Quote
lthomas
Also, another thing that I noticed within SGI was the fact that, the higher you were promoted, the more colder you seemed. It was as if normal human emotions such as, sadness (and in some cases anger) were not allowed. I remember one time suffering as a result of a emotionally abusive relationship. I got no support at all. The members kept telling me that, I was the one who cause this to happen to me. They purport to this as if it was the result of a past life time that I had shared with this person that cause this to happen. I also remember a young woman being molested and her going for guidance and being told that she chose for it to happen to her as a result of a past life. There was ( and still is) so much of that going on. The thing about it though was those same people who were talking about all of these things would slander, curse, and demean others if something bad happen to them.
The group/district/chapter/headquarters level leaders were a mixed bag. You didn't find as many ice cold hearts at the lower levels (the "volunteer" positions, and I use that term very loosely). But once you got to the regional/territory and salaried leader level, I would agree that they all behaved like cold hearted, pre-programmed robots without an emotion chip (or conscience). It's as if they had erected a wall between them and emotions when dealing with member and their problems. There was always a distance separating them and they
always dictated what was best for you. One-way, cliched dictates - all the answers a simple variation on the same theme: change your karma by practicing harder (which can mean anything they want you to do. Nowadays it seems to be go to FNCC - the cult retreat for more deeper, more intense thought reform immersion). The sheer arrogance with which they would tell people what was best for them (even in situations that they knew absolutely nothing about) was incredible. When you're in the organization, it's entirely "normal" to you. From the outside looking in, however, it is sheer hubris.
"Go get guidance" is just code for:
1) You've got weak faith, a negative attitude or are stepping out of bounds and need to get back in line with the program.
This kind of guidance was always strict, authoritarian and combative.and/or
2) If you are doing the best you can and still experiencing "problems', let us brainwash you deeper with fear and slogans, to make you even more servile to the cause.
This kind of guidance was always stern, guilt ridden and manipulative.And of course the best of all situations (from the cult's perspective) was when you didn't need any more guidance, were a good (unthinking) member and could help them out by being an instant expert cult-guidance counselor yourself. Practice makes perfect - and everybody was doing it.