Buddhism has flourished in the world since it was brought to India by the Buddha, his teacher, many thousands of years ago. In the West, however, it has not been as popular for several reasons, not the least of which is its religious and metaphysical connotations. However, it has experienced a resurgence in recent years and the rapid growth of Buddhism in Europe demonstrates that it is the religion of choice of an increasing number of people.
Buddhism has never been more popular in Europe than it is today. With the rebirth of Christianity in the West and the subsequent birth of a new faith in Asia, there has been a surge in the number of Europeans who are keen on the spirituality of Buddhism. According to many, it is the religious symbolism of Buddhist philosophy and rituals that has made it appealing to Westerners. It is also true that the relative lack of religiousness of Buddhism in Europe makes it more acceptable.
Of course, the rise of Buddhism in Europe does not prove that it is the most popular religion in the world. There are other religions in the world that have a far higher level of popularity. Still, if there is any religion that has the potential to grow exponentially in terms of influence and popularity over the next few decades, it is Buddhism. There is a reason why Buddhism is the second largest religion in the world.
Buddhism in Britain is far from a new phenomenon. This may be due to the fact that many Britons learned about Buddhism in the West. It could also be because many Christians in Britain have converted to the religion in recent times.
In America, meanwhile, Buddhism is on the rise. Though Buddhists make up only a tiny proportion of the country’s population, it has now surpassed Christianity as the second largest religion in America. If the country’s demographics hold true, it is only a matter of time before the Buddhists of Britain will surpass the number of Christians in the country.
In other parts of the world, however, Buddhism is not so popular. It is not as widespread as it is in Europe. The belief is that it is still too ‘worldly’ for many people to become involved with. Despite this, however, Buddhism is slowly gaining more adherents in countries like Russia, Thailand, and Indonesia.
One of the main reasons why the followers of Buddhism in Europe are growing so rapidly is because people who would never have even considered becoming Buddhists are starting to discover the wonders of the religion. There is no denying that Buddhism is a religion that is pretty esoteric. While it has its roots in Hinduism, there are many who find it hard to connect with.
As a result, it is growing in popularity in places where it had previously failed to catch on. For these reasons, the interest in Buddhism in Europe is rising. A large part of this is down to its growing attractiveness to people who would otherwise be unfamiliar with it.
Marking Women’s Day 2020, MEPs are looking at achievements and challenges in gender equality since the 1995 adoption of the Beijing Declaration.
