Nope I have not created my own version of Buddhism.
My concept of true Buddhism is abstracted from those propounded by the various ‘PhD’ level Buddhist teachings and their teachers. I agree with their views which is in alignment with the core principles of Buddhism as introduced by the Buddha.
If you do a survey, you will note the majority of lay-Buddhists everywhere pray and idolize the statues of the Buddha, the larger the better, pray with joss-sticks, made offerings to the statues, etc. Some monks practice asceticism. The above are not recommended [but not prohibited] by the Buddha.
As such many Buddhists [lay and even monks] believe in many views that are not JTB which are not acceptable within Buddhism-proper.
Btw, no one is complaining on this within the Buddhist community, but those in the know, hope these Buddhists will progress from the current base. Some did progress and some don’t.
I don’t think they will voluntarily make such a declaration but were force to do so due to proof and evidences provided.
I don’t understand what you expect them to do. You want them to make declarations without “proof and evidences”??
The Dalai Lama said “If scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Buddhism to be false, then …”
He’s not making any declarations without “proof and evidences” either.
Will the Pope say something like;
“If scientific analysis were conclusively to demonstrate certain claims in Christianity to be false, then we must accept the findings of science and abandon those claims.”
Then we will have a large number of non-theists [especially] challenging the Pope on the claims in Genesis and all over the Bible with Scientific references and the Pope then will have to eat his words.
Point is the Pope and other theistic religious leaders will not dare to make the declaration like what the Dalai Lama did because they know their doctrines [faith based] are very flimsy. So why invite trouble for the religion.