Some random replies to many of the recent posts here:
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Nichijew
SGI and Codependency
Control patterns:
--I believe most other people are incapable of taking care of themselves. — Giving guidance whether or not guidance is sought.
--I attempt to convince others of what they “should” think and how they “truly” feel. — “President Ikeda says we should…”
--I become resentful when others will not let me help them. — “You lack faith”.
--I freely offer others advice and directions without being asked. — see above
N
That sums up just about every annoying gakkai cult org. "leader" that I've ever known or encountered. Especially the first and last ones:
"Giving guidance whether or not guidance is sought." / "I freely offer others advice and directions without being asked."The arrogance (and ignorance, because they go together) was sometimes staggering.
Being in the gakkai cult org. programs you to lose all sense of normal social decency boundaries while interacting with others. They are either super fake with non-members or slip into super-caregiver-all-knowing-oracle mode when dealing with members (those below them in "faith" of course). Members above them in "faith" or "leadership" position, reverses the roles again, with them becoming the subservient one.
I used to ask fellow members, "Who asked them (the "leader") for their advice and what exactly qualifies him/her to comment on the situation??" What made it all the more absurd, was if you bothered to look beyond the superficial facade, the "leader's" own personal or family life was often not in an ideal state worthy of emulation in and of itself to begin with.
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sixtyseven
A posting from today on facebook by a young woman from soka university:
"President Ikeda came to Soka University last Saturday(29th June). Seikyo Shinbun reported about it. :D No one saw him though but he was with the President of Soka University and other senior professors. Today we received a delicious cake from him. And now I just wait for the day when I will meet him ♥ Sensei... sensei. .♥ Yaayyy :D"
Oh so mystic, no one saw Ikeda the good man and Seikyo Shinbun reported about it? It seems that the cake trick is still working. (The ♥ are heart symbols)
If she chanted enough, maybe she got a piece that The Dear Leader licked his fingers with before touching it, too. Talk about a genuine benefit experience for the next zadankai meeting ...
With this kind of mindset, I'm sure the intelligent $oka Cult U. student is enjoying her piece of Dear Leader cake, with one of these "official" gakkai cult U. kewpie ("QP") dolls dangling from her cellphone, too: [
sogakuservice.co.jp] / [
sogakuservice.co.jp]
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corboy
Was the cake home made, or at least from a good bakery?
Or the sort of thing one can get from a supermarket/Costco?
Inquiring minds want to know.
At least make the cake using real butter, real eggs. And if chocolate, the frosting should contain melted hard chocolate, powdered sugar, and butter, with genuine vanilla and a touch of salt.
Mr. Williams-Sadanga once splurged for McDonald's lunch (one thin hamburger, small fries and small coke) for us "YOUTH!"
once! We were so grateful, too and I remember, it
was good (I was a starving YMD at the time). I even remember some of the more hardcore faith gakkai-bots sansho'ing (is that a word?) and thanking the general director in spirit before even opening their bags.
(Btw, sansho = the magic chant, x3, [
www.youtube.com])
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TaitenAndProudQuote
whether one of the district members should be allowed to have a toso or not
Good lord - why should such a thing even be an issue? Isn't it supposed to be a GOOD thing if people want to chant more??
Reminds me of back when I was a YWD in Minneapolis. The YWD and YMD were planning a series of youth division study meetings, and our leaders told us we weren't allowed to. Why not? "Because the YWD will be studying the YMD and the YMD will be studying the YWD!" Can you believe that crap? 3/4 of our YMD were GAY, for goshsakes!
It floored me then and it floors me now - making it HARDER for people to do what they supposedly want them to do?? Whatever happened to "faith, practice, and study" being the core components of being an SGI Buddhist??
The gakkai cult org. tries to program it into you that you should not take any direction or make any independent decisions in life, without first obtaining cult org. "leader" blessing or approval. They even tell their salaried leaders, where to go, what to do and where to live, in service of the cult org.. Such a mindset is a prerequisite to surviving and climbing the cult org. ladder.
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simplifyQuote
sixtyseven
Yeah, want to know too. I was never so close to the Master that I received directly a cake from him. Delicious it was, she said, maybe Kaneko had spent hours in the kitchen for cousin rufus icing in gakkai- tri- colours. Imagination and strong faith is required, the yellow buttercreme had exact the same tone as Sensei's fresh face!
Sorry to disillusion you, I was delegated to buy cakes and refreshments on several occasions. They came from the local supermarket. They were then announced as being from Senseless and handed out in breaks between lectures on 'courses' (aka mind control sessions). Oh god, the doublespeak and cognitive dissonance, those are painful memories. Needed a load of carbs to quiet that down. But hey, maybe Senseless owned the supermarket?
I can second "simplify's" "experience." I saw the hardcore YMD automatons dispatched to the local McD's, after being barked at with the orders; the same ones who later handed out the bags with the cold fries and the luke warm melted ice drinks to all of us. They looked worn out from all the running around trying to please their own "leaders" and terrified of making any mistakes in the process.
- Hitch