looks like they're eating steak, you understand most African diaspora religions.
relvetica: huhhhh
relvetica: that is very interesting!!
ladysisyphus: Cao Dai is more along the lines of putting steak and candy on the same menu, and then saying they are equally good choices.
ladysisyphus: And the Sikhs are more the kind who put candy on the steak, but in an Iron Chef way.