[QUOTE=iamthe.sound;99146]Hi everyone! I'm new to this board as well as to Buddhism in general. I was raised Jewish and I have experienced many Pagan practices. In the back of my mind Buddhism seemed to be the perfect religion for me. I love how peaceful and accepting it is. I haven't done much research yet, but would anyone like to share their experiences of being a Buddhist teen?
Oh, Another question...
Can a person become Buddhist?
Is there a certain initiation which needs to be followed?
Does one need to do a certain amount of studying (history, practices etc.)?[/QUOTE]

Keep in mind I'm not buddhist myself, so I may be wrong on some points..

Anyway, yes you can become buddhist, I believe you just have to follow the eightfold path.  As for initiation and studying, I would think that varies sect to sect, but in general I would think it would be fairly lax..

Welcome to the board!

I first became interested in Buddhism at fifteen, got seriously into it around sixteen, and took refuge at eighteen. 
To describe my experience from age fifteen when I first picked up a book called The Complete Book of Zen until now, as a guy struggling to make a living and go back to school and trying to inform my actions with Dharma would be complex and probably beyond my ability. 

On the one hand, I feel that I have had the unbelievably good fortune to have access to teachings of love and wisdom that few young people in the west ever encounter (or would ever be interested enough to encounter, for that matter).  On the other hand, I've been fighting an ongoing struggle with myself to incorporate Dharma into my life.  The struggle has very little to do with observances or formal practices, since Buddhism is indeed, for lack of a better term, flexible about that type of thing, but rather with really looking out on the rest of the world with a wisdom eye, and really motivating my actions with loving-kindness. 

It has taken a bit of hindsight, I think, to realize that a Buddhist teenager is still a teenager.  While often highly intelligent and wise beyond their years, they still face the same growing pains as everyone else.  You still have your high school crushes, you still struggle with your parents turning out to be human beings with flaws, you still wrestle with your sexuality, you still fall desperately in love between the ages of fifteen and twenty.  Learning Dharma helps you face these challenges, but as long as you're human, they will still be challenges. 

In response to your question about becoming Buddhist, what the person above said does ring true.  Practicing Dharma is practicing Dharma.  However, there is a ceremony known as Taking Refuge.  Refuge is itself a practice constituting the foundation of the Buddhist path.  It consists of realizing that cyclic existence is suffering, and that there is a path that leads to cessation from suffering and its causes(Dharma), people who are on this path(Sangha), and those who have traversed the path and seceded from cyclic existence (Buddha).  Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are the Three Jewels of Buddhism, and taking refuge means going to them for guidance.  In other words, if you want to get your PhD in an academic subject, you go for refuge in the professor, his teachings, and the grad students who help you out. 

So the formal ceremony is an ocassion for you to take the vows which make your practice more powerful.  Of course you can cultivate the attitude of refuge without the formal ceremony, but making a connection to the Buddhist tradition through the formal ceremony is very beneficial.  I took refuge with a Lama at the Dharma center I atttend.  You take the vows from an ordained person.  It's important to keep in mind, though, that taking refuge is essentially taking the Buddha as your teacher.   You are not joining a particular sect or school of Buddhism, like Tibetan or Zen.  These are often superficial labels applied to Dharma lineages which are all based on the teachings of Buddha, merely with varying points of emphasis.  Maintaining vows is something I've found to be challenging and different for a kid of my background, but well worth your while if you believe you can do it. 

Good luck to you!

LozangK
Beliefnet Host, Buddhist Teens

That's an interesting question. 

Certain elements of Buddhism, such as meditation, can definitely be used in the practice of any other religion.  Whether a Christian, for example, finds it appropriate to focus on his breath and quiet his mind is a matter for him to decide based on his own religious convictions.

If you ask whether it is possible for a hybrid religion, like Buddhist Christianity or Jewish Buddhism to exist, I personally don't think so.  A Christian could certainly use Buddhist techniques at his discretion, but the underlying principles and theologies of Buddhism and Christianity cannot possibly be melded together because of their inherent differences. 

Just to give an example, you could look at the Buddhist teaching that cyclic existence, or samsara, is essentially suffering.  The Judeo-Christian belief is that there is only one kind of existence and that this is the work of a creator God who's work is pure and good.  There's no getting around that! 

LozangK
Beliefnet Host, Buddhist Teens

[QUOTE=LozangK;110844]Welcome to the board!

I first became interested in Buddhism at fifteen, got seriously into it around sixteen, and took refuge at eighteen. 
To describe my experience from age fifteen when I first picked up a book called The Complete Book of Zen until now, as a guy struggling to make a living and go back to school and trying to inform my actions with Dharma would be complex and probably beyond my ability. 

[/QUOTE]

Recently, I looked at The Complete Book of Zen. I must say I am confused. It looks like it is about martial arts, and there is a warning in the front that you might get physically hurt while practicing. That scares me a bit.

Bhuddism may be melded with other religions like: catholocism, christianity, judaism, neo-paganism (well any religion with this) and a whole list of beliefs. Depending on if you decide to go orthodox, complete buddhist, than no you cannot. Otherwise, Buddhism I see as more of a philosophy and a good way of life than a religion, so as you can worship a god you can practise buddhism.