"Actual" conversation between an SGI Senior Leader and Jim Celler, a writer for the Justice Chronicle [anti-Nichiren Shoshu rag], Chapter Chief, and failed standup comedian.

SGI Senior Leader: Your emotionalism reveals a weak faith.

Jim: I was cutting onions.

SGI Senior Leader: You should deeply reflect on your life condition and repress your emotions when giving guidance or writing in the Justice Chronical.

Jim: I can't be friends with the Nichiren Shoshu members Craig and Reggie?

SGI Senior Leader: In order to fight evil you must become their best friend. Read Chapter 17 of the Human Revolution where Sensei shakabukus the bag lady by treating her to soba noodles, and a day at the Zoo.

Jim: You mean he took her to Fraught With Peril [Buddhism with attitude blog]?

SGI Senior Leader: That is why you could never make it as a comic. You have weak faith. Anyway, read the World Tribune Volume number 8746. There is a great article on how Ms. Geyer shakabukued her 84 year old mother with Alzheimer's disease who was a temple member. She brought her mom a picture of President Ikeda and whispered over and over again, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad....

Jim: Do you think that would work with Craig and Reggie?

SGI Senior Leader: You lack faith. You should also chant four hours of Daimoku before meeting them. Don't go alone or they will gang up on you. Take ten YMD to spy on the meeting. Danny authorized me to lend them the Soka Han van which looks like a Mr. Softy truck, the night vision goggles, and advanced listening devices too.

Jim: Goody, I love Mr. Softy milkshakes and I bet Craig and Reggie do too.

SGI Senior Leader: DOHH. Are you sure you don't have alzheimer's yourself? You should take them to that quiet park near lake Michigan and don't talk about the temple issue until the van is in place across the road. They must feel comfortable with you. Don't tell any jokes whatever you do and don't be too serious either. Better to laugh at one of Reggie's or Craig's jokes than to have them scratching their head in disbelief at one of yours. Remember, Sensei will be with you. Just look towards the moon in the west..

Jim: The moon that will be traveling from west to east signifying that SGI Buddhism is again rising in America and it will spread to Japan without fail. Also it will be like the moon over Omaha in which Sensei's nude torso will be reflected.

SGI Senior Leader: Hai (wink, wink). When we have all the information about the next Temple meeting in Flint Michigan. including the first and last names of the participants, their addresses and telephone numbers, and their next of kin, you will have completed your mission, a mission only you can fulfill.

Jim: Then can I have a Mr. Softy shake with Craig and Reg?

SGI Senior Leader. No. The Evil Dantos don't deserve one of our Soka han van shakes. Their loss. I hear Hiro Watsamatfu makes a mean seaweed shake. Then the YMD will drive you back to the airport for your flight back to Omaha where Mr. Wada will be waiting. You should arrive at 2:30 am and the meeting should end by four thirty. You can get up bright and early for your audition at the comedy club.

Jim: This will be an experience Reggie and Craig will never forget. What a golden opportunity to develop my faith and do human revolution for Sensei my shining eyes and tears flowing for you, Senseiiiiii



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2012 11:46AM by Nichijew.

SGI Senior Leader: AAO! Washoi!! Shishifunjin!!! RRRAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

(PS - I've never really liked matcha ice cream (Watsamatfu's or Anibodierusezu's), anyway.)

@Hitch

I must confess that I've been a Japanophile for most of my life (at least up until I left NSA).

I have worked with the Japanese people both professionally and personally (and through NSA). At the individual person level one would get the impression that for the most part they are a kind, decent and warm people. My comments have never been directed towards the culture as a whole.

However, place a large group of Japanese into an enterprise, either business or informal, and their cultural behavior begins to influence how things progress. I have seen first hand most of the idiosyncracies described on the board.

Professionally I've seen corporate leadership totally keep the american leadership totally in the dark. Hiding behind their "secret language" they would conduct their "japanese" business, and if challenged the responses would be along the lines of "oh, ... it is difficult...", or some other understatement. Was this dishonesty or Xenophobia? Dunno.

At the interface point between our two cultures, especially with NSA, there was a lot of misuse and deception in which the american members were similarly kept in the dark. The leadership would use "codewords" and sadly, Japanese euphamism's which only key people fully understood. The rest of them (us) were left to operate on "faith" and "trust", which often was not deserved.

Ever wonder why american members were passed over for key hombu roles? Thats because in the end, they couldn't be trusted to understand "guidance" nor to be fully transparent to those giving the "guidance" either. Heck, they even got rid of high leaders because they were becoming "too american" to be trusted. Not a relationship based on trust, but one based on racial conceit and overall distrust of anything non-Japanese.

Hopefully there will come a time where SGI and its leadership "grows up" as an organization and stops being "Little Japan and their Gaijin helpers"

Wakatta1

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Nichijew
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.

For Nichijew and fellow board members -

There is an "Interfaith Forum" series of clips (9 parts) that was posted on YouTube just a few months ago that doesn't seem to have too many views yet (I'm assuming many here have not yet seen). It's being held in some sort of gakkai community center and it is a fascinating watch. In part I, the sgi adult "leader" (~ 4:00 min. mark) gets the entire multi-faith audience to chant (the bustudan is opened when he starts talking) nmrk for about a minute (~ 7:00 min. mark). Fellow ex-members here know what this is all about (planting the seed). Nice little trick, huh?

Part I [www.youtube.com]

Later, in clip IV, the youth "leader" speaks. If you watch him throughout the entire 9 parts though, he appears (at least to me) to always have a rather smug look on his face. If you watch the other clips, you will also see that he often gets some applause after its his turn (gakkai audience supporters?) to speak and the MC has to keep telling them to stop it because it detracts from the speaking time of all the other speakers present.

Part IV [www.youtube.com]

His entire speech is just the same ol' gakkai clichés (human revolution, changing poison into medicine, etc.). I wasn't impressed at all and I'm even less impressed with his Q&A replies (~ 00:10 and 27:50 min. marks) and especially his very lame closing remarks (~ 34:50 min. mark, calling for an interfaith youth dialogue - to shakubuku and convert perhaps?) in clip IX.

Part IX [www.youtube.com]

JMO, but I think the best closing remarks came from Imam Mujahid Ramadan (~ 34:45 min. mark).

An interesting watch and recommended for those who may not have seen and have the time to check them out. If anybody does, I'd appreciate hearing any thoughts on them.

Btw, for over 4 decades, there was ZERO interfaith tolerance from the organization at the top, the leaders in the middle and all the way to the membership at the bottom. Now, all of a sudden their is interfaith cooperation, dialogue and tolerance? I'm not buying what they're selling here and after watching the above clips (the chanting trick, the planted skewed audience and the covert call for a shakubuku opportunity), it's obvious to this ex-member that it is all a ruse indeed. I've seen this playbook all before. Déjà vu! Fascinating stuff!

I always appreciate your thoughts wakatta1.

I think all cultures have their good and bad and that of course applies to America and Japan. We can learn a lot from each other. Not all Japanese fit the mold of my remarks, but many (if not most) do.

IMO, the key to understanding the gakkai is to understand the Japanese mentality/culture as a whole. Americans like to operate in a straightforward black-n-white manner. The Japanese, however, are most comfortable in the GRAY shaded color in the middle. If you understand their code, the message is clear. That said, somethings are sometimes so GRAY that even the Japanese themselves don't really know the true meaning or message behind the codewords in certain situations; they, too can be clueless as to the "real" feelings behind the message, but yet understand the crux of the message/intent. For Americans, this is frustrating. For the Japanese, it is home and a way of living.

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wakatta1
Professionally I've seen corporate leadership totally keep the american leadership totally in the dark. Hiding behind their "secret language" they would conduct their "japanese" business, and if challenged the responses would be along the lines of "oh, ... it is difficult...", or some other understatement. Was this dishonesty or Xenophobia? Dunno.

"Chotto muzukashii desu ne . . . " is a clear negative code to the Japanese. It's not dishonesty to them, but could be seen as such to others. Xenophobia and race play a role in everything the Japanese do. Japanese abroad will often refer to other races as gaijin (foreigners) even when they themselves are the foreigners living (or visiting) in a foreign land. It goes to the core of their very being. (I personally, however, don't think that there is even such a thing as "race.")

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wakatta1
Ever wonder why american members were passed over for key hombu roles? Thats because in the end, they couldn't be trusted to understand "guidance" nor to be fully transparent to those giving the "guidance" either. Heck, they even got rid of high leaders because they were becoming "too american" to be trusted. Not a relationship based on trust, but one based on racial conceit and overall distrust of anything non-Japanese.

The Japanese respect and admire the caucasian race more so than any of the other races, for what they have achieved and accomplished. But, in their ideal world, the best relationship is always one that involves Japanese, with Japanese.

The human species as a whole has to evolve away from the myth of "race", and we will, but I think that the Japanese will probably be one of the last in line still clutching to this mode of thinking (and we all presently do it and are guilty of it, all countries). If I come across as harsh or anti-Japanese, I'm definitely not (harsh, yes, but not anti-Japanese). But the key to understanding the gakkai is to understand the Japanese ethos. I don't think the two can be separated.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2012 08:41PM by Hitch.

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Hitch

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Nichijew
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.

For Nichijew and fellow board members -

There is an "Interfaith Forum" series of clips (9 parts) that was posted on YouTube just a few months ago that doesn't seem to have too many views yet (I'm assuming many here have not yet seen). It's being held in some sort of gakkai community center and it is a fascinating watch. In part I, the sgi adult "leader" (~ 4:00 min. mark) gets the entire multi-faith audience to chant (the bustudan is opened when he starts talking) nmrk for about a minute (~ 7:00 min. mark). Fellow ex-members here know what this is all about (planting the seed). Nice little trick, huh?

Part I [www.youtube.com]

Later, in clip IV, the youth "leader" speaks. If you watch him throughout the entire 9 parts though, he appears (at least to me) to always have a rather smug look on his face. If you watch the other clips, you will also see that he often gets some applause after its his turn (gakkai audience supporters?) to speak and the MC has to keep telling them to stop it because it detracts from the speaking time of all the other speakers present.

Part IV [www.youtube.com]

His entire speech is just the same ol' gakkai clichés (human revolution, changing poison into medicine, etc.). I wasn't impressed at all and I'm even less impressed with his Q&A replies (~ 00:10 and 27:50 min. marks) and especially his very lame closing remarks (~ 34:50 min. mark, calling for an interfaith youth dialogue - to shakubuku and convert perhaps?) in clip IX.

Part IX [www.youtube.com]

JMO, but I think the best closing remarks came from Imam Mujahid Ramadan (~ 34:45 min. mark).

An interesting watch and recommended for those who may not have seen and have the time to check them out. If anybody does, I'd appreciate hearing any thoughts on them.

Btw, for over 4 decades, there was ZERO interfaith tolerance from the organization at the top, the leaders in the middle and all the way to the membership at the bottom. Now, all of a sudden their is interfaith cooperation, dialogue and tolerance? I'm not buying what they're selling here and after watching the above clips (the chanting trick, the planted skewed audience and the covert call for a shakubuku opportunity), it's obvious to this ex-member that it is all a ruse indeed. I've seen this playbook all before. Déjà vu! Fascinating stuff!

Unfortunately the computers where I'm at don't allow for viewage, but the interfaith thing is dubious at best. If the shoe went to the other foot, and SGI die-harders were asked to bow their heads and say the Lord's Prayer, uhh, r-i-i-ght. That would go down in flames. Because hard-driven circuitry SGI-style says, Major Slander! Cause to have head split into 7 pieces! That they encourage the minute-long daimoku, is so typical, knowing that most of them would be too frightened to return the "interfaith".

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Shavoy
If the shoe went to the other foot, and SGI die-harders were asked to bow their heads and say the Lord's Prayer, uhh, r-i-i-ght. That would go down in flames. Because hard-driven circuitry SGI-style says, Major Slander! Cause to have head split into 7 pieces! That they encourage the minute-long daimoku, is so typical, knowing that most of them would be too frightened to return the "interfaith".

BINGO!! That part was really hard to watch, for the exact same reasons you just mentioned. It's unidirectional arm-twisting that they would not tolerate in the opposite direction. They would never be respectful enough to "try" any of the other faiths customs or rituals. In fact, knowing the gakkai as well as I do, I'd hazard to guess that there was probably some eye-rolling going on by the gakkai members of the audience when some of the other speakers made some of their own ritualistic remarks in good "faith" to share their ideology.

Another thing I noticed, the youth "leader" has all the same ol' robotic mannerisms and gestures that I'm sooooo familiar with. Nothing's changed. That's pure manifestation of indoctrination and brainwashing, mimicking other "leaders" and doing what is expected of him. Cookie cutter mold speech and behavior. Same thing goes for the feigned smug smile on display throughout all 9 clips (that grin conceals a contemptuous superiority beneath it).

*******

A couple of additional thoughts to my two previous posts above (respectively):

1) Mujahid's closing remarks come at ~ 35:45 (I made a mistake).

2) The gakkai is NOT well liked and has an overall negative impression by your average Japanese citizen in Japan. It's viewed as an annoying, fundamentalistic and extremist organization in Japan with some pretty whacked out membership. It's both hated and feared. (If any of you are ever in Tokyo, just try to get a taxi to the gakkai HQ area. Luck of the draw will get you a taxi driver who will either take you OR feign ignorance and decline that he doesn't know where it is (which is BS). Pure luck of the draw. I'd say 50-50 chance that you get either a neutral or anti-sg driver.)

That's very interesting to me, the fact that so many Japanese view the Gakkai with contempt. Why I say this is because the whole Master/Disciple thing seems to go down very well with the Japanese SGI-ers, because of the mind-set about this in Japanese culture. That's also incredible about the cab drivers in Tokyo!

P.I. Frame: So what if I'm hated in my native country. Nayyyy to the haters! Because I can withstand the criticism and trashing--it's all for the sake of the Law. And I haven't done too shabbily, natch!

I'm reminded of an incident that happened early in my practice, back in the hot-times 80's....a dear family member had taken a travel tour of the Far East, and knew that I had started practicing Buddhism. She brought me back two beautiful, hand-carved wooden statues of Chinese fishermen. I was thrilled and put them near the alter.

Well, needless to say, when the district chief stopped by for a visit, one look was taken at my fishermen and that was that. She was a kind person, but followed the stict line of "must no longer accept "heretical" items". She urged me to either throw them out or give them away--emphasis on throwing out, of course, since the fishermen would only create heavy karma due to slander.

Yes, I did throw them out, with a heavy heart.

Her last trip over there, my beloved relative brought me back a lovely porcelain Chinese goddess-type statue. This was several years on in SGI for me------no way would there be a repeat. The statue is still with me.


Funny thing, though....I was practicing sincerely before and after this last gift----gee, I dunno. Still got benefits. The sky didn't open up and swallow me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2012 05:00AM by Shavoy.

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Shavoy
Funny thing, though....I was practicing sincerely before and after this last gift----gee, I dunno. Still got benefits. The sky didn't open up and swallow me.

For anyone who reads this: What would be the most effective method to "shakabuku" someone out of SGI or any other cult?

Your thoughts...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2012 07:14AM by KR.

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bobze39

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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.

Never share personal important information with SGI.
In any case, I am going to continue with my story, and it's about to make an interesting twist. I didn't mention before, as I didn't feel it was important, I am actually a Russian citizen, born in Moscow in 1972. After graduating from the Moscow State Conservatory in 1996, I came to America to study at Mannes College of Music (part of New School for Social Research). And after completing my Master of Music degree there, in 1998 I moved to California to study at USC. After completing my Doctorate degree there in 2003 I worked in private music school. While studying at Mannes and USC, I was on a student visa F-1, and while working at the private school I was on a working visa H-1. My original plan was to find a teaching position at an American university, and apply for a green card. (Employment-based immigration). If I held a teaching position at a university, applying for a green card wouldn't be a problem as this would satisfy employment-based immigration requirements: working for a major company with a certain number of employees (in this case university), and company has to be big enough (that's measured by the company's income tax). I could still apply for green-card through the private music school I worked for, but according to my immigration lawyer chances would be much slimmer (because the school wasn't really a "major company", and even if the school's income tax fullfilled the minimum requirement, immigration officials would still be in doubt) and after paying huge immigration and lawyer fees, I still could end up with nothing. Besides, I would have had to stay at school 5 years (with the same employer), and as I mentioned before, I wasn't really excited about teaching small kids. Therefore, by blocking me from finding a university teaching position (sending defaming information about me to the colleges I applied to, which American colleges are very sensetive about), SGI also blocked me from applying for a green-card and staying in America. The funniest thing is that I myself gave all the important information to SGI. I told leaders and other members at the meetings that my goal was to get a university teaching position, so I could apply for green-card through a university. They asked me for more details, which I readily revealed. They told me to chant harder, and gave an inspiring example of Danny Nagashima, who while staying in Hawaii, was refused his green-card application first, but after he had done very hard chanting, a high-level official over ruled all the previous decisions, including deportation notice, and still granted it to him. (Sounds kind of fishy, come to think of it). And so there I was, revealing all important information about myself to SGI, and chanting for a university teaching position and green-card. To make a long story short, in October 2005, I was on a plane back to Moscow.