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;
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
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
1 comment:
Hi - I enjoyed your post on a rule of life forstering prayer (linked from the Worship Tricks site?) and linked over to your blog. I consider myself a Christian but am attracted by aspects of Buddhist practice, definitely not by its theology (reincarnation is an unappealingly idea). Buddhists seem to consider that just fine (to explore the practice and reject the theology). Christians on the other hand often give the impression that practice can be variable but the beliefs must be in rigid adherence to orthodoxy. Isn't this strange? I am always surprised how rarely Christians turn to the church to solve any of their real day to day problems. For instance, you might say that Buddhism (plus yoga plus secular therapy) have a monopoly on stress management and the church acts as though the problem doesn't even exist -- how strange!
a Californian perspective -- thanks
Jeff
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