[ajju]

I have just recently discovered Watts, but I think he may have agreed.

“Watts left formal Zen training in New York because the method of the teacher did not suit him. He was not ordained as a Zen monk, but he felt a need to find a vocational outlet for his philosophical inclinations. He entered Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, an Episcopal (Anglican) school in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied Christian scriptures, theology, and church history. He attempted to work out a blend of contemporary Christian worship, mystical Christianity, and Asian philosophy. Watts was awarded a master's degree in theology in response to his thesis, which he published as a popular edition under the title Behold the Spirit: A Study in the Necessity of Mystical Religion.

He later published Myth & Ritual in Christianity (1953), an eisegesis of traditional Roman Catholic doctrine and ritual in Buddhist terms. However, the pattern was set, in that Watts did not hide his dislike for religious outlooks that he decided were dour, guilt-ridden, or militantly proselytizing—no matter if they were found within Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism.”

—- From the Wikipedia page.

[mightyham]

Thank you for the added context about his beliefs, as I am not too familiar with his works and was going off of what I read in the article.

I do not share his disdain though for the "dour, guilt-ridden, or militantly proselytizing" aspects of Christianity. This isn't really as much of an argument as it is a personal outlook: those attributes are what makes Christianity compelling to me, and why some eastern or agnostic forms of spiritualism feel hollow.

[mech422]

The "dour, guilt-ridden, or militantly proselytizing" are what make Christianity compelling for you? The first 2 I could see as personal choice but isn't "militantly" anything sorta anti-christian? (I'm an agnostic, so what do I know...)

Just seems to be an odd thing to find compelling?

[subpixel]

I would appreciate you expounding on how those traits generate interest on your part. I think many people might find those rather off-putting - whether in an institution, a group, or a person.