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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."
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.