I'm reading Stages of Faith by James Fowler for one of my classes. It’s interesting reading about “faith,” particularly since it is usually a word associated with Christianity. I’d used in reference to Buddhism also. I’d say my “faith tradition” is Buddhism. Or I’d describe myself as a person of faith. I used it because it was easier but I’m glad to see that it is being adopted into this American Buddhism.
Fowler’s Stages of faith made me wonder about the implicit bias we may have growing up in a predominantly Christian country. How many of our Abrahamic ideals are ingrained from childhood and are part of our psyche without us knowing it? I wonder how this will affect Buddhism. An example of this is how reincarnation is not being taken seriously in western countries, I believe. Are we cafeteria Buddhists, only taking aspects of the religion we don't like?
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