I had a near perfect day for tabling at TC Pagan Pride, and enjoyed spending time in the park.

During that time I had a bit of an unusual interaction; I was asked for advice by a nichiren shû practitioner. Given that I'm a minzoku NEO-shintô practitioner and knowing the exclusionary tendencies of nichiren shôshû, this is the last sort of thing one would expect.

Long story short — he's been nichiren shû since he was six and is happy to be so, but lately his temple has been pressuring him proselytize more and to get his pagan partner to convert, neither of which he is comfortable with doing.

This sort of thing is yet another example of why I don't join more organized religions and remain a folk religion practitioner.

When a religion, any religion, starts focusing on its organization and numbers, that's when it loses sight of its religious goals and its members' needs. Intolerance creeps in, and dogma is simplified to 'our way is the only right way'. Followers are presented with a choice: stay and do it our way, or leave and be damn. When that happens, the members' spiritual life inevitably suffers.

Fortunately, there is another option — switch to a folk religion practice. Remember temples, shrines, and churches are exciting options, not necessities. With the increasing recognition and acceptance by mainstream religions, it has become easier to 'keep the baby, and dump the bathwater'.

Sure there are still hard-line holdouts, but most civilized countries have laws limiting their actions and vitriol.

Oh… my advice?

Be a folk practitioner — dump the temple, keep Buddha and the teachings of nichren.

He seemed to satisfied with that answer.