I'll be darned, SGBye has done it again! :-)

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SGBye

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coolshyone
I was always asked all the time to give experiences at district meetings about all the benefits I was receiving from my practice. Should have seen some of the reactions when I told the leaders I didn't have an experience to give. Some of the experiences I heard people give at meetings at times were so off the wall that I had a hard time keeping a straight face.

I remember many meetings where the floor was open to anyone with an experience and you could hear crickets chirping. It was always uncomfortable and seemed to happen a lot in the last district I was in. I would also get badgered to give experiences but I don't think I gave one in the last 5 to 10 years I was in the SGI. I refused to be one of those people who attributed every little good thing in their life to the organization or, worse yet, Ikeda. If I couldn't honestly come up with something that I thought was a direct result of my practice, I kept my mouth shut. Needless to say, I was often branded as being "very quiet."

I also wanted to comment on this part, for coolshyone.

I know exactly what both of you are talking about. Been in those shoes, many, many, MANY times! It's almost as if they were expecting you (and others) to just make something up and pull something new out a hat for entertainment purposes. I often wanted to go bang my head on a wall listening to the other members' puerile and brainless testimonials. I also often had to suppress my desire to refute some of the more superficially impressive "experiences" during the comments or Q&A times. The couple of times that I did, it went over like a lead balloon.

It got to the point where I was indeed "entertained" during the mandatory experience portions of the meetings, but not for the same reasons that every one else was. HAHA!

Yes, Hitch, we do seem to think alike! I think we were both fed the same amount of SGI Kook-Aid that didn’t sit well with our equal amount of rebelliousness. But I promise not to infringe upon your trademark of posting awesome Youtube links (well, unless I find something really really good!).

Speaking of which, I just saw the “Oh Daisaku, I Wanna Be Like You Hoo Hoo” video. Wow…. I realize he’s doing that with tongue firmly planted in cheek (at least, I truly hope so), but just think about how many SGI-ers would sing that with zero irony or humor if it was announced as the new Gakkai song. Scary thought.

I actually have a cassette tape entitled NSA Songs 1975-1985. Executive producer was George M. Williams. Contains such smash hits as the gakkai spirit, we love america (anyone remember the we love america rally in Washington DC in 1982. I was there. Speaking of a fiasco.)


As a YMD back then I well remember at the end of meetings and other activities I was asked to lead everyone in singing forever sensei or some other goofy song. As a quite shy person by nature I can't believe to this day how I ever pulled off some of this stuff. It was all part of my official YMD "training" or so I was told. I just went along with the flow because I didn't have the courage to just say no.

Some of the experiences were pretty lame. "I got off the train, and the bus was right there! I was so in tune with the environment because I did gongyo this morning. When I skip morning gongyo I am out of tune and the day seem off-kilter." This was an ACTUAL experience.

ICK. Good transit connections (and bad) happen to people who have never heard of SGI or chanting. How simplistically stupid.

I third the welcome. Here is a little something I clearly perceived today:

The Entertainment and Free Labor Industry is SGI's Big Business

Utilizing free labor to maintain the lifestyles of SGI top leaders is the business strategy of the Soka Gakkai multinational religious corporation. The unpaid janitors, receptionists, security personal, ministers, and cashiers are great for the bottom line but today it is the free singers, dancers, musicians, and child minstrels who are the very foundation and strategy of Soka Gakkai fundraising activities. You are working hard, not for spreading the Lotus Sutra, but for maintaining the lifestyles of the millionaire top Japanese leaders who earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to spread the Law that you do for free. Burn this reality into your brain. You don't need to support these leeches with your sweat and blood in order to spread the Law. You yourself are a Bodhisattva of the Earth endowed with the wisdom of the Buddha while the SGI seniors in faith are greedy pigs. In fact, is those who remain in the Soka Gakkai who should be very afraid.

Nichijew

Does that ever hit home with me. That never set well with me how we could be out there busting our you know whats, all these activities, unpaid labor the whole f***ing nine yards and for what. So these arrogant leaders could pat each other on the back and get a pay raise also while everyone else busted their butts for free. Anything for kosen rufu even if it is all a bunch nonsense. Since when does any of this have squat to do with if you gain benefit or not from practicing buddhism.

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coolshyone
I actually have a cassette tape entitled NSA Songs 1975-1985. Executive producer was George M. Williams. Contains such smash hits as the gakkai spirit, we love america (anyone remember the we love america rally in Washington DC in 1982. I was there. Speaking of a fiasco.)


As a YMD back then I well remember at the end of meetings and other activities I was asked to lead everyone in singing forever sensei or some other goofy song. As a quite shy person by nature I can't believe to this day how I ever pulled off some of this stuff. It was all part of my official YMD "training" or so I was told. I just went along with the flow because I didn't have the courage to just say no.

Oh man, I was there, too! A horrible nightmare from beginning to end. Utter, epic chaos. I wouldn't wish that "experience" on my worst enemy.

Leading the darling leader's song was often a competition as to who could swing their fists back-n-forth the strongest, with the reddest face and most sweat dripping off your brow. Needless to say, I never one that competition and gladly ceded to the most brainwashed.

Some people also liked screaming "HAIIIII!" (Japanese "YES!") at the top of their lungs. Sometimes I had to look around just to double check that I wasn't in the gakkai marine corps.

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Freeheartandmind
Some of the experiences were pretty lame. "I got off the train, and the bus was right there! I was so in tune with the environment because I did gongyo this morning. When I skip morning gongyo I am out of tune and the day seem off-kilter." This was an ACTUAL experience.

I’ve heard that experience before! Many times over, no joke. Some folks will attribute just about anything to their practice.

I was also at the ‘82 DC rally. About the only thing I remember about it was hearing members trying to lure unsuspecting folks to the free concert with the promise of seeing Tina Turner and Herbie Hancock perform.

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Nichijew
I third the welcome. Here is a little something I clearly perceived today:

The Entertainment and Free Labor Industry is SGI's Big Business

Utilizing free labor to maintain the lifestyles of SGI top leaders is the business strategy of the Soka Gakkai multinational religious corporation. The unpaid janitors, receptionists, security personal, ministers, and cashiers are great for the bottom line but today it is the free singers, dancers, musicians, and child minstrels who are the very foundation and strategy of Soka Gakkai fundraising activities. You are working hard, not for spreading the Lotus Sutra, but for maintaining the lifestyles of the millionaire top Japanese leaders who earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to spread the Law that you do for free. Burn this reality into your brain. You don't need to support these leeches with your sweat and blood in order to spread the Law. You yourself are a Bodhisattva of the Earth endowed with the wisdom of the Buddha while the SGI seniors in faith are greedy pigs. In fact, is those who remain in the Soka Gakkai who should be very afraid.

Nichijew

The culture dept. (academics and arts) members are often some of the most brainwashed. There was also quite a bit of animosity between the more artsy members and the more academic members. The image of trying to mix oil and water together comes to mind (unfortunately). The gakkai also catered the most to these members' (culture dept.) egos.

It's all sheer manipulation and using people.

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SGBye

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Freeheartandmind
Some of the experiences were pretty lame. "I got off the train, and the bus was right there! I was so in tune with the environment because I did gongyo this morning. When I skip morning gongyo I am out of tune and the day seem off-kilter." This was an ACTUAL experience.

I’ve heard that experience before! Many times over, no joke. Some folks will attribute just about anything to their practice.

I was also at the ‘82 DC rally. About the only thing I remember about it was hearing members trying to lure unsuspecting folks to the free concert with the promise of seeing Tina Turner and Herbie Hancock perform.

Wow! I also remember hearing that same bait and switch game going on, too! I had forgotten until just now, reading your post. (That's what I love about this mb, it brings back some of those long forgotten things.)

I don't recall much about the concert, because I spent most of my time off exploring the national mall and monuments, which were much more interesting to me than the celebrities. It was pretty much the only good thing I remember about that entire trip (when I left the cult group and went off on my own interests). The massive group mentality of that trip left a bad taste in my mouth.