The Fo Guang Shan ("Buddha's Light Mountain") order will open New Zealand's largest Buddhist temple to the public tomorrow. "We want our temple to help reduce some social problems," says the nun Man Wang to New Zealand Herald. "We believe we can do it through education and teaching people how to lead good lives."

Among other things, the temple will accommodate facilities where the police can hold crime-prevention meetings.

I'm a secularist, but I do nonetheless think this is a brilliant example of organized religion at its best. In many so-called welfare states, people tend to turn to the government for quick-fix solutions to complex social problems. As a libertarian, I'm highly sceptical about any government interference and thus welcome civil initiatives.