# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785 "2024-07-25T15:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 57
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1121 "2024-12-19T18:39:27Z")
I am glad to have paid a very small part in the family mystery. Which app? ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1122 "2024-12-19T18:40:59Z")
One of my uncles spelled his last name (my mother’s maiden name) with a one letter difference, but it was the army’s fault. They misspelled it, and it was his first “official” record which he didn’t bother to change. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1123 "2024-12-19T18:42:19Z")
GeneologyBank ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2024, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1124 "2024-12-19T23:08:28Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Farmers were usually not named after their profession since everyone did it. They’d be named after other things like where they lived, a physical feature, or some significant fact of their life. In 14th century England, farmers could be surnamed **In The Ditch** , if they farmed a low lying area. If they lived in an area with potter’s clay, they could be surnamed **Ate Children** (pronounced ‘at Chilthern’). ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1125 "2024-12-20T01:21:31Z")
Starting in 2022 and ending next year in 2025, four women each year are honored by being on the back of US quarter coins. Next year Dr. Vera Rubin will be one of them. She will be the first Jewish person on any US coins or currency. [https://www.usmint.gov/american-women-quarters-2025-rolls-and-bags-dr-vera-rubin-MASTER\_AWQVR.html](https://www.usmint.gov/american-women-quarters-2025-rolls-and-bags-dr-vera-rubin-MASTER_AWQVR.html) ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1126 "2024-12-20T01:32:23Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > She will be the first Jewish person on any US coins or currency. [Or, maybe not](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2049ezpko.amp) [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/1893_Columbian_Half_NGC_MS62_Obverse.png) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/1893_Columbian_Half_NGC_MS62_Obverse.png) ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1127 "2024-12-20T15:58:21Z")
Today I learned about the unusual baseball saga of a player named Ron Wright. Wright played professional baseball for 11 seasons from 1994 through 2004, all in the minor leagues. Except, that is, for one major-league game. On April 14, 2002, Wright started at DH for the Mariners. In his first at-bat, he struck out. In his second at-bat, he hit into a triple play. In his third at-bat, he hit into a double play. He was then removed for a pinch-hitter. Then he was sent back down to the minors and never played another major league game. > **[SEA@TEX: Ron Wright goes 0-for-3 in MLB debut | 04/14/2002](https://www.mlb.com/video/ron-wright-s-bizarre-mlb-debut)** > > 4/14/02: Ron Wright strikes out and hits into both a triple and double play in his only Major League game ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1128 "2024-12-20T16:11:53Z")
I learned a new concept today that I presume most dopers were already aware of. What do you call someone who practices multiple religions at the same time? A person who practices multiple religious beliefs at the same time is called a syncretist; the practice itself is known as syncretism which refers to the blending of different religious beliefs and practices into a new system. I’m 70 years old, fairly well read, and have never heard of this concept before. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1129 "2024-12-20T16:27:08Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > He was the first certified black architect west of the Mississippi. I’m sure you meant black certified architect, or certified architect who was black. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1130 "2024-12-20T16:34:52Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > I learned a new concept today that I presume most dopers were already aware of. What do you call someone who practices multiple religions at the same time? A person who practices multiple religious beliefs at the same time is called a syncretist; the practice itself is known as syncretism which refers to the blending of different religious beliefs and practices into a new system. I’m 70 years old, fairly well read, and have never heard of this concept before. Never saw the name before I think, if I did I didn’t know what it meant which is the same thing in the end. I know people that practice different religious rituals. I’m not sure if syncretism extends to people’s faith in multiple religions with disparate beliefs and I’m not sure if I’ve encountered anyone who say they do that. Certainly some religions have little enough overlap that belief conflicts don’t prevent it either. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1131 "2024-12-20T16:38:11Z")
And yet, you know, we all do it. Religions, even the oldest, don’t come into existence out of nothing. Christianity is a good example of a religion which formed at a time of great religious turmoil – Judaism, Roman and Greek pantheism, Zoroastrianism, and esoteric cults like Mithraism, all swirling in the same place. Christianity, although it began as a reform of Judaism, borrowed from all of these. It’s as syncretic as all get out. Whether modern Christians (or other faiths which have the tenet that theirs is the One True Belief) care to examine the historical foundations of their religion doesn’t negate the facts. People who consciously cherrypick what they like about different religions to form their personal beliefs are not, I think true syncretists. They are something else. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1132 "2024-12-20T16:39:58Z")
I read in another thread [(South Asian) Indians in the US celebrating Christmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-asian-indians-in-the-us-celebrating-christmas/1011923) about someone of Indian decent who is living in the US and who practices both Christian and Hindu religious rituals. I admire someone who is so non-dogmatic. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1133 "2024-12-20T16:44:31Z")
HInduism is historically enormously flexible. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1134 "2024-12-20T16:44:49Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > People who consciously cherrypick what they like about different religions to form their personal beliefs are not, I think true syncretists. They are something else. Is there a name for these kind of people? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1135 "2024-12-20T17:37:09Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > People who consciously cherrypick what they like about different religions to form their personal beliefs are not, I think true syncretists. They are something else. This is what I’ve usually encountered. Agreed, wouldn’t make sense to call that syncretism ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1136 "2024-12-20T18:45:36Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Is there a name for these kind of people? Eclectors? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1137 "2024-12-20T18:52:23Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Is there a name for these kind of people? “Cafeteria Syncretists”? ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1138 "2024-12-20T19:53:20Z")
“Spiritual but not religious” ? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1139 "2024-12-20T19:55:12Z")
Yes, I assumed people would understand that “certified” modifies “architect” not “black.” ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1140 "2024-12-20T20:16:19Z")
There’s a broad range in this category, ranging from people who believe we are all Beings Of Light (like my Pilates teacher) to people who attend a Christian church but try to ignore the Nicene Creed. I believe that if you really questioned folks closely you would find that even in the strictest of sects, what people privately believe is all over the map. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=56) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=58)