Are there Buddhists in America and Britain?

According to a report by Yahoo News on February 9, 2009, a survey report on religion and public life released by Pew Forum on February 9, 2009 shows that many Americans like to mix and match religions, establish their own beliefs and participate in religious activities of multiple religions. The report also shows that Americans like to integrate Christianity with oriental religions and beliefs in Aquarius era.

Although the United States is a Christian country, only a few people claim to believe in Buddhism or Aquarius in monasteries and Aquarius bookstores. The survey shows that 24% of Americans and 22% of Christians believe in reincarnation advocated by Buddhism and Hinduism. Most people go to various religious places, and other religious places are not accidental acts because of holidays, weddings and funerals.

Allen Kuperman, deputy director of the Pew Forum, who conducted the survey, said: "It is very common for Americans to integrate multiple religious theories and practices."

The following are some findings of the report:

About a quarter of Americans believe in oriental and Aquarius ideas, including reincarnation advocated by Buddhism and Hinduism; Yoga has become a way of spiritual practice for Americans. People believe in animism and astrology.

16% of Americans believe in "yin and yang eyes", that is, some people can curse others. Three out of ten black Catholics believe in some theories of Islam, Judaism and traditional African beliefs.

Three out of ten Protestants said they participated in various religious activities, about one-fifth Protestants said they participated in non-Protestant religious activities, and one-fifth Catholics said they also participated in non-Catholic religious activities.

Michael Lindsay, a religious sociologist at D. Rice University, said the report confirmed what he called the "list effect" of contemporary American religious practice. Everyone has multiple religious tendencies and chooses his own combination.

Count Chandler Pierce, a 27-year-old chef from Duncansville, Pennsylvania, said in an interview that he is a Baptist, but he is also associated with Mormonism. Being in the whole Christian cultural atmosphere, I very much agree with Buddhism and believe in astrology and all supernatural phenomena. "My current religious beliefs are very complicated."

Scott Thumma, a sociologist at the Hartford Institute of Religion, said, "The discovery of' building your own religion' shows that culture, pop culture and the Internet are more influential than worshipping school teachers."

Marianne Bo Gu, 59, who participated in the survey, goes to the Evangelical Christian Church every week, but she believes in reincarnation. "My father told me about reincarnation a long time ago, and I believe it was influenced by him because he also believed it." At the same time, she said that she believed in astrology and animism, and practiced yoga through TV and radio. She said she didn't think it was in any conflict with her Christian beliefs.

It is reported that the report is the result of a telephone survey of more than 4,000 adults by the Pew Forum in August this year, with an overall error of about 2%. (Compile: Sub-rule)