Starting to get the inquiries from my "friends in faith". Where have I been, am I okay, etc. since I have not engaged in any SGI contact in over a month. I don't want to rationalize, justify or explain my decision. Plan to just state I no longer care to practice with the SGI. Thoughts, anyone?

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WaywardBuddhistWoman
Thoughts, anyone?

Just say no!

It is the toughest thing to do initially but it gets easier and easier as you go.

Remember, you are now a fish in the big shakubuku sea again, and their nets and snares are out again to haul you back in again. If you find yourself wavering just ask yourself, after all the time you've invested in cult.org, what specifically did the organization do to bring you closer to enlightenment and are you an improved person today as a result it? Your departure is your decision, not theirs. Whoever is trying to pull you back is doing it not for your benefit but to improve their own Karma. Probably also, members leaving just underscore the same doubts you had in the minds of the other members. By leaving you challenge the harmonious ITAI DOSHIN and cause people to doubt their practice themselves.

More often than not, they will attempt to use social pressure on you at some point to try to shame or guilt you into returning. Maybe pull your heartstrings a bit telling you how badly missed you are, and how you just lit up the meetings when you were there, etc. etc.

Wakatta1

"Better out than in I always say..." - SHREK

They're not "friends in faith", they're pseudo-friends in the cult org. and it is the start of pressure to get you back into the fold. There is nothing you can ever say that will make them understand and accept what you are doing. Nothing, ever. Therefore, just tell them where you stand and follow thru with it. Break all contact and don't look back. Think of yourself and your family, because that's all that matters and that's who you are doing it for. With that always in mind, it should be very easy to tell them to get lost.

Be forewarned, as long as your contact info. remains the same, they will pop-up now and again in the future, even years from now. By that time, you will grow, change for the better and be happier away from the cult, its people, its influences and its manipulation. So will the lives of your loved ones, by having terminated the cult's hold on your family. It will be even easier to repeat the message then, too.

Don't be susceptible to the lies and hollow metaphysical threats, either. It's all nonsense.

- Hitch

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WaywardBuddhistWoman
Starting to get the inquiries from my "friends in faith". Where have I been, am I okay, etc. since I have not engaged in any SGI contact in over a month. I don't want to rationalize, justify or explain my decision. Plan to just state I no longer care to practice with the SGI. Thoughts, anyone?

Another option is to admonish them to the point that you become a persona non grata. Then, the top leaders will tell your former members and leaders to avoid you like the plague. When you become a "devil"* or a "pig"* in their eyes, you will be home free.

*two of the many names that I have been called by them

Nichijew

For me I found that the best way was to say nothing, or as little as possible. It's difficult because I still have members of my family practising and I know I am perceived as a 'failure' with the people I am still in touch (or someone that has 'lost their way').

But I agree with Hitch that there is nothing that I can ever say that will make them understand so there is no point trying. And the longer time goes on the better I feel about having left - I don't need to justify it to anyone. It does get easier.

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WaywardBuddhistWoman
Plan to just state I no longer care to practice with the SGI. Thoughts, anyone?

Well get used to the fact that thats the most they have to know at this point. You do not owe them an explenation - dead simple :-)

Bring your kiddies and the entire family to the FNCC $oka Gakkai International Cult Retreat Center:

[www.youtube.com]

Create a (meaningless) manufactured, artificial milestone goal to rally everyone around for the long term (years) and repeat the message constantly, until it becomes a "part" of their mind. Now, it's 2030.

Official song starts of the video.

"We Are 2030" (Translation: You future belongs to the cult, don't ever forget it.)

"We are brave, we are strong.
We are joyful, hear our song.
We are 2030, growing strong.
Like a tree, shining waters bright will be.

We Are 2030
With our mentor by our side, our lives are shining like a sun.
Snows are deep, winds are cold.
We are brave, we are bold.

We Are 2030
Golden song, you and me, running fast, running free."

We Are 2030 - repeat."

Mentor = The Dear Leader, Cult Master - Ikeda

*******

From ~ 2:10 min. mark, you get the top "YOUTH!" brainwasher appearing in audio (from the "official" 2030 video):

"Word!"

"Did you guys see the "We Are 2030" video?
Do I look familiar?

In Buddhism, we use our voice.
They say the voice "does the work of The Buddha."
What is one that we do when we use our voice in Buddhism?

(At this point a kid says, "CHANT!", but the host just laughs it off, because it's not what he is aiming at.)

And then what else do we do with our voice in Buddhism? Go ahead, you can yell it out.

(Now a kid yells out, "GONGYO!" and the host responds, "Yeah, you can do that", but is still looking for a different answer.)

What am doing with you guys right now with my voice?

(Kids respond, "talking!")

Talking to who, about what?

You can use your voice to introduce people to Buddhism, to talk about Buddhism ..... So the voice is the main tool that we use.

Cue in the happy music about artificial cult friends, for the remainder of the video.

*******

There were so many stupid goals thrown out for all the members, especially "YOUTH!" to work towards, that lasted for years. There would be an intense and massive push, especially as it neared. It would happen, some big silly event at some special venue, filled with silly performances, vacuous speeches and lots of mindless emotional manipulation with feel good cheering ...... then, it would be done. A short break, then another golden opportunity "milestone" is manufactured. There were so many of these events, that I lost track of how many and what they were all for (that's how important they were, at least for me). I wonder how many people never see the big picture and the extended, chronic manipulation taking place.

Notice how it is placed into the kids' minds how important it is to bring other people into the cult org.. Although the word "Buddhism" is used repeatedly, the gongyo (prayers) and daimoku (magic chant) are secondary to getting more physical bodies pulled into the cult org.. This is a very revealing admission as to where the cult org.'s true priorities are. It speaks volumes. As these kids grow older, there will be more, increased pressure from the org. and their "leaders" to do exactly that, too. Pressure, manipulation, more pressure, more manipulation and repeat forever, starting the process all over with a new generation of tabula rasa to be exploited.

This is the true nature of the gakkai cult org.. This is a silly cult and it is very easy to see what they are doing, if you step back and take in the big picture. The signs are always there, if you look and think, for yourself (this, btw, is something that they don't want you to do, for obvious reasons).

- Hitch

PS - Speaking of signs, is that The Dear Leader's bicycle on museum display, with accompanying life-size cutout beside it? (3:40 min. mark, in above video.)

How bizarre. Yet, for these kids, it is subtly implanting the notion that Ikeda is somebody "special."

$oka Gakkai = A manipulative Cult of The Personality of Daisaku Ikeda (The Dear Leader).

Great stuff Hitch.

I went to FNCC many times for culture department meetings. A couple years ago it was reinvented as a monument to Ikeda, including two exhibits full of memorabilia. We were honored to be able to tour his private quarters (snide remark). All conference discussion and presentations revolved around master/disciple relationship. One exhibit was the list of honorary degrees from all the obscure universities. I remember wondering what happened to the "rest" of Buddhism? The gosho, Nichiren, the Gohonzon? No one ever speaks of those anymore. I attended a gosho lecture prep where a senior-most leader said that it was "arrogance" to add our own thoughts to lecture material. That we were to neither "add to or subtract from" ikedas lectures. As if no one else's thoughts or ideas matter at all. Then I tried again to read ikedas writings. I am highly intelligent, educated,well read. I could not derive any meaning from Human Revolution, except that Ikeda is "extraordinary", misunderstood by ordinary beings who don't believe in his extra ordinariness. I had always thought that Buddhism was a truth based religion and couldn't surmise how that squares with a leader who is so untruthful as to purchase honorary degrees and hire hack writers. If I had it to do over, I would never had contributed to this man's ego-driven insatiable luster for power and authenticity. What a cheat and a fraud.