Given that one of the overriding themes to SGI is "free work," (In which I once faithfully performed for the sake of cause and effect) In my 2 years of SGI I find all of the free work preformed has actually served as a benefit.

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The Anticult
SGI gets people to work for free.
Many other sects do the same

I must confess that I find a disconnect with a lot of postings in regards to SGI ideology and the construct of the Mentor/Disciple relationship often extorted by the political line and the Ikedabots. Even reading something that sounds as outrageous YD touting the merits of Sensei, I sit in disbelief saying this can't be true. Even with this cute little youtube vid of these young women singing "Bring Sensei Back" I often say, they had to be coached. This is purely manufactured and in no way would these ladies get caught singing this drivel on their own accord.

Can some posters in this board confess to never fully being brainwashed because of the free work they performed? (doing Toban, manning the parking lot or watching the door in the event some "evil" NST priest show up.) For doing all of the free work and rarely having the hospice of watching an Ikeda video has been a true SGI benefit for it kept me from being fully brainwashed.

A year ago from this month, (middle of the month- can't remember the exact date) I did my final "free month" of SGI when I had the displeasure of meeting the national YWD Leader Vinessa Shaw. The arrogance of SGI and these women who gallantly came from somewhere, USA to espouse guidance to the young women of my town was the biggest eye opener throughout my entire experience with SGI. They were so disrespectful towards all of those who had volunteered to do "free work" on their behalf. They had no time to even make eye contact much less light conversation. I lost a entire weekend putting up with there shenanigans and that's when I decided to fully divorce myself from SGI. So I will be celebrating a full year since I left SGI. The greatest joy from such an unpleasurable experience came when I found out that 3 members, one you could call a fortune baby who had just given birth to a child and going through issues of her own had given SGI the shaft.

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KR
Given that one of the overriding themes to SGI is "free work," (In which I once faithfully performed for the sake of cause and effect) In my 2 years of SGI I find all of the free work preformed has actually served as a benefit.

Quote
The Anticult
SGI gets people to work for free.
Many other sects do the same

I must confess that I find a disconnect with a lot of postings in regards to SGI ideology and the construct of the Mentor/Disciple relationship often extorted by the political line and the Ikedabots. Even reading something that sounds as outrageous YD touting the merits of Sensei, I sit in disbelief saying this can't be true. Even with this cute little youtube vid of these young women singing "Bring Sensei Back" I often say, they had to be coached. This is purely manufactured and in no way would these ladies get caught singing this drivel on their own accord.

What's not staged is monitored. For example, [sgibuddhism.ning.com] is becoming an official site of the SGI. It is highly controlled, secretive, and popular among SGI members. SGI has an Internet Committee that monitors the web and his headed by Ian McIlraith, a salaried SGI pimp. Nearly anything put out publically and spontaneously by members has the caveat that "the views expressed here are not necessarily those held by the Soka Gakkai". Top leaders will ask members to remove controvertial material. Fortunately for us, the top leaders themselves are out of touch in regards to how ridiculous many Ikeda sect expressions of faith appear to the general public, for example: [www.youtube.com]

Do you think they would have approved of the video, "Bring Sensei Back", if there were two unattractive woman who could hardly dance appearing? There are some official spokespersons and SGI photographers such as Joan Anderson and Dan Defensor who do indeed officially represent the SGI. Joan Anderson's PR responsibility is to insert favorable articles about SGI into "mainstream" newspapers and journals.

Nichijew who wishes he knew more about the inner workings of the SGI cult. A fly on the wall in SGI headquarters would be ideal. Where is Wikileaks when we need them?



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 03:06AM by Nichijew.

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Nichijew
What's not staged is monitored. For example, [sgibuddhism.ning.com] is becoming an official site of the SGI. It is highly controlled, secretive, and popular among SGI members. SGI has an Internet Committee that monitors the web and his headed by Ian McIlraith, a salaried SGI pimp. Nearly anything put out publically and spontaneously by members has the caveat that "the views expressed here are not necessarily those held by the Soka Gakkai". Top leaders will ask members to remove controvertial material. Fortunately for us, the top leaders themselves are out of touch in regards to how ridiculous many Ikeda sect expressions of faith appear to the general public, for example: [www.youtube.com]

Do you think they would have approved of the video, "Bring Sensei Back", if there were two unattractive woman who could hardly dance appearing? There are some official spokespersons and SGI photographers such as Joan Anderson and Dan Defensor who do indeed officially represent the SGI. Joan Anderson's PR responsibility is to insert favorable articles about SGI into "mainstream" newspapers and journals.

Nichijew who wishes he knew more about the inner workings of the SGI cult. A fly on the wall in SGI headquarters would be ideal. Where is Wikileaks when we need them?

DAMN! it's amazing these people are so brainwashed that they just can't see through this! If anyone was to go next door and tout the merits of the Ikeda-godhead and his 300+ honorary degrees the neighbor will look at them crazy and slam the door in my face.

How insulated can someone be?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 03:30AM by KR.

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Nichijew
As an aside, NEVER share intimate personal information when you are receiving guidance because sooner or later, everyone in your circle [or should I say pyramid] will know your business and some WILL use it against you. This happened to my wife and even though I was a "good ikedabot" at the time, I was livid when I found out.

Oh YES, most DEFINITELY! The Japanese WD's existence is made all the more exciting by gathering (via home v's or one-on-one-heart-to-hear-life-to-life communication) this info. and hungrily sharing it with each other (they even do it against each other and each others families/husbands) like a bunch of graceless hyenas at feeding time. It's really sick. To be honest, I don't think some of them are ever truly happy unless they are sticking their noses into others people's business and creating problems, moving from different people to different people and repeating the cycle as needed.

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KR
Even reading something that sounds as outrageous YD touting the merits of Sensei, I sit in disbelief saying this can't be true. Even with this cute little youtube vid of these young women singing "Bring Sensei Back" I often say, they had to be coached. This is purely manufactured and in no way would these ladies get caught singing this drivel on their own accord.

The indoctrination is a slow and subtle process. The brainwashing is a very soft sell that is just constantly repeated over time - it slowly, imperceptibly soaks in. The YD in particular is a hotbed of peer pressure and mind games by the whacko youth leaders, especially with the adult members out of sight. Although it may or may not have been stamped down a bit since I was in it, it was pretty militant during my time. I've always been immune to peer pressure (even as a teenager), so it had the opposite effect on me.

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KR
Can some posters in this board confess to never fully being brainwashed because of the free work they performed? (doing Toban, manning the parking lot or watching the door in the event some "evil" NST priest show up.) For doing all of the free work and rarely having the hospice of watching an Ikeda video has been a true SGI benefit for it kept me from being fully brainwashed.

Even though you'd miss a lot of the propaganda by not officially taking part in many activities because of your behind-the-scenes support, it was always more than made up for in special YD activities where there was (it seemed to me) an even more skewed propaganda drilled into you. That said, it didn't always work for some people. A clutch of us YMD made up our own "secret" chants and slogans that basically incorporated some cutting remarks about some of the youth "leaders" that we mutually despised (hilarious stuff, now that I think back).

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KR
A year ago from this month, (middle of the month- can't remember the exact date) I did my final "free month" of SGI when I had the displeasure of meeting the national YWD Leader Vinessa Shaw. The arrogance of SGI and these women who gallantly came from somewhere, USA to espouse guidance to the young women of my town was the biggest eye opener throughout my entire experience with SGI. They were so disrespectful towards all of those who had volunteered to do "free work" on their behalf. They had no time to even make eye contact much less light conversation. I lost a entire weekend putting up with there shenanigans and that's when I decided to fully divorce myself from SGI. So I will be celebrating a full year since I left SGI. The greatest joy from such an unpleasurable experience came when I found out that 3 members, one you could call a fortune baby who had just given birth to a child and going through issues of her own had given SGI the shaft.

That's another key point for me. The noble philosophy that is supposed to imbue the hearts of the members was never translated into the interpersonal relationships in actions and behavior between the actual members, ESPECIALLY in the YD (but I've seen it the other divisions as well). ZERO humility and very little to zero appreciation for those that freely slave in support of the activities. IMO, it's just emulation of behavior from the top (Ikeda/Japan), all the way down (through the national, regional, local leaders to the lowly members). I still harbor memories of some especially abominable leaders whom I witnessed treating both the youth and even ADULT (MD) members with the same disrespectful disregard; if I ran into this kind of individual today, I wouldn't hesitate to get back into his face and call him out on it. (In fact, it was the kind of behavior that would probably be captured on hidden cell phone video nowadays and exposed for what it is). As I mentioned before, I maintain that some of these "leaders" have some real mental pathology going on.

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Nichijew
As an aside, NEVER share intimate personal information when you are receiving guidance because sooner or later, everyone in your circle [or should I say pyramid] will know your business and some WILL use it against you. This happened to my wife and even though I was a "good ikedabot" at the time, I was livid when I found out.

Mark, in the 21st century, when someone conducts vendetta against you, they collect personal information about you, learn what your likes and dislikes are, what you want and don't want, and then do the opposite. Block you from achieving what you want, and giving you plenty of what you don't want. Did you watch the famous ABC series "Revenge"? It's all about that. Couincidentally, there is one Japanese personage, who teaches Amanda art of revenge.
You are right, SGI encourages members to "confess" private information about themselves, so it can be used later against them, if members go rogue.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 07:02AM by bobze39.

PS for KR -

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KR
So I will be celebrating a full year since I left SGI. The greatest joy from such an unpleasurable experience came when I found out that 3 members, one you could call a fortune baby who had just given birth to a child and going through issues of her own had given SGI the shaft.

I meant to say, but forgot to add, . . . . . congratulations on your one-year anniversary of no longer being in mental bondage to the soka cult. It's a glorious sense of personal freedom and, with time, increasingly beneficial to one's well being and mental health.

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KR
Even with this cute little youtube vid of these young women singing "Bring Sensei Back" I often say, they had to be coached. This is purely manufactured and in no way would these ladies get caught singing this drivel on their own accord.

On a semi-serious and half-humorous note: these poor young ladies might be shocked that if they do succeed in bringing Ikeda back, they will see that he has picked up a bit of an elderly habit of gumming his dentures a lot as he either breaks them in or sooner or later realizes that they were improperly fitted. ;-)

[/quote] That's another key point for me. The noble philosophy that is supposed to imbue the hearts of the members was never translated into the interpersonal relationships in actions and behavior between the actual members, ESPECIALLY in the YD (but I've seen it the other divisions as well). ZERO humility and very little to zero appreciation for those that freely slave in support of the activities. IMO, it's just emulation of behavior from the top (Ikeda/Japan), all the way down (through the national, regional, local leaders to the lowly members). I still harbor memories of some especially abominable leaders whom I witnessed treating both the youth and even ADULT (MD) members with the same disrespectful disregard; if I ran into this kind of individual today, I wouldn't hesitate to get back into his face and call him out on it. (In fact, it was the kind of behavior that would probably be captured on hidden cell phone video nowadays and exposed for what it is). As I mentioned before, I maintain that some of these "leaders" have some real pathology going on.[/quote]

Again, Hitch, so true. I saw Guy McCloskey, SGI lawyer [retired?] and Vice General Director [emeritus?], get so angry at a YMD that he picked him up from his lapels and thrust him into a wall.

Here is a little experience that the nail that sticks up in the SGI gets hammered. When I lived in Italy, I had been practicing Ikedaism for 10, 11 years. The YMD had weekly Chapter level soccer games. I was 28 years old at the time and had been a soccer goalie in High School. I must have blocked 20 or 30 shots from the other team. The Area or Territory leader who was on our side got mad because the YMD on the other side were getting frustrated. So he actually blocked me from positioning myself when the other side was going for a goal. There is no room for "exceptionalism" in the Ikeda cult herd [except for the exceptionally stupid Ikeda bum kissers], even in a silly soccer game. A more common near daily experience I had was that the higher leaders encouraged us to either purposely give an incorrect answer to a question [if we were answering too many questions correctly] or, if we were called upon, to exclaim that "we don't know", to give another person the chance to answer. It sounds noble but if one is to get ahead, one must be allowed to compete. More importantly, it is a matter of being true to oneself, not ego. They talk about friendly competition and winning but when it comes down to it, they want everyone to be a good little follower, not a winner. I hope that the Ikeda cult members who read this don't lie to themselves that their experience is different and instead take it in the spirit that it is given....Get out of the SGI cult because you know that what we are saying is true.

Nichijew



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/05/2012 09:08AM by Nichijew.

Nichijew - Rigging the game is part of the Japanese psyche/mentality when functioning in groups. It's better to create an illusion of group harmony rather than risk ill feelings and disharmony. It's done all the time in Japan. They just want to go through the motions for formality sake and a tie is always the best possible and preferred outcome to any game of competition in their mind. (As a random aside: I'm just too close and have had too much experience with the Japanese mentality to blindly admire it.)

Reading your story about McCloskey really pisses me off. As a result, I'm going to name one person who exemplifies the "hidden" mental pathology of which I speak. He a current Vice-General Director presently based out in New York. Ethan Gelbaum. He's a hidden asianophile who used to leer and get googly-eyed at asian lady members. Mind you, he was in the YD at the time and the ladies he oogled were WD (in some cases, married) (If I had to hazard to guess, there is also probably a bit of mother complex going on with him, too). It seemed to me that his salivating and drooling were directly proportional to how "fresh-off-the-boat" they were, too. (I'm sorry if this offends people, but it is all true.) I think he wound up marrying a plump Japanese woman thru an arranged gakkai marriage. He also used to make little comments about how good looking he thought he was in meetings, which I remember on one occasion, brought some eye-rolling from a couple of the young AMERICAN non-asian lady guests. This piece of work would routinely laugh AT youth div. members, insult them and was always screaming and yelling at them. He was thin and lanky back in those days. He's now a disgusting bald and lanky POS. People don't change. He's an unscrupulous deluded mental case.

"Better out than in - I always say." - As per Shrek and Wakkata1.

Thanks for your insights about the Japanese mentality and your story about Mr. Gelbaum. I'm sure he will be very pleased to see his name up in lights. Vice General Director, really? At least David Kasahara was a disciplined Ikedabot. Every once and a while a New York member will contact me and call me an "ungrateful pig" or some other unwholesome creature. I guess SGI interfaith is practiced selectively in the SGI, applicable only to those who lap up their spittle and who are easily manipulated. I have had senior leaders admit to me that interfaith is nothing more than a ruse to allow SGI greater access to a particular location and to avoid persecution. Not only are they delusional but too cowardly to openly practice according to the teachings. I have no respect for them. Fortunately we were born and bred in the USA where freedom of thought, expression, and individuality reigns [for the most part].

Nichijew

@Hitch

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Hitch
It's done all the time in Japan. They just want to go through the motions for formality sake and a tie is always the best possible and preferred outcome to any game of competition in their mind

Heh! That aspect alone is probably the most despicable element in having to deal with SGI "overlords". Endless meetings to get people's feelings on a topic and then the actual decision is made behind closed doors and always in the favor of the Japanese "clique".

You're right, in business the same thing happens. First the underlings arrive to do "nemowashii" (spade work) and then the big kahuna arrives to publically hear the "details", nod sagely, ask a few (usually clueless) questions and then with a flourish announce that "no decision will be made until everyone has had a chance to voice their view". The translation being "we've already made up our minds what we will do, but we need to build top cover because there are those who might oppose it".

I recall reading once that in the royal families in britain, there was a very high level of "insanity" but after investigation they found that it was no higher than anywhere else, it is just to survive in that crazy environment, many of the sane people had to adopt insane ways. I think the same applies to some of the leadership in SGI. Were it a different organization and were there actual ethics involved, you'd probably see more ethical behavior.

But right now, the cards are held by others.

Wakatta1

As Shrek, Wakatta1 and now Hitch always say: "Better out than in I always say" :)