Is There a Buddhist Vote?
Only 0.7 percent of American adults are Buddhists, so I don't expect Buddhism-specific concerns to be listed on the party's platforms. Nor am I aware of any polls, scientific or otherwise, to show us if Buddhists vote as a block about anything. And who are we, anyway? According to some fellows from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life,
Buddhism in the United States is primarily made up of native-born adherents, whites, and converts. Only one in three American Buddhists describe their race as Asian, and nearly three in four Buddhists say they are converts to Buddhism. A quarter of Buddhists have obtained postgraduate education, a much higher percentage than in the adult population overall.
Also according to the Pew Forum, if you are an American Buddhist you are likely to live in the western U.S., are not more than 64 years old, and you are married. You are very slightly more likely to be male than female. Of course, of those demographics the only one I fit into is that I'm not 65 yet.
The low percentage of senior citizens probably makes the Buddhist vote skew toward Obama, but other than that I don't think the demographics tell us much. However, since so many of us are converts I'll go out on a limb and infer that we are an unconventional and open-minded crew, which might push us away from voting for conservatives. Thoughts?
Comments
Lets see…
Western US: Does Oklahoma count?
Not more than 64 y/o: check.
Male: check.
Married: check.
Convert: check.
Unconventional and open-minded: check.
Post-graduate: not yet.
Voting for Obama: check.
Vote “Buddhist”: nope.
By the way…. what’s up with all the Mormon ads when I come over here?
Jamie — Regarding the Mormon ads — I don’t have anything to say about the ads. But if they are bothering a lot of people, I could say something to the ad staff. Maybe I’ll put up a poll.
Barbara, we’ve had a lot of comments about the Mormon ads over on Pagan/Wiccan as well. We’ve even got a thread in our Forum, under Pagan Peeves, about the ads. I’ve encouraged people to tell Customer Care if they feel the ads are inappropriate or offensive.
Meanwhile, I think the Mormon church is trying to sell me a Jeep and some car insurance.
patti
I think it’s important to mention the significant problems with the Pew Forum’s research just as a useful footnote here:
http://chaplaindanny.blogspot.com/2008/03/h-buddhism-buddhologists-identify.html
Patti, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that Americans of minority religions are perpetually being reminded of how not monotheistic we are. For me, the proselytizing is white noise; I tune it out. But, yeah, it is disrespectful of the Mormons to advertise like this.
Thanks, Rev. Danny! I didn’t know that.