[Buddha-l] Western Buddhism

[Jackhat1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/14/2007 8:07:33 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
vasubandhu at earthlink.net writes:

One  question might be -- what percentage of the subscribers to this list  are
under 50?

Another question: How many who identify themselves, in  whole or in part, as
Buddhists, have raised their children "Buddhist," and  of those children, how
many are enthusiastic practitioners of Buddhism  today?


Most but not all of the members of my sangha including myself are over 50.  A 
conclusion from this might be that only older adults are now (and have been 
in  the past) attracted to a Buddhist practice or, for that matter any 
spiritual  practice at all. This does not imply that Buddhism is dying out.
 
I think the type of Jesus movement, for one example, that  attracts young 
people now might not attract older adults. Most of the people I  know who 
exuberantly called themselves Jesus freaks when they were young have  now fallen away 
from Christianity altogether.
 
Jack
 



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