Buddhism in the west -let's be mindful of what we learn from it

It was interesting to see here Beyond me - Philosophy and Life Mark Vernon's own comments on why he wrote a recent article in Third Way. Buddhism, he says:

... addresses modern everyday concerns – the desire for happiness, the anxieties of stress. Indeed, policy makers are growing increasingly interested in the ability of mindfulness meditation to achieve everything from reducing aggression to warding off aging.

It is a genius piece of spiritual positioning in a secular culture, like ours, that associates belief with half-forgotten myths, at best. Psychology, not theology, is trusted as a source of truth. The individual, not the divine, is what really draws our attention. And I have to admit, as someone who entirely understands what it is to be metaphysically agnostic, Buddhism drew me too, for a while.

But I’ve changed my mind. I’m inclined to think that Buddhism’s easy ride into western consciousness should be challenged. A moment for critique has arrived – a moment that, I suspect, serious Buddhists will, in fact, welcome. Conversely, Buddhism’s undoubted appeal raises questions that Christians would do well to reflect on too

On this very blog I have at various points mentioned that we can probably learn a lot about how contemporary Western people are linking spirituality and culture at the level of plausibility structures by paying attention to the popularity of Buddhism in some circles. So this article is welcome.