Changes

Many of what [[liberals]] mistakenly believe to be Buddhism's "tenets" might be considered to promote a 'liberal' lifestyle: [[vegetarianism]], absolute [[pacifism]] (a gross misunderstanding by liberals), [[tolerance]], lack of condemnation of homosexuality (an entirely ignorant liberal misunderstanding of Buddhism), [[agnosticism]], etc.  

Many of what [[liberals]] mistakenly believe to be Buddhism's "tenets" might be considered to promote a 'liberal' lifestyle: [[vegetarianism]], absolute [[pacifism]] (a gross misunderstanding by liberals), [[tolerance]], lack of condemnation of homosexuality (an entirely ignorant liberal misunderstanding of Buddhism), [[agnosticism]], etc.  

However, if one reads the Buddhist [[Sutra]] scriptures and both modern and ancient [[Exegesis|Shastra]] commentaries you will find explicit condemnation of [[homosexuality]], no mention of agnosticism, nor a denying of [[God]] or a "Supreme Being". One will not find an absolute pacifism in the Mahayana Sutras but a nuanced expedient understanding of when [[violence]], even with [[weapon]]s, is permissible for both [[self defense]] and national defense during times of [[war]] or to prevent evil such as [[genocide]] from being perpetrated by a [[dictator]] such as [[Stalin]] or [[Mao]]. In particular, perverted alterations of Buddhism have been used in the [[atheism|atheistic]] American [[New Age]] movement. [[Liberals]], in keeping with [[relativism]] (particularly [[moral relativism]], have been known to pick and choose which aspects of Buddhism to follow, while openly breaking other Buddhist teachings, like those forbidding [[alcohol]], [[drug abuse|drug use]] and sexual [[promiscuity]] (see [[Five Precepts]]).

However, if one reads the Buddhist [[Sutra]] scriptures and both modern and ancient [[Exegesis|Shastra]] commentaries you will find explicit condemnation of [[homosexuality]], no mention of agnosticism, nor a denying of [[God]] or a "Supreme Being". One will not find an absolute pacifism in the Mahayana Sutras but a nuanced expedient understanding of when [[violence]], even with [[weapon]]s, is permissible for both [[self defense]] and national defense during times of [[war]] or to prevent evil such as [[genocide]] from being perpetrated by a [[dictator]] such as [[Stalin]] or [[Mao]]. In particular, perverted alterations of Buddhism have been used in the [[atheism|atheistic]] American [[New Age]] movement. [[Liberals]], in keeping with [[relativism]] (particularly [[moral relativism]]) have been known to pick and choose which aspects of Buddhism to follow, while openly breaking other Buddhist teachings, like those forbidding [[alcohol]], [[drug abuse|drug use]] and sexual [[promiscuity]] (see [[Five Precepts]]).

==The Eightfold Path==

==The Eightfold Path==

<nowiki>*</nowiki> [[China]]: Is the country with the most Buddhists, with an estimated 100 million adherents.  

<nowiki>*</nowiki> [[China]]: Is the country with the most Buddhists, with an estimated 100 million adherents.  

<nowiki>*</nowiki> [[Tibet]] is an estimate, as there has never been a reliable survey. Furthermore, for the [[Chinese]] [[Communist]]s it is debatable whether Tibet should be considered an independent nation.

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Tibet is an estimate, as there has never been a reliable survey. Furthermore, for the [[Chinese]] [[Communist]]s it is debatable whether Tibet should be considered an independent nation.

<nowiki>**</nowiki> [[Japan]] is an "odd" case, as surveys of adherence are conducted rather differently. Firstly it is debatable at what point various Japanese beliefs shift from being traditions to being religions. This is indicated by the fact that "85% of Japanese claim Buddhism as their preferred religion", yet "75% percent claim to practice and believe in no religion"—a more accurate estimate may be 20%.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_buddhist.html The Largest Buddhist Communities]</ref>

<nowiki>**</nowiki> [[Japan]] is an "odd" case, as surveys of adherence are conducted rather differently. Firstly it is debatable at what point various Japanese beliefs shift from being traditions to being religions. This is indicated by the fact that "85% of Japanese claim Buddhism as their preferred religion", yet "75% percent claim to practice and believe in no religion"—a more accurate estimate may be 20%.<ref>[http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_buddhist.html The Largest Buddhist Communities]</ref>