Finding and Knowing Truth

A recent poll from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life reports that many of us in the U.S. mix religious beliefs.  A significant proportion of all of us believe in astrology, reincarnation, and spiritual energy in trees, for example. 

Some of these kinds of beliefs - astrology, e.g. - have been with us culturally for a long time; but others really only became accessible to us relatively recently, with the advent of telephones, tv/movies, air travel, and then, of course, the internet. 

I've heard this referred to as "buffet spirituality."  The derogatory interpretation says we just take what is convenient from whatever religions/spirituality we come across, regardless of whether it fits with our other beliefs, ignoring the cultural context, disregarding other more inconvenient aspects of the religion.  The more generous interpretation says we recognize the deep truths across religions/cultures and incorporate those into our lives and beliefs.

Historically, this is not a new phenomenon.  It's just what people do, both personally and culturally: they blend new things they encounter into what they already know.  Every culture, every religion in existence right now is the result of blending, through travelers, conquest, intermarriage, colonialism, etc.

Now we have access to virtually every culture in the world, if not quite to every single person.  Of course we're going to blend. Of course. 

So, to some of the questions:

Does this give us more access to the possibility of finding fundamental truth in spirituality?  Does the opportunity to look at our connection to spirit from other religious/cultural points of view expand our ability to see it clearly?  Or does it just distract us?  Is it true that for some people, different spiritual approaches than the ones they were born into simply suit them better?  Or should we all just stick with what we were born with?  Is mixing beliefs disrespectful?  Does it show lack of understanding? Is it a legitimate way to find truth?  How does one know?

How does one know?

These are some of the questions.  There are plenty more.