Hello there! I've been familiar with Buddhism for quite a while, and I've been thinking about converting to it. However, I struggle with some of the things that this religion teaches because I was brought up Christian. How do I get over this easier so I can, indeed, become Buddhist?
I don’t usually like the word “convert." Usually when people ask me about how to convert or that they’re interested in converting, I usually tell them to go do more research and study and then come back to me when they have a strong understanding of what Buddhism is. So that’s my first suggestion.
Second, you don’t necessarily have to “convert" to be a Buddhist. Unlike other religions, Buddhism doesn’t believe in conversion. People who study and practice Buddhism do so because it makes them better people, not because it makes them Buddhist. You can be a Christian and practice Buddhism. Being interested in, studying, practicing, and applying what Buddhist knowledge you know to your own religion doesn’t make you an infidel or a sinner, it simply makes you a better and more aware Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc.
To truly “convert" to Buddhism is a long process and can be life changing. When I say life changing, I mean your way of life would have to adhere to Buddhist “rules;" the precepts, and to truly practice daily and regularly. It’s not a weekly or monthly thing, it’s an everyday thing. Buddhist philosophy is extremely grand, profound, simple, difficult, and covers what the bible preaches ten-fold. Though as Buddhist, of course we don’t have to know every bit of sacred text, but depending on the path you take, some texts are crucial to know and understand.
So before you do anything and make any quick decisions, read everything you can. If you’ve been studying for less than a year, study for at least a year. Visit different Buddhist temples or groups to familiarize yourself more about Buddhism in general and the way “things work" as a Sangha. It’s often that people come into temple for the first time and say they’ve been studying for a while, but then once they see how Buddhism is actually supposed to be studied, or how the temple functions (services, celebrations, the people), the vast amounts of information there is to know, etc., they usually take a step back and re-visit what they thought they knew about Buddhism. Buddhism is much different in practice than it is if you’re just reading about it. Because if you’re just reading all these texts without applying, then you’re just a scholar - that doesn’t make you a Buddhist. But if you apply and practice what you know, then you can call yourself many things: a better Christian, a better son/daughter/sister/brother, a better human, etc.
I studied Buddhism for six years before I “converted." I wanted to take everything in and know all the easy and difficult subjects there were to really see if this is something that will “stick." And once I realized and noticed the difference it made in me, I knew I was on the right path and asked permission from the head monk of my temple to give me the Three Refuges and Precepts ceremony (what “technically" makes you an official Buddhist). So, read, practice, and apply, and if after some time you feel and see a clear path, then continue. If not, then look elsewhere.
