thicket of views

buddhism originated within a particular historical and social context and developed and transformed as it migrated and interacted with diverse asian cultures over the course of 2,500 years. contemporary westerners, however, occupy an intellectual space shaped by an ongoing dialog between scientific and existential/phenomenological approaches to apprehending the world. can westerners absorb the key teachings of buddhism without surrendering their core beliefs and values to alien traditions, vested authority, or magical thinking and superstition? will buddhism still be buddhism without them?