I'll be at the protest tomorrow (Saturday, Oct 8) and I'll see for myself.

I think 99% slogan is great too. And 100%.

For my part, I switched my checking account to local co-op, but I still carry a Bank of America credit card. I'd like to stop using it, but I'm a fairly responsible credit card user and it comes in handy now and then.

Chris, I agree with you that American Buddhism is a great option for LGBTQ people and anybody disatisfied with mainstream American religion, but I would invite you to nuance some of your statements. Hope I don't dampen your parade by being a stickler about a generally light-hearted article that I agree with.

One thing that could strongly support your argument, however, is that if you look at the Pew Survey on Religious Life in America, a higher percentage of Buddhists (82%) said "Homosexuality should be accepted by society" than any other religion (http://religions.pewforum.org/comparisons#). As an American Buddhist, this is something I'm very proud of.

However, the survey results may reflect that the Buddhists surveyed were similar to me and not necessarily representative of Buddhism as a whole (the survey has been criticized for underrepresenting Asian Americans because it was conducted in English). Many white convert Buddhists (constituting a majority of survey respondents who identified as Buddhists) are progressive-minded people who sought alternatives to the religions in which they were raised (i.e. hippies etc.). However, if we look broadly, we can find homophobic Buddhists and tolerant progressive Christians, Jews, Muslims and Hindus. I must take issue with a few points related to regarding "Buddhism" as a monolithic homogeneous entity:

#4 Buddhists aren’t really too uptight about sex
Theravadin (and other) monks are celibate. I'd consider that uptight.

#5 Buddhism is not (currently) evangelical or bat-shit-crazy-fundamentalist.
Sokka Gakai International constitute a major Western Buddhist community. They are the only group I know of who proselytizes (and also the only group with significant numbers of Blacks and Latinos)

Warmly,
Ari

Marianne, those are very interesting stats. Where did you get them? We may see some similarity in the Buddhist world.

While the Pew U.S. Religious Landscape Survey of 35,446 respondents has been criticized for under representing Buddhists, it indicates that Buddhists are certainly a minority group within the United States. Nonetheless, it gives us some indication of who Buddhists are, relative to other groups. For one thing, more Buddhist respondents (50%) identified as liberal than any other group. Furthermore, Buddhists are more likely to support stricter environmental protection than Christians, Muslims and Hindus.

As one article on the history of American Buddhism describes: “For those first Americans who took up Buddhism, it was not primarily a means of dropping out. As Sojun Mel Weitsman, abbot of the Berkeley Zen Center, told me, ‘The bohemians and flower children were already dropped out. Buddhism offered them a way to drop in. It allowed them to create a culture out of the counterculture. ’” (1) As seekers of not only spiritual alternatives, but social ones, it is no surprise that Western Buddhists developed their own style of “Socially Engaged Buddhism.” However, the adaptation of the Buddhist tradition to contemporary social issues has been neither automatic, simple nor rapid. It is an ongoing process that takes hard work.

(1) http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_...

The best thing about yoga festivals: how many other places could you find a scene that is spiritual enough that you don't feel guilty for social climbing, but with people who are fit, hip and young enough that it is still fun?

I was also at WL last week. My partner had some similar struggles to you (http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/06/la-vie-bohme-exploring-privilege-creativity-and-activism-at-wanderlust--katie-sachs/). While some viewed the pronouncements of Off the Mat Into the World to be preachy, was quite swept away with them (http://www.elephantjournal.com/2011/06/should-we-invite-social-issues-onto-our-yoga-mats-perspectives-clash-at-wanderlust-festival/). I get really excited about joining groups of like-minded people. Indeed, the festival as whole felt like finding my social niche. I hang around the Buddhist scene a lot, which I love, but I appreciated how much younger the WL scene was while still having a connection to serious Dharmic practice.

believe it is possible to maintain close ties with one group while staying close with people outside the group. I do think it is dangerous and undesirable to be part of a group that insults other groups or discourages connection to them. While some Zen teachers require their students to forgo study with other teachers, my Zen teachers encourage us to study with other teachers, including teachers from other traditions. That works for me. That being said, our Zen family is fairly loose-knit and you can assume very little about the similarities between a Sangha in one part of the world with one in another part of the world.

Karen, in response to your question "How do you consider yourself a yogi and NOT care about the world and people around you?" I do consider caring about the world to be my spiritual practice, but I understand how many people don't. Different yogis interpret metta and karuna and the yamas and niyamas in different ways. Some are happy to simply send out "good vibes" while others feel the need to venture to society's margins and take action to reduce suffering.

The only other evidence I have of the ratio was my partner Katie's group, who was all really into the activity. Again, the workshop description made made the social agenda pretty clear. Seane's asana-focused Vinyasa flow class had more people, but it also occurred at a more accessible time. There were certainly many people who were specifically interested in social action, including many OTM leaders. I'll report more on specific numbers in another article.

I agree with you Jen. As we say in the Zen Peacemakers, when you bear witness to the wholness of life, it doesn't distract you from appreciating life, but rather deepens your presence and fulfillment. I think the OTM people are dead on in pushing us to simultaneously hold humanity's greatest suffering and greatest joy.