There is no need in buddhism for ritual other to remember the origin. Suppose there is a God, or there is a Buddha, or a boddhisatva, what is the point of a ritual? Isn't God beneficial to Mankind? Isn't Buddha benficial to Mankind? Isn't a boddhisatva beneficial to Mankind? Yes they are. But when does Mankind remembers God, Buddha or the boddhisatvas? In the west, never. In the east, often. In the East Mankind remembers that it is better to be in the protection of Buddha, boddhisatvas and spirits of land. What is wrong with that? When the focus goes to the higher good, all beings want a part of it, since they wish liberation. But when the focus, creative power, AKA, divine power goes to the selfish satisfaction, then even God, Buddha, boddhitsatvas, spirits, and all kind of beings go against Mankind like in the form of wrathfull deities or dharmapalas and lokapalas. If you haven't understood this by now, there is little that religion and spirituality can offer you.

But from what I see the point of the controversy around Shugden is not about Buddha vs a demon, but enlightenment vs a medium, which makes the controversy rather lame, since Buddhism has a lot of mediums/devas through which they can reach buddhood. If Shugden, or any other spirit of the land can be used, or rather, plead to, than what is the worng with it? All beings seek liberation. Offer gifts to a demon to elevate you. Despite the low condition, it will. Of course it will redemand a gift. Animal sacrifice is easy, but no good. Tokens and self sacrifice as that of the Bon practioners replace it and elevate the spirits, since they cab no longer rely on material offerings, but spiritual offerings. Material offerings were the ways of old, what peoplple could give, They have been done forever. But if they stop? Boom, calamity. A vaccum is created. Not a vacuum in terms of spirit, but a vacuum in terms of humanity. Thus humanity is in charge of filling that vacuum. But with what? With is intentions. I intend to go higher, so I offer not an ox, but a sacrifice. Spirits respond to awareness. Since the spirits cannot rely on a regular blood sacrifice, they will hang on to your intention. The higher you go, the higher they go, The lower you go, the more wrathfuull they become. And that is the drama and the tragedy of All Mankind.

It is not the gods or the demons that are responsible for Mankind, It is Mankind that is resposnible for its decisons, good or bad, and all gods and all demons just go with that decision. According to native american belieif, you can feed two wolves. One good, the other evil. But even the evil one if tied to the good one can give good results, as there is no Heaven without Earth., no good wihout evil.