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tsukimotoQuote
Nichijew
Then, if you complain that you couldn't make the rent or the mortgage [after the hard sell], they admonish you for failing to say no.
Nichijew
This made me think of Von, a former YMD who posted on page 54 of this thread. He was a young man, struggling to make ends meet in Los Angeles, and his leaders urged him to spend his last dollar on going to a big NSA convention. They told him that he needed to have faith and just spend everything he had on this convention -- that he'd break through his bad financial karma if he made a good cause like this.
He did so -- and ended up homeless when he returned from the convention. Of course, the leaders who'd urged him to spend his rent money on plane fare to the convention -- had no concern and no help for him.
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From page 54 of this thread:
[forum.culteducation.com]
So this was sometime in the [end of summer '87?] when I returned to LA after a weekend in Seattle with the NSA YMD for this big convention/celebration/promo display that we did. And common sense would tell you, that after giving almost every dime I had to NSA for the trip ... with the rent due ... and all of my roommates (timing, Murphys Law) simultaneously moving out from our house ...
.. that I would have nothing when I arrived back. And of course thats exactly what happened.
Well ... I got back to LA and [sic] had no money for the rent. No money to find a new place to live. And with all of my family on the other side of the country, and not long term friends in LA that would take me in ....
I had no place to go.
At 23 years old: all of a sudden I was homeless in LA.
And SGI was just about all I had. How did they respond?
NSA turned thier backs on me.
Members of my District knew what was going on ... but down to a person as I recall they had nothing of value for me to add other than "This is your karma, chant more" and "Do your human revolution" and other such platitudes.
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KR
How could you tell if you won a debate with an SGI member?
When he or she reaffirms to you that they are chanting for your happiness.
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KR
Obvious divorce from logic. So how is it that attending a SGI meeting or convention alone is suppose to increase your karma?
If that's the case then one could easily make the same case for increasing karma by doing the following:
-Attending a Wet T-Shirt Contest
-Attending a weed party
-Calling in work and playing hooky on Friday
-Going to the strip club
-Sleeping in and watching Pauly Shore movies.
-Skipping the SGI meeting that you didn't want to attend in the first place.
While these may sound contrived and over the top this would be the best example to demonstrate to any kool-aid sipper to why SGI doesn't practice real Buddhist. They are dumb enough to believe and they want to make you believe that your entire existence hinges on your participation in SGI activities.
Only if I knew then what I know now. If I could ask these simple questions to my local YMD leader his head would head explode.Quote
tsukimotoQuote
Nichijew
Then, if you complain that you couldn't make the rent or the mortgage [after the hard sell], they admonish you for failing to say no.
Nichijew
This made me think of Von, a former YMD who posted on page 54 of this thread. He was a young man, struggling to make ends meet in Los Angeles, and his leaders urged him to spend his last dollar on going to a big NSA convention. They told him that he needed to have faith and just spend everything he had on this convention -- that he'd break through his bad financial karma if he made a good cause like this.
He did so -- and ended up homeless when he returned from the convention. Of course, the leaders who'd urged him to spend his rent money on plane fare to the convention -- had no concern and no help for him.
---------------------beginning of quote---------------------------------------------------------------------
From page 54 of this thread:
[forum.culteducation.com]
So this was sometime in the [end of summer '87?] when I returned to LA after a weekend in Seattle with the NSA YMD for this big convention/celebration/promo display that we did. And common sense would tell you, that after giving almost every dime I had to NSA for the trip ... with the rent due ... and all of my roommates (timing, Murphys Law) simultaneously moving out from our house ...
.. that I would have nothing when I arrived back. And of course thats exactly what happened.
Well ... I got back to LA and [sic] had no money for the rent. No money to find a new place to live. And with all of my family on the other side of the country, and not long term friends in LA that would take me in ....
I had no place to go.
At 23 years old: all of a sudden I was homeless in LA.
And SGI was just about all I had. How did they respond?
NSA turned thier backs on me.
Members of my District knew what was going on ... but down to a person as I recall they had nothing of value for me to add other than "This is your karma, chant more" and "Do your human revolution" and other such platitudes.
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NichijewQuote
chooselifeQuote
backnforth
Chooselife:
What's next?
Maybe you can start by making a list of all the ways you would spend your time if you weren't attending the many meetings and home visits I assume you were attending.
I would just try to do a lot of relaxing things for now; things you enjoy.
Will you give up chanting too? Saying goodbye to Buddhism or just SGI? They are 2 different things - do you agree?
Good luck. You will do fine and your world will open up. True friends will stay in touch and base the friendship on other things in common.
backnforth:
thank you so much! im not sure about chanting, or religion in general. i left my gohonzon up, but i tore down all the other stuff on the altar: daimoku campaign card, photos of prez ikeda and wife, my join certificate, all gone. all thats left is my butsudan and gohonzon, and all the other altar-type stuff. i cant even open it like i used to, with such ease. ill keep it up until i decide once and for all that chanting is for me. i like to chant, it clears my head, but i dont think it is the only way to meditate/concentrate/gain enlightenment.
ive been reading an objective book about buddhism, just to see if its really something i want in my life, and to learn more about shakyamuni. i like the faith alot, but i feel like i will be practicing alone alot. not that im committing to anything theravada, but needless to say, mahayana is kind of not on my radar either for obvious reasons. im just going to do as much research as i can, and make an INFORMED decision (aka- google search any group the first DAY i hear about it and not 2 years in)
i really could not have done this without all of you talking so openly about your experiences and making me realize how NOT crazy i am. someday soon i will really let it all out, but for now, i think im going to start learning how to have control over my life again.
thank you.
Dear Chooselife:
When I decided to leave the Soka Gakkai, I too removed everything related to them and their parent sect. My Butsudan had a metal crane symbol embedded in the middle and towards the top, on the outside. I wedged it off and it left a small scar on the Butsudan. When the Kempon Hokke priest came from Japan to visit, the first thing he said to me as he sat down to chant, "anger is no good. Please fix your Butsudan." It took me several years to fix the Butsudan and my anger.
Nichijew
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KR
Only if I knew then what I know now. If I could ask these simple questions to my local YMD leader his head would head explode.
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KR
They are dumb enough to believe and they want to make you believe that your entire existence hinges on your participation in SGI activities.
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Shavoy
'They are dumb enough to believe and they want to make you believe that your entire existence hinges on participation in SGI activities.'
Yes, indeedie. This quote sums up a lot for me. Because they all want to be happy. I remember one concept of this whole thing, that enlightenment for an SGI Buddhist means being having deep happiness inside, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. So, all these leaders are chasing the ultimate human desire: Happiness. And they will do whatever it takes, because, by darn, it is assured!!! All these activities. Shakabuku. Donations. That permanent happiness is right at the end of this SGI rainbow!
So, I ask again. Are any of them truly happy? Happy right now? Or is it an addiction to the Kool-Aid? And no, one's entire existence does not hinge on participation in SGI activities. Good grief, no!