Buddhism, teens and western searching.

There is some indication that Buddhism may be the fastest growing religion in the west. I submit that we need to understand why, perhaps there are some indicators here: edited highlights include;

Teenagers are attracted to Buddhism because it calms their minds, settles the often tumultuous emotions that come with adolescence and addresses their core anxieties ... Meditation is a big draw for many. Some teenagers seek out teachers and study books on Buddhism because of the simple tenets it offers ... Young people are drawn to Buddhist chanting as a way to help uncover great potential in their lives ... Socially engaged Buddhism is a developing trend in the West, and young Buddsters are trying to bring about what they call a “human revolution,” in which Buddhist values can be used to try to solve larger social problems, like environmental degradation. ...

Now the big challenge, it seems to me is that none of that is absent from Christian faith in principle, but we clearly have an issue in making what can be offered, out of the resources of Christian faith, visible.

Technorati Tags: Buddhism, West, growth, culture, teenagers