Scholars Of Religion Have Increasingly Rejected The Model Of Religious Syncretism, In Which Apparent Deviations From Normative Practice Are Explained As The Result Of A Mixture Of Religions. Nevertheless, There Are Aspects Of Thai Buddhist Practice That Still Stubbornly Appear Syncretistic, Such As The Worship Of Particular Buddha Images For Mundane Boons In The Same Way As Gods And Spirits. Moreover, Increasingly Thai Buddhists Themselves Are Adopting The Language Of Syncretism, Referring To Traditional Thai Religion As A Mixture Of Local, Hindu, And Buddhist Practices. This Raises The Question: If Syncretism Is So Wrong, Then Why Does It Seem So Right? Holy Things Answers This Question Through An In-depth Study Of The Worship Of Spirits, Gods, And Buddha Images-all Known As Sing Saksit, Or Holy Things-in Thailand. It Shows That What Appears To Be Syncretism Is Actually An Illusion Created By An Array Of Historically Transforming And Interacting Discourses: Pali Buddhist, Sanskritic Hindu, And The Modern Discourse Of Religion. Holy Things Thus Explains Not Only Why A Stubborn Case Of Apparent Syncretism Is Actually Not So, But Also Why Syncretism Seems So Appealing In The First Place-- Provided By Publisher.