Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
Shavoy
()
Date: May 12, 2011 09:28AM
Quote
bribri
Thanks for the greeting Shavoy,
Interesting, your name, if it really is Shavoy. It looks like it may be a more phonetic pronunciation of Chavoix, a French family name.
Many supporters of SGI will claim that there was never a policy of encouraging members to think of Ikeda as the True Buddha, but there was. As I mentioned before, things like this are not written down, just like so many other things which the more senior members were cognizant of. I mean we all know, or I presume that we all know, that of all the religious organizations in the world the SGI is run like a machine. It would be unthinkable for senior leaders not to have been aware of what people were saying or doing. The admiration for people like Sadanaga was of rock star quality - actually more so. Young men and women (when I joined I was 18) easily emulate those they admire the most and people did in fact do just that. For me, when I was first told that Ikeda was the true Buddha, I felt like I was being included into the circle of the true believers - a privilege for sure.
About being held back from assuming higher leadership roles, well of course, why would they want a rebel to poison the fragile minds of newer members. But yet maybe they were right as when the split occurred, the region we were part of broke away en masse and gave their support to the temple.
Here in Montreal the SGI headquarters's chief hounded me for a few years and even said he would try to get me fired from the college where I work.
I still chant, wife too, but my ideas about Nichiren Buddhism have changed radically over the last 20 years.
What about you?
Brian
bribri, thanks for answering my queries! Your answers help me to see that it's pretty much always been the way of Ikeda, from the beginning of his reign. It just didn't seem that in-your-face in the 80's, when I joined. Sadanaga, that was George Williams' real surname, right? He was treated like a rock star, that was certainly true.
How have some of your ideas about Nichiren Buddhism shifted, if you don't mind another query?
I still chant and do gongyo, more consistently than I ever have, which is ironic...Nam myoho renge kyo is a pretty great rhythm and it helps me to focus. Love the rhythm of gongyo, although the third prayer with its latest re-write regarding the three presidents, I have a little speed-bump with.
I also occasionally go to meetings, just to test the waters of late.
It's funny when you mentioned about being told that President Ikeda was the True Buddha and it was like being accepted in the innermost circle of true believers...at one of the meetings last year, someone proclaimed their belief that P.I. was indeed the Buddha reincarnate, and that did get a few long-time members hot under the collar. They frankly told this person that that was off-base. Follow the Law, not the person. These members are also extremely active with leadership, so that was an interesting, reassuring, if you will, thing to see.
You're right, if you are a renegade, that does not fare that well for a leadership position. That's why I'm never bugged about taking one on.
The Montreal Headquarters Chief said that he would try to get you fired from your job? For choosing the temple???
Yikes!
You said you participated in France with the temple...do you and your wife participate with the temple in Montreal?
Shavoy (This is an alias, alas, but I like the similarity with Chavoix..thanks!)
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
TheVoid
()
Date: May 12, 2011 04:32PM
Quote
Findingmywaytoday
Interesting always to read the different posts from people. Today, I made the decision actually to cancel my SGI subscriptions. I thought they were gonna put up a fight on the other end, but they didn't. They said they will send me a check for the remaining amount. Wow! They did ask if I was still practicing, and I said a little. Huh, I wonder what is going to happen next.
I remember the lady who sponsored my Gohonzon saying that it isn't a big deal to get a Gohonzon. I think it is, as in one regard it is a representation of your life, or so I think it still is a little, but I don't know if that is some brainwashing that happened to me. My gohonzon has caused me to have more fear in my life than before, and good things happened before I received Gohonzon. This whole practice for sure has messed with my mind, and I am trying to pick up the ideas.
Let's see, what else? Let me ask any of you here who had been in the SGI longer than I have. I am and was always told that you can combine SGI with any other spiritual/ emotional thing, for example: yoga or other belief system. What I found was that this was hard for me. I would ask the leaders, and they would say: chant about it. It was and is hard for me to combine SGI with other belief systems because SGI members tend to feel that the SGI is the best thing out there, and nothing else.
Interesting, when i was going to meetings in my area, most people there seemed more scared and paraniod than most people i knew outside of SGI. they were frightened of there local areas and always thought that bad things were going to happen to them. They also seemed to have no trust of anyone outside of SGI. The beliefs no doubt come from brainwashing and love bombing which proclaim that everyone outside of SGI is a negative influence and to be wary of. Compared to a lot of people on here i was lucky to look on the internet and find all the issues with SGI. So glad i did that before throwing myself in hook line and sinker. But i did notice that even in such a short period of time they had begun to influence my thought process.
When you first meet Nam Myoho Renge Kyo it seems a beautiful and simple practice, but once they think they have won your trust, the whole Ikeda worship is pushed and pushed upon you. The SGIers are pretty arogant and agresive when it comes to saying that you feel no reason to connect with sensei's heart. but then again its them who are the losers in the end!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2011 04:35PM by TheVoid.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
BeingAdagio
()
Date: May 12, 2011 11:26PM
Quote
backnforth
I don't visit this board that often anymore; I got a little tired of the negativity and hate that also live here.
As I understand it, the purpose of the Rick Ross forums is to provide support and help to people who want to leave cults. It is not a "kumbaya" board -- it can't be, and still serve its purpose. The distortions and fear tactics of SGI, the cult to which most of us either currently or previously belonged, must be exposed over and over so those who remain in the shadows, afraid to speak out, can feel comfortable finally stepping into the light. They need to see that nothing horrible is happening to people who speak out, even quite strongly. If you don't personally see SGI as a destructive cult, or don't need to hear it as often as it is stated here, great. Hopefully, people won't need to come here forever, because they are finally ready to move on. But to my mind, this does not add up to "hate." I think it is "negativity" with the very positive purpose of helping people free themselves from fear.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
wakatta1
()
Date: May 13, 2011 08:17AM
@BeingAdagio
Nicely said, nicely said.
Sadly, being politically correct is really just ignoring an obvious truth in order to avoid "unpleasantness". Wrap it in a euphemism and presto, you've sidestepped the issue. In particular, the codeword "negativity" is just a call for people to "shut the heck up" because the topic is unpopular. The Japanese are very good at understating things and avoiding going to the heart of the matter. It has been bred into them over generations. Avoiding confrontation is a prime directive in their society. American leaders who pressed their luck with the Japanese leadership usually got firm but vague answers and within months found themselves demoted. That's how it works...
I'm also sure SGI truly would love for the sordid details about the NSA/Temple split as well as the shaky justifications for their almost-gohonzons would just fade away into silence - then they can continue merrily on their way collecting dues for their little club and telling their M/D stories to the remaining members with a straight face.
Never mind the members who invested their lives and money in the old "true buddhism" on the belief that it meant something. We have moved beyond that, it's the new & improved buddhism. Anyways it sounds like all those old timer "pioneers" will soon be in retirement homes and then pushing up daisy's so who cares what those old fogey's say, just drown them out or wait them out. What is the old saying? It's a all Mind over Matter - they don't mind so it don't matter.
All that matters is that the zaimu, seikyo times dollars and function money continues to roll in. Leave them your estate and do your part for cousin rufus.
I guess Ikea will become a "forever sensei" if he can outlast all of those who remember the organizations original roots?
Wakatta1
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2011 08:27AM by wakatta1.
Nicely said, nicely said.
Sadly, being politically correct is really just ignoring an obvious truth in order to avoid "unpleasantness". Wrap it in a euphemism and presto, you've sidestepped the issue. In particular, the codeword "negativity" is just a call for people to "shut the heck up" because the topic is unpopular. The Japanese are very good at understating things and avoiding going to the heart of the matter. It has been bred into them over generations. Avoiding confrontation is a prime directive in their society. American leaders who pressed their luck with the Japanese leadership usually got firm but vague answers and within months found themselves demoted. That's how it works...
I'm also sure SGI truly would love for the sordid details about the NSA/Temple split as well as the shaky justifications for their almost-gohonzons would just fade away into silence - then they can continue merrily on their way collecting dues for their little club and telling their M/D stories to the remaining members with a straight face.
Never mind the members who invested their lives and money in the old "true buddhism" on the belief that it meant something. We have moved beyond that, it's the new & improved buddhism. Anyways it sounds like all those old timer "pioneers" will soon be in retirement homes and then pushing up daisy's so who cares what those old fogey's say, just drown them out or wait them out. What is the old saying? It's a all Mind over Matter - they don't mind so it don't matter.
All that matters is that the zaimu, seikyo times dollars and function money continues to roll in. Leave them your estate and do your part for cousin rufus.
I guess Ikea will become a "forever sensei" if he can outlast all of those who remember the organizations original roots?
Wakatta1
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2011 08:27AM by wakatta1.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
doubtful
()
Date: May 13, 2011 10:51AM
@Wakatta1 who wrote, ]"When I severed ties with SGI one of the first things that went was the chanting and gongyo. My reasoning was this: Like an iceberg, the part of the practice that was visible was flawed. If Ikea could change gongyo on a whim, if he could change and re-manufacture the gohonzon on a whim, then it was reduced to being just some human creation, subject to all the distortions of an organization motivated by power - and that was only the part that was visible! What lay beneath the surface? Gongyo, being the fundamental and essential practice beyond chanting clearly appeared to malleable without clear reasons why. Turning back to NMRK, there was equally debate over what it meant, using Namu or not, it's significance at the core of the practice, etc. and it's ability to change and revitalize a life - obviously, when the very core of an organization based on the daimoku slips into corruption and loses its way, the essential component of that groups "salvation" needs to be scrutinized as truly embodying what is claimed. If the entity of the gohonzon could be "manipulated" then so could the daimoku! The canonical claim that somehow daimoku is an eternal truth and a unifying force continues to be made but the evidence in history that it hasn't unified anything at all. /size] KAPOW! Not only do I respect your reasoning, I love it! This is why I love this forum. Even though I have chosen to stick with gongyo and consistent daimoku, I can definitely respect why you have discarded the whole experience. Perhaps one day I will try to live without my practice, but for now I continue to like it so much that I easily separated it from SGI. Look, I don't know if NMRK is an eternal truth. It probably isn't. Something tells me there is no such thing anywhere. Do I really believe any one person, sect, or group KNOWS something that everyone else NEEDS to know if they are to be happy? No. People too often want set themselves up as THE experts. Perhaps it feeds their vanity or ego. I am not above that or lots of things. BTW I use both namu and nam as I chant, not as a compromise but simply because I love the rhythm the variety creates. I got the idea from listening to chanting on youtube. Finally, I have done something I never would have done before, besides this. I often use gohonzons I print off the internet to chant if I that's my only option. Years ago I would never have dared do this. I also know that SGI would never support this. Just think, it could mean the end of the organization if they could not control the distribution of the gohonozons. Nor could they ensure that members were being told about Ikeda's greatness. The important thing is that I value the chanting and the use of the gohonozon regardless of how universally beneficial or practical they may be. You also wrote, I posit that since the body of the teaching is the law, the invocation and the teacher, and if all three have been corrupted, what are you left with? Does it make sense to expend precious time flipping over rocks to find which of the myriad of Nichiren-like schools is "correct"? And, correct to whom? I fail to see any consensus within the many temples and lay organizations which would cause me to once again fall under the spell of "the magic machine" mentality. A well built road, with signs and rest stops and guard rails which runs off the edge of a cliff is not much use to anyone."Whoa again! I had to re-read this to be sure I understood you. You make a good point that if the teachings are so powerful they should work! Especially in organizations purporting to carry them out. Whether it's Paul's religion, which I have a lot of respect for, or other Buddhist sects, many of which I appreciate--purity and authenticity are a Potemkin village. These days I will refute no one simply because I accept that my devotional practice is an expression of my need for self-improvement. Yet, I cannot prove that it improves my life. I simply believe that it does as long as it's followed by positive words and actions. I imagine that you have found something that serves your life better. More power to you!
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2011 11:13AM by doubtful.
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2011 11:13AM by doubtful.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
Nichijew
()
Date: May 13, 2011 02:20PM
Quote
bribri
Hi everyone,
So, I don't know who any of you are and you certainly don't know me, but you have an interesting board here and I hope that we can have some really good exchanges.
A little about myself:
I became a Nichiren Shoshu - Sokka Gakkai Buddhist in 1969 when I was still in High School. Eventually I, like thousands of others, was a dedicated member and devoted nearly all of my free time to activities, which meant pretty well every evening and weekends too. The influence of a strongly organized and dynamic organization, like the Gakkai and Nichiren Buddhism, for a young and idealistic young man is overwhelming, but then again I'm sure there are many amongst you that know that already.
After a few years my natural skepticism came came back to life and I began asking questions on all aspects of what it meant to be a NS Buddhist. There were prolonged and heated arguments with my seniors, which resulted in them relegating me to a junior status, even though I was the first gaijin to become a member with 500 miles and had lead the development of the local movement. I took a strong dislike to the secrecy and mumbo-jumbo the Japanese brought with them from japan, The whole bullshit thing about Ikeda being an incarnation of the "True Buddha" was most concerning. The gakkai had (has) a way of not putting into print what it really wants to transmit to its followers and I was informed on more than one occasion by seniors I trusted that Ikeda was indeed Nichiren Daishonin.
After marriage at the age of 29, my wife, who became a member too, and I took our young family to live in France. Once we were settled we became local SGI leaders, but everything came to an end a few years later when the split arrived. After months agonizing over what to do, I decided that the information furnished by the SGI was at best misleading, so I opted for going over to the temple side. In fact I became a co-founder of the first French temple and am technically still a registered member there.
Now after 43 years I would like to see a reconciliation of all Nichiren groups. Seems we lost our way long before the split. Maybe now after we've had all this time to reflect, we can get ourselves into a new space and respond the the wishes of the Daishonin and finally do something we can all be proud of.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Brian
btw - we now live in Montreal Canada
Welcome to our little oasis of truth Brian. There never was unity and there was only a partial reconciliation of the various Nichiren schools during the time of Nikko when Nitcho, one of the other six elder priests, came to live with Nikko at Omosu seminary, sometime after 1292. That doesn't mean there weren't reformers who strove for unity but it has and will continue to elude us for the forseeable future. There are two major camps: Those that strive for unity at almost any cost [cost to the purity of the teachings, for example, ie: many independents and the Nichiren Shu]; and those that strive for unity based on a particular set of inviolate beliefs and practices, ie: the SGI, the Nichiren Shoshu, and the Kempon Hokke. As long as neither the SGI, the Nichiren Shoshu, nor the Kempon Hokke faith and practice becomes the de rigueur faith and practice of the Nichiren community, unity will forever remain impossible. I am, however, optimistic that one day, everyone within the Nichiren community will share the very same faith and practice as Nichiren Daishonin. I say this because the Degenerate Age has just begun and the Buddha's and Nichiren's compassion and mercy are limitless.
Nichijew
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
ScoobyDooby
()
Date: May 13, 2011 08:09PM
Quote
wakatta1
@BeingAdagio
Nicely said, nicely said.
Sadly, being politically correct is really just ignoring an obvious truth in order to avoid "unpleasantness". Wrap it in a euphemism and presto, you've sidestepped the issue. In particular, the codeword "negativity" is just a call for people to "shut the heck up" because the topic is unpopular. The Japanese are very good at understating things and avoiding going to the heart of the matter. It has been bred into them over generations. Avoiding confrontation is a prime directive in their society. American leaders who pressed their luck with the Japanese leadership usually got firm but vague answers and within months found themselves demoted. That's how it works...
I'm also sure SGI truly would love for the sordid details about the NSA/Temple split as well as the shaky justifications for their almost-gohonzons would just fade away into silence - then they can continue merrily on their way collecting dues for their little club and telling their M/D stories to the remaining members with a straight face.
Never mind the members who invested their lives and money in the old "true buddhism" on the belief that it meant something. We have moved beyond that, it's the new & improved buddhism. Anyways it sounds like all those old timer "pioneers" will soon be in retirement homes and then pushing up daisy's so who cares what those old fogey's say, just drown them out or wait them out. What is the old saying? It's a all Mind over Matter - they don't mind so it don't matter.
All that matters is that the zaimu, seikyo times dollars and function money continues to roll in. Leave them your estate and do your part for cousin rufus.
I guess Ikea will become a "forever sensei" if he can outlast all of those who remember the organizations original roots?
Wakatta1
I definately agree! Although I got sucked into the SGI through association only - I, like most who participate here, am trying to release myself from its grasp. Its tough for me though since the person I have to convince what a sham the organization is just won't listen to reason.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
bribri
()
Date: May 14, 2011 12:58AM
I would like to respond to Shovoy's questions, but before I do I'd like to explain a little history about what happened just before and after my arival to Canada 11 years ago.
Actually, I wrote this up yesterday and, either the moderator hasn't released it, won't release it, or maybe I failed to properly send it off because it's not here. I did give the proper names of those involved, for which I take full responsibility for.
In France, in the months just before our departure, I was approached several times by Marc de la Chanel, who was the regional director of SGI France centered in Dijon (where good French Mustard comes from). Marc has passed on since then, I'm sorry to say. He was a simple, earnest man with a big heart, but lacking in critical thinking. Anyway, he wanted to convince me that the temple was wrong and their priests were the cause of the split. He was so intent on convincing me that he insisted that I accept a gift from him, a book translated from English into french outlining 100 reasons on why the priesthood was at fault. I reluctantly took the book, read a few pages of dreadful nonsense and put it away.
Six months later, after we had moved our family back to Canada, settling in Montreal (great city by the way), I got a surprise phone call from Tadashi Ohira, director of the Montreal Head Quarters for SGI Canada. He wanted to meet with me and to find out if I was going to try and steal members away from the gakkai. How he knew I was even in Montreal, let alone my phone number, was a big surprise and he never told me where he got the info from. A few weeks later, my wife was speaking with another temple supporter in France, who knew Marc de la Chanel and she said that he had called to complain that I had left France without returning his book and he desperately wanted to get it back. She unwittingly gave him our contact info. Marc never made any attempt to contact us at all, but Tad Ohira did, after the info was passed on to him through SGI.
In the interests of finding out what SGI Canada was up to, I agreed to finally see Tad Ohira. When we met, he brought with him the General Director of SGI Canada Micky Masuda. I wondered why all the attention for a single person like myself. The meeting was predictable and we parted with nothing accomplished and I thought that would be the last I would see them. But it wasn't.
A few months later, my wife and I were preparing to drive to Ottawa and to participate for the first time in a small district meeting with a group of very young temple supporters, none of them with any knowledge of the Gakkai. An hour before leaving, I got a call from Tad, he wanted to chat and asked if I was busy that day. I though what a strange coincidence. I told him nothing and advised that he might want to call back in a few months - whatever.
Upon arriving at our destination in Ottawa, I was met at the door by our host and she was exited to let me know that my "friend" had arrived a few minutes ago and was waiting inside. Who the hell could that be!?!? She led us in and there, in the living room, in the midst of a dozen or so people, sat Tad in his business suit, a brief case at his side. I was staggered!!! The Audacity of the man. No one there had any idea as to who he was and of course he didn't say. The host was astonished when I explained he was a gakkai official. She took a while to comprehend the situation, but eventually asked him to leave or she would call the police. Tad, being encouraged to get lost, started waiving about a piece of paper and shouting at me, "You wrote letter to Morehouse University!", You say bad things about Ikeda!", "I go Dawson College (where I work) tell what you did!". So what is Morehouse?
Don't remember when I wrote to Martin Luther King's Alma Mater, but it was probably 6 months before the above incident, at the same time when Ikeda's portrait was to be hung on the wall of their chapel. I found that to be a dumb thing for them to do, so I wrote to the University's president asking him to reconsider. In the letter, sent by registered mail, I included copies from various main stream media sources, such as Time, BBC, Far Easter Economic review etc. and nothing from Nichiren Shoshu. The letter Tad was so pissed off about was this letter. I leave it to you to figure out how it came into his possession. It was my last encounter with him and the gakkai.
I know there are people who want to excuse this type of antisocial-criminal behavior saying that these are extraordinary cases of people acting on their own, but this is patently not true. The problems that caused the split go back to the 50's and 60's when Japanese Gakkai members made their way to your country and mine, bringing with them sensibilities foreign to our western notion of liberal democratic values. To be fair, I can also accuse the temple of the same thing, but they were always the junior partner in all things overseas. Still, the reluctance in dealing with contentious issues from the outset: problems of doctrine, organization, translations and how to practice all contributed to the split. Both the SGI and NS and their leadership share the blame in this mess. Both entities have used distorted interpretations of Nichiren's teachings to back their own misguided actions. Unfortunately, we, as people who came to this teaching with honest intentions and open minds are powerless to change their fossilized visions of the way ahead. We have to abandon their models of organization and develop totally new ways based upon our collective experience accumulated over these past 50 years. Itai doshin is an inclusive principle, not a divisive one. We are, all of us, right and wrong so let's admit it and get on with the work ahead. This is entirely doable and there are thousands of people out there willing and able to join in.
Brian
Actually, I wrote this up yesterday and, either the moderator hasn't released it, won't release it, or maybe I failed to properly send it off because it's not here. I did give the proper names of those involved, for which I take full responsibility for.
In France, in the months just before our departure, I was approached several times by Marc de la Chanel, who was the regional director of SGI France centered in Dijon (where good French Mustard comes from). Marc has passed on since then, I'm sorry to say. He was a simple, earnest man with a big heart, but lacking in critical thinking. Anyway, he wanted to convince me that the temple was wrong and their priests were the cause of the split. He was so intent on convincing me that he insisted that I accept a gift from him, a book translated from English into french outlining 100 reasons on why the priesthood was at fault. I reluctantly took the book, read a few pages of dreadful nonsense and put it away.
Six months later, after we had moved our family back to Canada, settling in Montreal (great city by the way), I got a surprise phone call from Tadashi Ohira, director of the Montreal Head Quarters for SGI Canada. He wanted to meet with me and to find out if I was going to try and steal members away from the gakkai. How he knew I was even in Montreal, let alone my phone number, was a big surprise and he never told me where he got the info from. A few weeks later, my wife was speaking with another temple supporter in France, who knew Marc de la Chanel and she said that he had called to complain that I had left France without returning his book and he desperately wanted to get it back. She unwittingly gave him our contact info. Marc never made any attempt to contact us at all, but Tad Ohira did, after the info was passed on to him through SGI.
In the interests of finding out what SGI Canada was up to, I agreed to finally see Tad Ohira. When we met, he brought with him the General Director of SGI Canada Micky Masuda. I wondered why all the attention for a single person like myself. The meeting was predictable and we parted with nothing accomplished and I thought that would be the last I would see them. But it wasn't.
A few months later, my wife and I were preparing to drive to Ottawa and to participate for the first time in a small district meeting with a group of very young temple supporters, none of them with any knowledge of the Gakkai. An hour before leaving, I got a call from Tad, he wanted to chat and asked if I was busy that day. I though what a strange coincidence. I told him nothing and advised that he might want to call back in a few months - whatever.
Upon arriving at our destination in Ottawa, I was met at the door by our host and she was exited to let me know that my "friend" had arrived a few minutes ago and was waiting inside. Who the hell could that be!?!? She led us in and there, in the living room, in the midst of a dozen or so people, sat Tad in his business suit, a brief case at his side. I was staggered!!! The Audacity of the man. No one there had any idea as to who he was and of course he didn't say. The host was astonished when I explained he was a gakkai official. She took a while to comprehend the situation, but eventually asked him to leave or she would call the police. Tad, being encouraged to get lost, started waiving about a piece of paper and shouting at me, "You wrote letter to Morehouse University!", You say bad things about Ikeda!", "I go Dawson College (where I work) tell what you did!". So what is Morehouse?
Don't remember when I wrote to Martin Luther King's Alma Mater, but it was probably 6 months before the above incident, at the same time when Ikeda's portrait was to be hung on the wall of their chapel. I found that to be a dumb thing for them to do, so I wrote to the University's president asking him to reconsider. In the letter, sent by registered mail, I included copies from various main stream media sources, such as Time, BBC, Far Easter Economic review etc. and nothing from Nichiren Shoshu. The letter Tad was so pissed off about was this letter. I leave it to you to figure out how it came into his possession. It was my last encounter with him and the gakkai.
I know there are people who want to excuse this type of antisocial-criminal behavior saying that these are extraordinary cases of people acting on their own, but this is patently not true. The problems that caused the split go back to the 50's and 60's when Japanese Gakkai members made their way to your country and mine, bringing with them sensibilities foreign to our western notion of liberal democratic values. To be fair, I can also accuse the temple of the same thing, but they were always the junior partner in all things overseas. Still, the reluctance in dealing with contentious issues from the outset: problems of doctrine, organization, translations and how to practice all contributed to the split. Both the SGI and NS and their leadership share the blame in this mess. Both entities have used distorted interpretations of Nichiren's teachings to back their own misguided actions. Unfortunately, we, as people who came to this teaching with honest intentions and open minds are powerless to change their fossilized visions of the way ahead. We have to abandon their models of organization and develop totally new ways based upon our collective experience accumulated over these past 50 years. Itai doshin is an inclusive principle, not a divisive one. We are, all of us, right and wrong so let's admit it and get on with the work ahead. This is entirely doable and there are thousands of people out there willing and able to join in.
Brian
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
Findingmywaytoday
()
Date: May 14, 2011 04:37AM
Ugh, I have never been so annoyed with myself for joining the SGI, no wait...I have. I feel really bad today because my life actually felt happier before the SGI. I do sort of believe in the law of attraction, I think. With that in mind, I ask myself: "why did I join a group like the SGI, and why did I cross paths with someone who had to teach me NMRK!" I wonder this because I feel if I fully dropped out, then I could be taking a step backwards. Maybe I lived in Naivete. Please forgive me for writing about my frustration. This post is neither informative about the history of the SGI or anything like that. I just have to vent.
Okay, why am I frustrated exactly? Well, I keep thinking about possibly returning my Gohonzon, but as I am thinking about it, I realize I am still brainwashed into thinking something horrible will happen to me if I do. I would like to find some other group or church that really compliments and soothes me. SGI was not a soothing place for me. I also keep thinking that there is probably nothing as powerful as NMRK, and the SGI...and that is also the moment where I realize I have been brainwashed.
These days, I am ironically working on really trusting myself, and trusting my own opinion. This feels really soothing. I also want to surround myself with people who are supportive of me, and honestly, I didn't find the people supportive in SGI, how about you? Maybe it was just the people I met.
Thanks for listening.
Okay, why am I frustrated exactly? Well, I keep thinking about possibly returning my Gohonzon, but as I am thinking about it, I realize I am still brainwashed into thinking something horrible will happen to me if I do. I would like to find some other group or church that really compliments and soothes me. SGI was not a soothing place for me. I also keep thinking that there is probably nothing as powerful as NMRK, and the SGI...and that is also the moment where I realize I have been brainwashed.
These days, I am ironically working on really trusting myself, and trusting my own opinion. This feels really soothing. I also want to surround myself with people who are supportive of me, and honestly, I didn't find the people supportive in SGI, how about you? Maybe it was just the people I met.
Thanks for listening.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
Findingmywaytoday
()
Date: May 14, 2011 04:56AM
My other fear that frustrates me is that if I leave SGI, members will say that I didn't want to face my human revolution, or I don't want to deal with my life. Do you think that is true? I just hate how they have hooked me into thinking how I act in regards to this organization is how I want to act with my life. I want to improve myself, but not with those people around. I get the feeling that a lot of their thinking is: you have made your bed, now lie in it..but perhaps I am wrong. I just want to get as far away from the SGI as I can!
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