Reflection 5
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University of Toronto, Scarborough *
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A01
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Philosophy
Date
Nov 24, 2024
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docx
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"Black Mountain" deftly examines the complex relationships that exist
between the radical/fundamentalist stress on religious purity and ultimate
truth and the scholarly idea of religions as syncretic. The film depicts how
different religious elements are woven together in a globalized setting,
capturing the syncretic character of belief systems. It also explores the
difficulties presented by extreme and fundamentalist viewpoints that
vehemently defend religious veracity and an unchanging truth. The conflict
between syncretism and fundamentalism emerges as a major topic,
illustrating the larger issues that modern civilizations are facing as they
attempt to navigate the complexity of religious identity and diversity.
According to
Black Mountain
, syncretism is the process that occurs when a religion travels from
its place of origin. The term can also be used when referring to a merge or fusion between
differing religious beliefs, practices, and traditions. Sufism, for example, portrays such a blend,
combining elements from Hindu and Muslim traditions. This concept relates to ideas from
Baumann's
Migration And Religion
. As Baumann suggests, those who migrate to a new country
carry their religion with them (344). Over time, migrants become adapted to their new cultural
surroundings. They may assimilate, convert or integrate new practices with their old ones,
leading to a 'dual identity'. The tension between Hindus and Muslims is prominent in
Black
Mountain
. Hindu fundamentalists advocate for the conservation of what they deem as
'authentic' Hindu traditions in India. They have a strong resentment towards Islamic and 'un-
Hindu' traditions. Consequently, Hindu fundamentalists target syncretism in India.
While syncretic refers to the combination of different forms of beliefs,
practices and traditions, fundamentalist views are based on traditional forms
of religion.
This creates tensions between each of these ideas as it opposes
with one another. As per the film Black Mountain, these tensions can create
conflict like religious wars, bombings, as well as the genocides. A specific
example of this can be seen in the film with Amin visiting Gujarat. When he is
asked about his religion he refers to himself as a humanist. Although, local
residents believe that he must have a specific religion that he follows in this
case either Hindu or Muslim. This creates tensions in each of the individuals
due to difference in opinions on religion as well as tensions between
syncretic and fundamentalist views of religion.
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