Christian Priest to Atheist to Buddhist

[CapnAwesome]

They can call themselves Buddhist all they want, but if they do not follow the teachings of Buddha, then they are not buddhist. Also remember that Buddhism isn't the issue, humans are. It is not Buddhism that holds anger, it is human nature.

There are those who stray from the teachings of most religions.

The Buddha taught that inner peace was the key to enlightenment. Acceptance of others and so forth. Radicalism is not the buddhist way but that does not mean people who stray from the teachings could not be radical.

It is sad, but by most Buddhists those Buddhists are not considered buddhist :/

The Buddha was just a dude making up stuff and not testing any of his theories. He has no intellectual credibility. All kinds of supernatural nonsense is associated with Buddhism. The main tenants of Buddhism are either outdated morality or supernatural nonsense. You might not believe it, but that doesn't mean that most Buddhists don't. If you don't prescribe to such nonsense what is the point of calling yourself Buddhist?

Also interesting to note that you are bisexual since according to the Dalia Lama

They want me to condone homosexuality. But I am a Buddhist and, for a Buddhist, a relationship between two men is wrong.

http://www.tibet.ca/en/library/wtn/archi...m=5&p=25_1

Your whole other argument of the Buddhists committing atrocities 'not being real Buddhists' is the same copout that Christians and Muslims use. How about the Buddhist Theocracy of Bhutan which makes all kinds of laws specifically persecuting other religions and the ethnic cleansing of Hindus which occurs there? Are you seriously saying that one of the preeminent centers of Buddhist thought in the world are not real Buddhists?

The problem with Buddhism is the same problem that all religions have. Group think and the clergy. The Dalia Lama is only given his political authority because of a story that no adult should believe in the 21st century. Buddhist monks live in elaborate temples with golden Buddhas in the middle of towns where people are starving.

Although you've only given the very basics of what you believe and don't believe in Buddhism, I'd be very curious to here the specific parts of Buddhism that you accept or don't accept.