Syncretism

Yes, 'cause you could argue, couldn't you, that what syncretism really is, is, uh, a- again, a demonstration of what, how reality is, how appearance is, how experiences are.

Mm-hmm.

Syncretic in the sense of ...

Well, uh, I'll just offer what I think most people mean when they say syncretism, and then say what it actually is.

When people say syncretism, it's often used as a dirty word.

Yeah.

Syncretism, right? Like, I'm telling you like that fucking guy right there is proof enough.

Like, and in fact that like after they released that documentary, he was like, fuck you guys and disappeared.

Yeah.

In his research on Christianization, Dr. David Frankfurter argues that syncretism is a creative and dynamic process, an ongoing negotiation often driven by indigenous religious leaders integrating new ideas into traditional beliefs and practices.

Local shrines might survive by being rededicated to a saint or angel rather than being destroyed as a haven for demons.

Anti-syncretism, on the other hand, describes efforts to reject or purge certain religious practices that are seen as impure or incompatible with a supposedly authentic and pure system.

It's when religious reformers selectively identify certain traditions as unacceptable, labeling them as heathen, idolatrous, or demonic.

But anti-syncretists are not always consistent.

I mean, who is, who does culture influence the most? Not the elderly, but the adolescents.

What is the culture in that area? Syncretism.

[chuckles] This is why the pagan shrines were so popular.

So Manasseh may have reacted to Hezekiah's very strict policies and sought independence, inclusion, and freedom.