Simplify, thanks for those links earlier and btw, the soka commercial (Japan) youtube links, back on p. 385, have also been altered to "private" now. "They" are definitely following this thread.
(Pssst! - Hi Ethan Gelbaum! You out there?!? You wanna come and join in the fun and play a bit?!?! Come on, pretty please, with sugar on top?) ;-))Quote
tsukimoto
------------------------------------------------------------------Beginning of Quote------------------------------------------------------
SGI expects volunteers to carry the weight. SGI has billions of dollars. They can afford to hire hundreds of ministerial staff members all over the U.S. Instead, they expect unpaid, sincere people to devote every waking moment to serving the organization, year in and year out. If you're sincere and happy to help, they will ask more and more of you until your life is dominated by the Org, until you break. And when you break, they criticize you for not being strong enough, for failing to "reply to sensei."
The Org chews people up and spits them out
--------------------------------------------------End of Quote-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is exactly one of the things that I realized very early on. No matter how much you do or how much you give, it is never quite enough to satisfy them and they always will want and ask for more. It's a vicious cycle. For those that cannot say "no", it will eventually consume them and burn them out. Those that stay, I've found, actually thrive on it.
Quote
ShavoyQuote
HitchRep. Hank Johnson (Georgia's 4th District) [
hankjohnson.house.gov] , an elected U.S. congressman, is a long time soka gakkai usa member and has even traveled to Japan to present the dear leader with an award in recent years.
Some of Hank's brilliant intellect on display [
www.youtube.com] , regarding Guam, and a cartoon [
www.youtube.com] .
Perfect poster boy for the cult.
Presenting the dear leader with an award....Oh, Hitch...how much was Rep. Johnson paid for the trip...and another "honorary".....?
Just askin'....not that the answer will be offered up.
I believe it was some kind of "semi-official" congressional award and Ikeda also used the opportunity to offer up some mild criticism of the U.S. (it going in the wrong direction or something like that). Hank Johnson was the center of one of those Tokyo meetings, was called up on stage at the beginning, presented it, the whole nine yards.
Quote
Spartacus
1) Just wondering if Taisaku is a Korean name?
2) When did he change his name from Taisaku to Daisaku and did he ever give a reason why?
3) What info do we have here about Ikeda's korean background?
I don't have any details, Spartacus, mainly because it really is not something that I care much about or have given much thought to one way or the other. I can only tell you that I've heard whisperings to that effect, even in Japan.
Quote
Spartacus
Ikeda's treatment of GMW in the latest book is sickening. We all knew how much GMW looked up to ikeda. I believe he idolized him just like everyone else. You could see it in his eyes, and I dont think he was having to act.
Very much agreed, on all counts. "Idolized" is a good word, which makes the way Ikeda treated him all the more dishonorable. When I remind myself that they are actually "cult leaders", it makes perfect sense, though.
Quote
SGBye
A little while back I posted about the SGI urging children to participate in their May contribution campaign. In the new World Tribune, they're turning up the heat on the kiddies. Accompanied by a colorful photo of some piggy banks that kids in Washington DC painted for the campaign it reads:
Incidentally, the recent Seikyo Shimbun has a May 3rd color photo of Daisaku & Kaneko "gracing" the front cover. Don't know if it is current, recent or legit, but it is there. Ikeda, IMO, looks pretty odd to me and definitely not "victorious."
**********
God, the more I read about this cult on this ever growing thread, the more I hate it.