How do I become a member of my local Buddhist temple?
Hello, please recieve my post in humbleness, I know next to nothing about Buddhism but I really do not feel at home or pleased with my current religion which is Lutheran Christianity. I mean no disrespect by saying this but it doesn't move my soul anymore like it used to and their words don't mean anything to me so I feel like I am wasting my time by going to church.
I have not recieved the Christian message very well either and I don't believe that people are polar good and polar evil constantly as the Bible says and I believe that even evil people can do good things and that even good people are captable of doing evil things and vise-versa (again, I mean no disrespect but this is just how I feel.)
The closest temple to me is located in Mt. Gilead North Carolina and it's called the Wat Meechai Lao Buddhist Temple and through searching Reddit and the internet it appears to be a Theravada temple. But honestly? I am scared to approach it. Not because I'm afriad of it or anyone in it but because I am afraid that I will not be welcomed or know what to do. I grew up as a Lutheran Christian so this is unusual for me. I don't know their hours, I don't know what to wear, I don't know how they will welcome me, I don't know what things I should bring, I know nothing about it.
Could anyone who knows more about this please enlighten me or help me out? again, please excuse my ignorance, I mean no harm or to upset anyone, this is just how I feel and how I've been feeling for some time. I wish to change religions but I don't know exactly "how" to do so or how to start the process. I have a little Bhudda that sits on my desk and I talk to it. I've watched some videos about how to calm down and meditate but I really don't know much else beyond that.
Thank you so much, with gentleness and kindness
~Shinto_Wise
Posted Sep 29, 2025, 11:21 PM UTC