"This is ESD meeting at USA-SGI-East Los Angeles Community Center .
On Jan 27, 2013
We have 22 ESD kids in the meeting."

[www.youtube.com]

"Viewing events and situations in a positive light is important. The strength, wisdom and cheerfulness that accompany such an attitude lead to happiness. To regard everything in a positive light or with a spirit of goodwill, however, does not mean being foolishly gullible and allowing people to take advantage of our good nature. It means having the wisdom and perception to actually move things in a positive direction by seeing things in their best light, while all the time keeping our eyes firmly focused on reality." - The Dear Leader, Ikeda.

Don't you just love the irony, don't be "foolishly gullible" "allowing people to take advantage of" your "good nature", keep your "eyes firmly focused on reality."

Eventually, they are also told to view their struggles in the cult org. (i.e., the manipulation) as "human revolution" and view it, too, "in a positive light."

Indoctrinating the "YOUTH!", instilling doublethink into their minds (in this case, a vicious cycle), maybe for the rest of their lives.

The reality is, it's a cult using you for as long as, and as much as, it can get from you, for as long as you let it.



- Hitch

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Spartacus
George Williams once leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Voice is God". So why would anyone want to abuse God? Just wondering.

It's funny that you mention this, because Williams-Sadanaga's quirky way of speaking, from where I now sit, annoys the hell out of me. [www.youtube.com]

The forcefulness that he uses with every other sentence, isn't normal. It's intentional and calculated. It certainly had its effect, too.


- Hitch

Of all those terms, "never go taiten" was one of the most important emotional cultspeak phrases. It's sole purpose was to solicit a member's personal commitment and resolve to NEVER LEAVE THE CULT. Pretty strong hook.

During the "73 San Diego Convention, I was the very first youth division member from Texas to receive an Omamori (personal) Gohonzon. I had never seen anyone but the highest ranking senior leaders wearing one of these special gohonzons, and I was thrilled at the opportunity. Just as Williams handed the Omamori to me, Kikumura said, "Now you must swear to "never go taiten", to which I gleeful complied. It was this taiten oath that would later return to haunt my mind and generate guilt when I began to seriously consider leaving the SGcult. This insidious phrase was constructed as a major mental barrier designed to keep me (us all) forever entraped in the clutches of the cult.

Spartacus

OBEY or REBEL.

These are the only two choices that slaves have to all (take your pick) religious/military/governmental/mass-media-managed CULTS. Taking action as a rebel commits us to freedom and independence as human beings. It returns our personal power to us.

The cult seeks to suppress our power to say no. Unless one chooses otherwise, real hope remains beyond the reach of those suffering under the yoke of self-delusion. Are we not here to help encourage the choosing of hope?

"Hope has two beautiful daughters, Anger & Courage. Anger at the way things are. Courage to change them." Augustine.

"I don't want a revolution - I want a continuous rebellion. Rebellion is about perpetual revolt and permanent alienation from power." Chris Hedges

Food for thought,
Spartacus

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Hitch

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Spartacus
George Williams once leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "Voice is God". So why would anyone want to abuse God? Just wondering.

It's funny that you mention this, because Williams-Sadanaga's quirky way of speaking, from where I now sit, annoys the hell out of me. [www.youtube.com]

The forcefulness that he uses with every other sentence, isn't normal. It's intentional and calculated. It certainly had its effect, too.


- Hitch

Just to put Williams' quote in context, he said that to me backstage immediately following my performance singing with a rock band.

Later on, I was also chosen to sing the lead part, backed by the Dallas Sunset Women's Choir, at the Alamo for the Liberty Bell Tour, and then again the next day in Dallas. "Where are we going to be - two hundred years from now?" we sang. Patriotic garbly gook! (the answer to that question is not so pretty these days). Williams asked me to wear a minuteman costume for the performance at the Alamo (there was lots of press there) and of course, I consented. They had to take the uniform off of somebody else that had been sweating all morning in the blistering Texas heat. It was soaking wet and stinky - but the show must go on!

Spartacus

Omamori (miniature pocket mandalas / "good luck charm" in Japanese) gohonzons were a huge deal back in that time period, huge, like a status symbol. I believe they were in personally inscribed somewhat heavy metal cases then, now they are cheap-o plastic versions.

I remember the "200 Years From Now" events, and the song, very well. I also had to wear (the same?!?) minute-men cult wear in the 80's in the brass band - I hated it. They must recycle those uniforms for years and years. I also remember they kept fleecing us brass band members for uniform cleaning fees after every event or every month, but problem was, they weren't actually cleaning the things, just saying they would, but never doing it and keep taking the money. Lots of people complaining about, too. If you didn't fork over, you got screamed at, put on a list and hit up harder next time or couldn't participate in the next event. It was nice little mini-extortion they had going on there.

Agreed, 100% on the "taiten" psychological cult manipulation. It was put into my head for the very first time in Jr. Pioneers, when I learned and memorized the "Kaimoku-Sho" in Japanese & English:

"No matter what obstacles we may encounter, I Nichiren and my disciples can eventually attain Buddhahood unless we hold doubts about true Buddhism. You should never doubt the protection of the Buddhist gods. You should never be sorry that you are not leading a peaceful life. Although I have taught this to my disciples day and night, many have deserted the Lotus Sutra. At a crucial moment, the foolish will often forget what they have promised".


From what I understand, btw, the above is also a deliberate twisted misinterpretation of the original (perhaps Nichijew can elaborate). More calculated and intentional controlling manipulation.


- Hitch

'Makes Sensei's heart your own'
'We can make a connection'
'We can make a dialogue'
'try not to think just chant'
'Sensei's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GREEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT!!!'
'Make a connection with Sensei'

Eeeesh why did I ever bother with these fruitcakes!

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TaitenAndProud

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I disagree. Many SGI members and every single leader above Chapter Chief is pernicious. - Nichijew

I was a YWD HQ chief, Nichijew. And I can tell you for a FACT that I never held *ANY* malevolent intent, I never deliberately misled or pressured anyone, and I wanted to help people. I wanted the position because from there I could help more people.

What does this revelation do to your theory? Am I obviously lying, because no one who isn't evil could ever manage to be promoted to HQ-level leadership? I was a Chapter YWD chief for a while, too O_O

How do you think your blanket accusations make me feel? You've *never* met me, you know *nothing* about me, and yet here you are, declaring that I was "pernicious." Is that fair? Is that honest? Is that helpful, to just *assign* derogatory labels to people and dismiss them with a wave of the hand?

Is this kind? Is it magnanimous and benevolent? Or is it more like the SGI's attitude toward those who are "taiten", that they're all evil and overwhelmed by fundamental darkness and short-sighted and foolish? That they want only to destroy the beautiful unity of the most family-like organization in the world??

I too held various positions T&P, including briefly a YMD headquarters level position. I can pat myself on the back and kid myself that I was the most wonderful person in the whole world [which is exactly what they want you to believe] but, at best, I was an enabler, greedy for personal gain, and one of the unthinking masses. I believe there are parallels to the "good" German citizen who watched idly by as their neighbors had their shops destroyed. Are you telling me at the height of your cult indoctrination you wouldn't have columniated a difficult member or reported him or her for their perceived transgressions [because "failure to report" --Daisaku Ikeda, is evil]? Honest self reflection is a virtue. I would have had none of that.
Nichijew

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Hitch
Omamori (miniature pocket mandalas / "good luck charm" in Japanese) gohonzons were a huge deal back in that time period, huge, like a status symbol. I believe they were in personally inscribed somewhat heavy metal cases then, now they are cheap-o plastic versions.

I remember the "200 Years From Now" events, and the song, very well. I also had to wear (the same?!?) minute-men cult wear in the 80's in the brass band - I hated it. They must recycle those uniforms for years and years. I also remember they kept fleecing us brass band members for uniform cleaning fees after every event or every month, but problem was, they weren't actually cleaning the things, just saying they would, but never doing it and keep taking the money. Lots of people complaining about, too. If you didn't fork over, you got screamed at, put on a list and hit up harder next time or couldn't participate in the next event. It was nice little mini-extortion they had going on there.

Agreed, 100% on the "taiten" psychological cult manipulation. It was put into my head for the very first time in Jr. Pioneers, when I learned and memorized the "Kaimoku-Sho" in Japanese & English:

"No matter what obstacles we may encounter, I Nichiren and my disciples can eventually attain Buddhahood unless we hold doubts about true Buddhism. You should never doubt the protection of the Buddhist gods. You should never be sorry that you are not leading a peaceful life. Although I have taught this to my disciples day and night, many have deserted the Lotus Sutra. At a crucial moment, the foolish will often forget what they have promised".


From what I understand, btw, the above is also a deliberate twisted misinterpretation of the original (perhaps Nichijew can elaborate). More calculated and intentional controlling manipulation.


- Hitch

Here is another translation of the above passage:

"Not only I, Nichiren but also my disciples will reach the land of Buddha unfailingly so long as we hold on to unwavering faith no matter what difficulty confronts us. I have always told my disciples not to have doubts about the lack of heavenly protection and not to lament the lack of tranquility in this world. I am afraid, however, that they might all have doubts about this and no longer listen to me. It seems only natural that ordinary people, in face of harsh reality, will forget what they had promised..." -- Kyotsu Hori

The only difference with this passage and the SGI passage is that the SGI passage is translated from the modern Japanese translation and the Hori translation is from the Chinese original and the part about listening to Nichiren. They don't listen to Nichiren. That is not to say that all the SGI translations from the modern Nichiren Shoshu translations are faithful to the originals. I have many examples of significant deviation from the originals but it is beyond the scope of this forum to go into details. Suffice it to say that those passages that agree with SGI [Daisaku Ikeda] doctine are left unaltered but those don't are changed subtly or not so subtly.

This passage has been twisted by the SGI interpretation to mean unyielding allegiance to the Soka Gakkai and mentor Daisaku Ikeda rather than the Law and Nichiren.

Nichijew



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2013 10:38PM by Nichijew.

More of the poisonous fruitcakes I'd like to serve you today. I often ask myself, what someone might say or think about that stuff, who never heard about SGI before. The following text is from a lecture at the cult retreat, I attach a photo (my scanner is not working) of the text in german, that all can see, this is not my own creation. Please excuse, if its not translated properly, I'm not a professional translator and I had problems with that lofty phrases of cult speak too.

Excerpts of the Cult retreats lecture upon The Heritance of the ultimate Law of Life and death (2011)

How can it happen to lose the spirit of Nichiren Daishonin by developing an own view/opinion?

- These are egotism, arrogance and dependency
- If someone doesn’t overcome arrogance in life , onshitsu and anger will be released
- Therefore your own palace will be destroyed from inside
- The heart with the discriminating mind of “me and the others”, “ here and there” makes differences/distinctions
- That is for example the heart of the priests, which distinguishes between priests and lay believers. Or the egotism only to strive for one’s own profit without respect for the others
- This heart is called “ Jitai Hishi no kokoronaku” in Japanese. With this kind of heart one cannot create Itai Doshin
- Itai means “individual attitude, nature, talent” that we should give mutual respect
- Solidarity is not the elimination of differences. Therefore it is only natural to have one’s own character. Diversity in oneness becomes a great power
- The key is “Doshin” That is the united spirit to believe in the Gohonzon and fight for Kosen Rufu
- If someone overcomes superiority with faith and strives for the great goal of Kosen Rufu , that is called “Itai Doshin”
- It is not real faith, when someone follows one’s own views. Kosen Rufu can never be established in that case.
- And when somebody leaves the organization, this is not the “Heritance of the Ultimate Law of life”
- Nichiren Daishonin states in a letter that it is the ultimately aim that his disciples spread the law in solidarity, because when this solidarity would exist, the great wish for Kosen Rufu could be fulfilled

- Therefore the protection of the SGI organization and its establishment is the way to Kosen Rufu
- On the contrary it is slander to destroy the SGI community and suffocate Kosen Rufu
- For our practice that means to follow the 3 Presidents, forever. If somebody loses sight of the heart of the master and only follows one’s own opinion/ view, although one should rather protect the palace, instead of destroying the palace from inside, one acts like the parasite inside the lions bowels. These kind of people can only be described as betrayers, they destroy the oneness of the community
- The key for victory is in the oneness of our hearts, to fulfill the great wish of the Buddha for Kosen Rufu
- In the SGI the great wish for Kosen Rufu is existing
- Therefore president Toda would have said: “The community of the Gakkai is more important than my life”
- To protect the SGI means to fight for Kosen Rufu