Quote

Say, does anyone know why the SGI is now calling its "community centers" "BUDDHIST Centers" now? They always steered well clear of the word "Buddhism" on the property signs before

Maybe its because Buddhism has become trendy(?).

Its a 'brand' that people trust, so maybe its hoped that renaming SGI centers "Buddhist Centers" will attract more people. And since few people have detailed knowledge of Buddhist practice, they may be fooled into trusting that SGI is Buddhist because it uses the B word.

Am guessing. Will be interesting if more defectors arrive who can give the inside story about the name change.

Am going to tell you how things are changing.

In the old days, I could go around my city wearing my Buddhist mala and no one knew what it was. Christian friends who worked at skid row charity offices told me they sometimes would hide their neck crosses, because the more aggressive beggars would try to guilt trip them "You cant say no, you're a Christian."

But in those days, Buddhism wasnt on the spanger/grifter radar screen.

Some months ago, a panhandler came right up to me. "Are you Buddhist?"

I said I tried my best to practice.

And, bang, found myself on the end for a begging pitch.

So in my town the beggars are learning to panhandle Buddhists.

There are more and more magazines oriented to Buddhist practitioners and a plethora of websites where one can shop for Buddhist goods, interior decoration, etc.

So that may be why SGI had changed it from community centers to Buddhist centers?

Freshen up the brand name?

Quote
Spartacus
But now these wooden boxes no longer hold any facination or awe for me, and the same goes with the paper scroll that is treated like a living god. It is sick and disgusting to see culties having all this reverence for an object while treating real live human beings so badly.

Spartacus

This is so true! More gakkai cult org. hypocrisy. They routinely browbeat, play mind games with and treat members like dirt, yet will go into panic mode, wearing white gloves, cradling like a baby, the mandala looking for the nearest gohonzon emergency room to get ripped or damaged ones fixed or properly tended to.

****

I agree that the renaming is a ploy to catch converts. Here's another example of the gakkai cult org. realigning itself with anything trendy in an attempt to "reach out" and entrap new cult members:

[www.youtube.com] (See the description comments for details.)



- Hitch

Quote
TaitenAndProud
Also, we don't really know anything about the Daishonin's supposed accommodations on Minobu or how he displayed his gohonzon(s). The fact that he supposedly attained enlightenment without any gohonzons having yet been made says it all.

He lived in a hut, the small plot of land on which it stood is preserved. There are also early paintings of him, two of which are deathbed scenes showing the Gohonzon hanging behind him sans butsudan. One has been posted on my blog.

Nichijew

The celebration at a "grand reopening" of a $GI CULT pseudo-buddhist community center [www.youtube.com].

Now, I ask you, where exactly is the "buddhism"?? All I see is bizarre cult-like behavior. I never saw anything like this when I was in the gakkai cult org.. This is completely unrecognizable to me. It just keeps getting weirder and weirder.


- Hitch

More unrecognizable $GI CULT meeting antics [www.youtube.com].

Multi-colored cult bead necklaces, plastic cult queen crowns and lots of cult love-bombing hugs for everyone.

I ask again, where is the "buddhism"?

Stranger and stranger.

Perhaps someday, they will also give out Ikeda Dear Leader cult pins (similar to this [static3.businessinsider.com]).


- Hitch

If the $GI pseudo-buddhist cult org. had a female dear leader, it would probably look like this [www.youtube.com].

Female version of The Dear Leader's Cult Fan Dance.

The cult marches (dances) on.


- Hitch

Quote
Hitch
The celebration at a "grand reopening" of a $GI CULT pseudo-buddhist community center [www.youtube.com].

Now, I ask you, where exactly is the "buddhism"?? All I see is bizarre cult-like behavior. I never saw anything like this when I was in the gakkai cult org.. This is completely unrecognizable to me. It just keeps getting weirder and weirder.


- Hitch

There's a woman at 3:58 not clapping and not looking amused. What are you supposed to do, sit there and watch people dance and hope that maybe the next meeting you'll have the 'ichinen' to get up and be silly cuz that shows a high life condition?

Quote
rattyboy

[www.youtube.com].


There's a woman at 3:58 not clapping and not looking amused. What are you supposed to do, sit there and watch people dance and hope that maybe the next meeting you'll have the 'ichinen' to get up and be silly cuz that shows a high life condition?

Exactly. I would have been gone in a heartbeat if this kind of stuff happened at a meeting I was ever at.

Another thing that is unrecognizable and beyond belief to me, is the $GI-USA Cult Org. General Director Nagashima sitting up front and center (dark suit), getting up and joining in. Bizzaro-World time. In some ways, I hardly recognize this cult anymore.


- Hitch

Quote

He lived in a hut, the small plot of land on which it stood is preserved. There are also early paintings of him, two of which are deathbed scenes showing the Gohonzon hanging behind him sans butsudan. One has been posted on my blog.

I'm sure. Such is the mythology. I'd be willing to wager that the "early paintings" are at least decades later, and that they're only accepted as genuine within the sect that claims them as "evidence" that theirs is the authoritative Nichiren sect.

That's what's been typical between the various Nichiren sects. Surely you don't believe that the Dai-Gohonzon is genuine as Nichiren Shoshu's mythology describes?

Quote
Hitch


Love Dawkins' documentaries. Am very familiar with them. I've posted this one before, but here it is again [www.youtube.com] (Slaves To Superstition). The very beginning introduction has people chanting the magic NMRK words. Dawkins' reaction is priceless. It's exactly how I feel about it all now, too.

- Hitch

I love Dawkins too - I wish he (and others like him) were on UK TV more rather than our endless chat shows and constant promotion of psychic phenomena.

Have you checked out this one?

[www.youtube.com]

The chanting lady pops up again - this time not chanting NMRK. She is a faithhealer based in Glastonbury (UK centre of everything new age). It is a rather entertaining clip - LOL.

Dawkins makes some great points about how we can end up making some very dangerous choices if we do not base our decisions on reason and evidence, but instead choose to get sucked in by the latest media hypes. More brainwashing at society level!