Keith Clanton's initial religious experience was with Christianity but he has been interested in Buddhism for many decades. He finds that Buddhist teachings in a secular/agnostic form fit well with how he sees the world. Keith has taken vows with a group called the Secular Buddhist Tradition (SBT) and is also active in various SBN groups.

SBN Editor: When you were younger, were you religious? Did you strongly identify with a particular spiritual tradition? If so, what was appealing to you about that tradition?

Keith Clanton:  

I am the youngest of four children, born 10 years after my two brothers and sister.  I think my dad was somewhat religious while my older siblings were growing up.  However, he became disenchanted with religion, as he saw a great hypocrisy between how people behaved in church and how they behaved the rest of the week. When my siblings were growing up and before I was born, my parents were attending the local Unitarian Universalist church. We attended regularly until one morning, perhaps at age 5 or 6, I asked my parents “Do we have to go to church?”. From that point on we stopped going, which my parents thought was perhaps better for me.

Oddly enough, I was somewhat “religious” insofar as I was deathly afraid of all the images of hell that I was exposed to on television and in church, where I witnessed a “hell and brimstone” sermon. This sermon was occasioned by my attendance of a local church-sponsored Cub/Boy Scouts club, whose leaders thought it might be worthwhile for us to go to church. To my memory, we only went once.

Later in life, I became religious as my friends were religious.  In high school, I sang in a United Methodist Church youth choir.  I guess I either believed or wanted to believe.  I continued to “believe” for many years thereafter.  In my forties I married my college sweetheart who was a “PK” (preacher’s kid).  (We met at a local Methodist college.)  I went to church very regularly after getting married, until Covid put that on hold.  I’ve only been back once or twice since then.  I have very dear friends in that church, even though I now consider myself agnostic.  My wife is a very liberal Christian, but she accepts my agnosticism as well as my Buddhism. I see myself attending church and its functions occasionally, as I have friends there. I don’t know how many know about my agnosticism or my Buddhism, and I don’t know how well that would go over.  However, I accept them though I remain agnostic.

 

SBN: At what point did you find that tradition less appealing to you? Why?

KC: I don’t know when I became “disenchanted” with Christianity, but it was a long time coming.  I do attend a very unusual Sunday School class online called the Seekers.  We read books by authors such as John Shelby Spong and Bart Ehrman.  Currently we are reading The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris.  The people in the class range from slightly believing (not believing in the mystical side of Christianity) to agnostic and atheist.  I simply became agnostic through time because I could not believe in miracles, and I have the same disbelief with the miracles and mysticism of traditional Buddhism.

 

SBN: Did you gravitate to Buddhism at that point?

KC: I’ve been interested in Buddhism for many decades, but it wasn’t until taking refuge vows with Ven. Tenzin Tharpa of the Secular Buddhist Tradition (SBT) that I became formally a Buddhist in September of 2021. I was given the name of Tenzin Pawo; Tenzin means “holder of the Dharma” and Pawo means “warrior. My teacher gave me that name because of how he sees me handling my cancer. I’ve been on disability for a little less than a year and in a way, if you’ll pardon the phrase, it’s been a Godsend.  I’ve been able to delve much more deeply into Buddhism.

 

SBN: So, how and why did you become interested in Buddhism?  Did you join a sangha? Did you read books by Buddhist authors? What was the impact on you?

KC: Buddhism’s teachings simply fit with the way I see the world, particularly in its secular/agnostic forms.  I am a member of the SBT community, and  I do read Buddhist literature, but I have a hard time focusing on a single book for a long period of time as a result of my OCD.  The impact of reading Buddhist literature is that I feel like I’ve found the path that is right for me.

 

SBN: When and how did you learn about a secular approach to the Dharma? Why were you drawn to this approach?

KC: I learned about a secular approach to the Dharma some years ago and have been calling myself an agnostic Buddhist for quite some time.  Again, I was drawn to this approach because ultimately, I can’t “buy in” to the mysticism.

 

SBN: What ideas and practices of a secular approach do you find most impactful in your life?

KC: What I find most impactful is the Sangha, whichever one that might be. I like reading and discussing topics related to the Dharma as well as meditation. I currently am in a “boot” for a broken fibula.  Perhaps when I get out of the boot, I can begin to be more engaged in more than the internet.

 

SBN: Do you find that secular Buddhism conflicts with other perspectives that you have? In short, has a secular Buddhist approach created any conflicts or tensions in how you think and act in the world?

KC: The only conflicts I have is with the millennia of historical and cultural overlay that has occurred regarding the teachings.

 

SBN: What do your friends and family think about your interest in secular Buddhism?

KC: I am fortunate that my friends and family are very supportive of my interest in secular Buddhism.  There may be a few that don’t know as I don’t tend to “broadcast” my interest but I’ve a feeling that most, if not all, would be very supportive.

 

SBN: Do you have a regular meditation practice? How much is your practice influenced by secular Buddhism?

KC: I practice regularly in terms of meditation and reciting of secular “prayers”, what my SBT teacher calls “affirmations and aspirations.”  I’ll admit that I can be a little lax when it comes to the recitations but I’m much more regular about it because of my involvement with Sangha.

 

SBN: Please describe your current involvement in secular Buddhist (and other Buddhist) activities.

KC: I attend SBT’s daily meditations and, the degree to which I can, other SBT teachings, including the Sunday virtual retreats on the last Sunday of the month.  I greatly look forward to greater participation in SBN’s activities, including the book reading, discussion groups, etc.  Regarding the readings, being in the reading group will greatly motivate me to read daily.  I’m also registered for SBN’s Exploring a Secular Dharma course.

 

SBN: How would you like to see secular Buddhism develop in the years ahead?

KC:

I tend to think that some of the practices and terminology of traditional Buddhist institutions can be secularized as is done in SBT.  For example, I know that Stephen Batchelor tends to prefer the phrase “secular Dharma” instead of “secular Buddhism.”  I like the term “secular Buddhism” because it is from the Buddha that these teachings come to us.  I think the term “awakened” can very have a secular understanding and applied to Gotama as we all wish to become more awakened.  I prefer the term “awakening” as opposed to “awakened” (for I don’t think I will ever be fully awakened) or “enlightened.”

I recently took Bodhisattva vows.  The vows have been “secularized” by Ven. Tenzin Tharpa.  This week I am engaged in SBT’s Bodhisattva six-point mind training which, again, has a place, if taken in the right context, in secular Buddhism.

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If you are interested in sharing the story of your journey, we'd be happy to hear from you! Please contact Colette at secularbuddhist.network@gmail.com.