how do you feel about eclecticism?

there is a rapidly growing trend in wicca and in neo-pagnism in general towards eclecticism (which is the word i was groping for when i was creating the theology poll -duh!- and didn't find because i had children jumping on me.) how do the people here on the hipforums feel about it? is eclectism following an inner guide, or "just making it up as you go along?" is it a serious, valid path or "fluffy bunny"? is it a more difficult or demanding path, or an easy cop-out? is it contributing positively to the evolution of paganism, or is it watering it down?

myself, i love eclectism. as a found object artist, i look for art in everything, and transform it by altering it and/or combining it with other elements, and that tendendency is probably due to my eclectic spirituality. (unfortunately for my family, i cook that way as well. anyone for masala pierogies with curried peppers and onions? )

 

I believe eclecticism is as valid as any other path. It's all subjective to your own mind.

I like to encorporate buddhist and "chaos" philosophies into my "practice" which is less of a practice, and more of a lifestyle.

 

I think it is offensive and inconsiderate, unless done with valid justification and reason. I dont think it should be done because of some inherant human right to take and claim as they see fit to mix in to some fantasy based "magical" belief system of your own design.

Oh, its also a really good cop-out word if you ever find yourself not knowing what it is exactly that you do.

 

It can be done with knowledge and sincerity. We do have a lot of influences on our lives and ancestry; so ultimatly how do we decide which factors must be revered or discarded?

Still, feel I must agree with Heron.
From what I can see of the general 'eclectic' trend knowledge and sincerity really don't factor into it as much as they should. People just seem to throw things together without truly understanding it, and whether those factors work together. There is probably more a tendency toward frivolity on that path because if you were to focus on one particular pantheon or tradition you would be forced to study it in depth.

I've tried being 'eclectic' and am rather embarassing the whole thing. Am an intelligent* girl and tried to be sincere, but it just didn't make sense to me. With so many ideas floating around it's hard to give them all the attention they deserve. Things just didn't fit together as they should. Well they wouldn't really, I was trying to throw together the dieties of people who'd never met and talk to them in a 'language' that was not their own. Then mix in some 'close but no cigar' eastern philosophy.
That's not a religion, it's a mess.

*well rumour has it, I'm in university at least.

 

I think it can be a valid path, or it can be the ultimate in cultural appropriation and ethnocentrism. Depends on the person doing it and their intentions and mindset. It depends on whether that person's ideas come from within, or if they are simply borrowing bits and pieces from others.


a little story... LOL

After finding my own beliefs through years and years of introspection and meditation, and rejection of any organized religions and spiritual belief systems, I have stumbled upon descriptions of, say Lakota mythology for instance, which contain some very striking resemblances to what I believe. I did not borrow my beliefs from them (my great-grandmother was Lakota, though, which brings up some interesting questions about ancestral memory and such) any more than I borrowed my beliefs from anyone else. And I can honestly say that I have found ideas in other religious belief systems that agree with what I believe, even Christianity. So, in a way, if I were to attempt to describe to anyone what it is that I believe, it would sound eclectic because those other belief systems have already described some of my beliefs in a much better way than I ever could. But I did not pick and choose and piece them together. I found my beliefs first, and then later found the words that other people have used to describe them.

 

I found that with Buddhism, have been living by the five precepts for years without even realising. Still do as a matter of course as that's an ingrained sense of right and wrong.
Have a lot of respect for Buddhist ethics. It's just the actual practises that don't quite do it for me. We parted on very amicable terms.
Also believe in karma, though don't phrase it as such because it seems so out of place with all the Celtic virtues and such. Think of it more as divine justice.

 

Wow, I think about this all of the time. I really think that it depends on the person. It has been said already in this post that it depends on the knowlege, the research, and the intentions. I am going to have to say that what mamaboogie is saying very closly relates to the way I feel about the way this worked out in my life. Since everyone is very very different, it all depends on what works for them. I have a very eclectic view on life, religion, and spirituatly. We work together, and if something makes since to you why not look into it?

 

Eclecticism may be the result of many of us who are pagan not being born into pagan families.

Some pagans are people who had negative experiences with other religions. Those experiences can't help but influence how they respond to any other religion. As paganism grows, and as more and more people have been pagan for a longer period of time, things will change.

Paganism in all its varieties is not as open or visible as some other religions. As a result, it may be more difficult to find pagan community and people who will guide a person. People who find good groups and good guides have an advantage in finding a path.

I belive that pagans should have plenty of room not to declare a path, to spend plenty of time to make any sort of decision. There's so much to read, so much to know, and so much to experience. Maybe some people call themselves "eclectic" because they feel pressure to claim some sort of label. As I see it, it should be perfectly respectable to say that you haven't chosen a path yet.

A path is a path. It's not a destination. Some people who genuinely believe that they are eclectic or don't have a clear sense of where they want to go may very well choose a path or a tradition and follow it wisely and responsibly and appropriately.

 

This is said perfectly and I couldn't have said it better *bravo* !!!
That being said...I think its somewhat "unpagan" to say being eclectic is "wrong" What I pride most about Paganisim is that it is very diverse and accepting and no every single Pagan has the same belief. I lvoe that about Pagans.