Chronic Unease -- Pay Attention
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: November 09, 2013 05:12AM
The glory and danger of being human is we readily adjust, adapt and then normalize almost any situation.
Including the sensation of feeling uneasy. If we stay too long in a sitaution that gives us misgivings -- we can become used to it.
This is from a former member of a quite different group. But his insights are so transferable to SGI that I am putting this here.
Including the sensation of feeling uneasy. If we stay too long in a sitaution that gives us misgivings -- we can become used to it.
This is from a former member of a quite different group. But his insights are so transferable to SGI that I am putting this here.
Quote
The question for this post remains:
[pitfallsofspirituality.blogspot.com]
How can I, personally, just for me, decide whether I am deluding myself (or am being led to delude myself)?
I think part of the answer lies in `unease'.
Accepting some form of unease for a prolonged period of time might well lead me to a serious form of self-delusion. (You might call this the heart-approach)
Another part lies in: `face the facts'. Making a factual list of the important issues, I might be able to pierce through the cognitive dissonance avoidance mechanism. (You might call this the mind-approach)."
------------------------------------------------
Earlier the author writes how many groups (he was in Sahaj Marg/Sri Ramachandra Mission (SRCM) use a partial truth approach, especially when recruiting newcomers.
[pitfallsofspirituality.blogspot.com]
(quote)skip to main | skip to sidebar pitfalls of spirituality
a personal blog about spirituality, spiritual methods and movements.
Dear reader
Why do I write about pitfalls of spirituality?
My purpose with this blog is to crystallize and share my thoughts and experiences, in the hope that you and I may benefit from them. From 1993-2005 I practiced a so-called spiritual method (Sahaj Marg). Ultimately I realized that this method - and especially the organization around it (Shri Ram Chandra Mission or SRCM)- was contrary to some deep spiritual layer in myself. I came to some clear conclusions, and also to some still developing insights.
One still developing insight is that almost everybody is looking for some form of spirituality in their life. Therefore there are many spiritual methods and movements, often with similar pitfalls to the ones I experienced.
Many people follow a well-trodden path which is defined by the group in their immediate vicinity. Others are prompted by their heart and/or head to look for spirituality that makes sense on a personal level. Spirituality gives fulfillment -humanity as one, universal love growing, one with the buddha- as well as direction through life's tough questions.
I write about the pitfalls of spirituality because so many others seem to write mostly about the bliss of their own approach to spirituality. This bliss to me actually seems a pitfall.
Understanding the pitfalls I deem essential to gain more spiritual insight. For me this actually translates into a lighter and more loving heart. I do not believe that understanding is the key issue in spirituality. But I do believe that misunderstanding can block key issues (although to which degree probably varies with each person).
Please bear with my frequent use of I feel, seems to me, in my not so humble opinion and so on. It is to emphasize that I do not consider any of my opinions to be more than that. I cannot bring you universal truth. In my not so humble opinion [imnsho] universal truth is a major pitfall in spirituality.
Dear reader, I hope you find something worthwhile on these pages. Friendly reactions, which may be as critical as you like, are always welcome.
Tips how to read this blog
* Please start with the closing remarks (click on the link), they should provide a balanced perspective on this blog.
* There is a list of 20 pitfalls in the sidebar. Clicking on a pitfall will provide a number of posts in which that pitfall is discussed to some extent.
* If you have time, consider starting with the oldest post, and simply going through to each next post. This probably gives the most faithful ;-) reading...
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query "partial truth". Sort by date Show all posts Showing posts sorted by relevance for query "partial truth". Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Partial truth, secrets & things unsaid
OK. From my last comment on the previous post, one more pitfall strikes me as occurring commonly enough to mention separately.
In many spiritual movements (religions included), there are things unsaid and unrevealed, especially to `newcomers'. For instance, one may start out innocently in our Spiritual Movement, and slowly notice that all the top executive functions in the Pyramid and even almost all the midlevel executive functions are filled by men. So then one asks: `how come?'. And only then it turns out that in the philosophy of the Movement, the spiritual essence of `woman' is seen as different from the spiritual essence of `man', leading to the conclusion that men and women need to be separate at meditation and that the Guru can never be a woman, and all sorts of other consequences.
Truly Interested Seeker (TIS): `But you said spirituality unites? You said we are all humans, and we should not distinguish between race, age, poor, rich, man, woman,...yet here you are, drawing this thou-shalt-not-cross-line down the middle?'
Orthodox reply (OR): ` As one progresses on the Spiritual Path, insight grows. In the beginning, our Leader kindly takes the hand of the seeker, and slowly reveals the Truth according to the capacity and condition in the practicant. Do not doubt, doubt poisons the heart and weakens the will. Although man and woman are equally important, they are not spiritually equal, it is a given of Nature. As your heart sheds its old beliefs and false western preconceptions of emancipation, you will progress to the next stage.'
#####
Of course such examples of enlightenment-in-degrees set the stage for a glorious role of Partial Truth.
Partial Truth is where one can claim: I never lied to you, I just didn't tell you everything. A nice example of this (I think):
I push your car in the canal at night. You come back the following day, and think it stolen. I say: `One never knows, perhaps someone pushed it into the canal'. Did I lie?
#####
Partial truth is the perfect strategy to avoid confrontation, and yet still maintain a facade of truthfulness. It is an essential ingredient of manipulation. To be continued. (unquote)
and
(quote)I'm talking about the large majority of cases where telling partial truth -leaving important things unsaid, hidden- or even lying is simply an instrument to avoid confrontation, or for personal gains. In a large majority of cases, I think we know what the truth is, or we know so enough, but we choose to tell only a part of it.
All a part of la condition humaine, I suppose. Still, for me it is a spiritual tenet to strive for truth, honesty, transparency / openness. The fact that we're not on that level yet doesn't mean for me that it would not be better if people were more honest with each other.
I believe this tenet to be advocated by most spiritual movements. Be truthful. Don't deceive. Yet many spiritual movements practice a graded truth in their Pyramid. And many spiritual movements keep things hidden, unsaid, unknown but to the Inner Circle. Examples of things kept hidden:
Financial holdings & dealings for instance, to be sure! But also controversies, power struggles, power abuse, sexual indulgence, other not so holy-looking behaviour, well the list of cover-ups is probably endless.
Marketing strategies for new books (what and when to release, what price to ask). Proselytization strategies (where to hold gatherings, which countries to visit, what message to give to newcomers, how to ensure retention of (new) practicants).
Also, and not as infrequently as one would think!, secrets and secret rites, initiations, secret organizational groups, secret meetings.
Parts of the spiritual theory (to be revealed when a practicant is singled out as a trainer or priest-like functionary)
Less-than-shiny details of its History
Criticism of the Movement by serious well-meaning people
#####
Suppose our generic Spiritual Movement consistently shows any or many signs of the above. In all honesty I do not see how one can rhyme this with `be truthful'. Apart from other unwanted effects, it also comes down to separating humanity once again: `Us in the know' and `Them not in the know'.
As I wrote earlier, uniting humanity to me seems a worthy spiritual endeavour although we are surely a far cry from such unification. To me, many of the pitfalls that are discussed on this blog actually hamper us in becoming united.
For me, to respect you and to feel connected, I cannot willingly deceive you. The same, but more difficult perhaps, holds for me deceiving myself as well. If I am honest to myself, only then can I be honest to you. Making mistakes, holding less-than-desirable thoughts, reacting `badly', it's all part of the game. To play the game sportingly, with respect and with others as my equals, this to me means that conscious deception of any form is out of bounds - ball to the other side...;-) so no moral pressure but you get my drift.
(unquote)
The owner of this blog has essays on several topics. Pour yourself a tall beverage and read.
[pitfallsofspirituality.blogspot.com]
20 Pitfalls of spirituality
1: Spiritual guidance
2: Universal truth & absolute truth
3: Bliss & happiness, pain & sorrow
4: Morality & moral pressure
5: Before & after life
6: Wonders & miracles
7: Money
8: Power
9: Belonging & fulfillment
10: Group dynamics
11: Us & them
12: Woman & man (gender, sexuality, homosexuality)
13: Ego & selflessness
14: Mind & heart, logic & feeling
15: Fear & temptation
16: Spiritual energy, holy energy, transformation power
17: Positive thinking & groupthink
18: Obedience
19: Partial truth, secrets & things unsaid
20: Cognitive dissonance avoidance & boundary control
A
Money and Spirituality Watch Your Ass-ets
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: November 09, 2013 05:15AM
Money--the Pitfall
Corboy note: Readers should be aware that the author of this perceptive essay is keeping things simple.
He does not list expenses for items that many gurus and leaders reward themselves with in private, such lavish artwork, hefty expenses for interior decoration and furniture, expensive cars, platinum grade plane tickets jewelry, clothes.
Some gurus fancy themselves musicians and may have additional expenses for recording equipment, a private studio or theatre for recording, mixing and production of in-house music. Does the guru need a private gym/swimming pool installed? Thats expensive, too.
If a guru is aging, he or she may opt for plastic surgery. That isnt cheap. (Easty to hide, though. The guru can go on a retreat, slip into a private clinic someplace and return when all healed up and bruises are gone)
The author also does not factor in expenses for a guru's relatives. Some gurus may have relatives who look to them to finance the clan's medical expenses, their children or grandchildren's college educations or weddings--a heavy expense in India and Pakistan, btw.
Money, selfperpetuation, accountability
[pitfallsofspirituality.blogspot.com]
Corboy note: Readers should be aware that the author of this perceptive essay is keeping things simple.
He does not list expenses for items that many gurus and leaders reward themselves with in private, such lavish artwork, hefty expenses for interior decoration and furniture, expensive cars, platinum grade plane tickets jewelry, clothes.
Some gurus fancy themselves musicians and may have additional expenses for recording equipment, a private studio or theatre for recording, mixing and production of in-house music. Does the guru need a private gym/swimming pool installed? Thats expensive, too.
If a guru is aging, he or she may opt for plastic surgery. That isnt cheap. (Easty to hide, though. The guru can go on a retreat, slip into a private clinic someplace and return when all healed up and bruises are gone)
The author also does not factor in expenses for a guru's relatives. Some gurus may have relatives who look to them to finance the clan's medical expenses, their children or grandchildren's college educations or weddings--a heavy expense in India and Pakistan, btw.
Money, selfperpetuation, accountability
[pitfallsofspirituality.blogspot.com]
Quote
"In the field of spirituality there are actually very little material necessities, so there is in fact very little real spiritual need for money. A small budget goes a long long way if one sticks to the spiritual essence.
But this cannot remain so if one wishes to `secure the Future of the Movement and its Pyramid'. This wish for self-perpetuation brings with it the 5 Goals. And for this Serious Money is necessary. This Serious Money will buy influence, land, places of practice/worship, books and other missionary activities, juridic securities such as trademarking the Movement's name, good lawyers, professional services in every necessary field. It will provide recognizance from governments, banks, local authorities, and any other entity which comes along.
To be really sure of Money, not only now but also in the future, many if not most organizations (such as NGO charities for instance) look to establish a Trust Fund, which invests the available money to yield an optimal interest. Ideally, this interest should at any time suffice to pay for the then-current needs of the Movement.
#####
Assuming that one cannot safely expect such yield to be higher than say 5% per year, this means that the Trust Fund has to be 20 times larger than what the Movement needs in a given year. And if the Movement grows, then to maintain the 5 Goals its financial needs also grow, and so its Trust Fund must grow accordingly.
This is -I think- a very real explanation for the many money schemes that one sees around Spiritual Movements (and to be honest, many other `charitable organizations' as well).
Because people are asked to donate for building churches / meditation halls / hospitals / natural disaster relief / publishing books /... where in fact, most of the money goes into the Trust Fund. They are sold books, audiovisual materials, you name it, all under the cry: we need money to help the needy and stricken...where in fact it is the Trust Fund which needs to grow.
#####
But the very aim of `securing the future of the Movement' to me seems very unspiritual. It shows a rather profound lack of faith in God, if I may be so bold to point this out. God surely doesn't care under what name or form humanity grows spiritually, I would say. A spiritual movement which cannot obtain directly what little it really needs, doesn't seem worthy of a Trust Fund at all. Self-perpetuation of the Movement is contrary to the natural change of things. Change is the only aspect of Nature we can really be sure of. Change to me is a spiritual value.
Not to mention that hoarding money in a Trust Fund has several very unspiritual drawbacks. Firstly: this money is not available to give the direct help which is really necessary NOW in many parts of the world.
Secondly, the investment of the money in the Trust Fund is often left to financial professionals whose expertise is in the increase of money. NOT in whether this increase of money was brought about in an ethical let alone spiritual way.
Just last year, a documentary in the Netherlands revealed that many charitable NGO's had invested large sums of money in the weapon industry, and other enterprises which were often diametrically opposed to what the charities collected money for.
Thirdly, the managing of large amounts of money unfailingly brings with it the pitfalls of greed, mismanagement, cover ups etc. Please read this article in the National Catholic Reporter as an illustration of what I mean.
#####
How to avoid all these complex pitfalls? Strangely, the answer is simple [imnsho]: transparency & accountability.
Transparency of goals and means and organization. This means that we tell everyone, in a simple and clear way, what we really aim for. And how we intend to achieve this materially and organizationally.
Public accountability of assets and liabilities, and all material transactions. This means that we tell everyone, in a simple and clear way, how much money and property we really have. And also what we have done with it, and why."
Methods of Control
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: November 09, 2013 05:17AM
Again, this was written by someone who served time in a quite different group.
THose who have been in SGI can examine this and see whether any of the items match what they have seen.
[pitfallsofspirituality.blogspot.com]
THose who have been in SGI can examine this and see whether any of the items match what they have seen.
[pitfallsofspirituality.blogspot.com]
Quote
(quote)Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Techniques used by Gurus to control
In the same vein as the previous post, I repeat a post from Michaels blog. It gives a different perspective on many of the pitfalls discussed here, and may be easier to recognize for some.
######
Seven Techniques Used By Gurus to Control The Masses (by Michael, from his blog Inner Circle of SRCM)
Establish High Ideals
• Establish noble, high sounding principles, such as selfless service, closeness to God, and brotherly/sisterly love.
• Insist that your teachings are free and the birthright of all.
**• Demonstrate charity in a highly visible manner.
Define and Enforce Exclusivity in the Organization
• Every Guru must have an exclusive hook to differentiate themselves from others.
• The exclusive nature of the system or Guru must be re-emphasized at every opportunity.
• Disciples are trained to also extol the virtues of the system’s exclusivity in every conversation.
Exploit a Higher Authority
• Designate a “Higher Authority” that can be attributed to for literally everything.
• Higher Authority must be easily identifiable by disciples. Abstract higher authorities such as “God” are generally not as effective as a dead person.
• It is critical that the Guru can claim to be in direct communication with this Higher Authority.
• The Guru’s example of love and servitude to this Higher Authority serves as an example to disciples as to how to treat their Guru.
• Miracles, which happen naturally in an emotionally charged environment, can be attributed to this Higher Authority
• Disciples will naturally transfer all things credited to the Higher Authority to their living Guru.
Establish and Maintain an Inner Circle
• Guru creates contentious environment around themselves for people to earn their trust.
• Those who fight the hardest and most effectively for inner circle status are rewarded with positions of authority and grandeur.
• The Guru must treat inner circle members with strictness and humiliation when necessary to maintain their loyalty and subservience.
• The Hierarchy established through the Inner Circle is a critical tool for a Guru to maintain exclusive control as the organization grows.
Foster the Image of Humility
• The Guru will exploit any ailments or physical injuries to get sympathy by silently suffering.
• If no physical ailments exist, the Guru can use exhaustion from serving his disciples as an ailment.
• The Guru does not directly complain about ailments, but uses the Inner Circle to propagate stories of his humble suffering for the cause.
Establish and Maintain Total Control
• Demand total devotion and trust
• Guru uses their own total devotion and trust to their “Higher Authority” as an example
• Blame all disciples failings on not having sufficient faith in the Higher Authority or lack of dedication to the practice.
• Establish an organization to hold and manage wealth collected.
• Exploit that wealth through the organization, not directly
• Enjoy the services of devoted disciples as their expression of devotion to the Higher Authority(unquote)
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
StillTaitenAndProud
()
Date: November 09, 2013 09:41AM
"So many comments beg the question - if you're so unhappy in the group, why the hell are you still in it? "
In all fairness, I think that was the list from the EX-SGI members!
In all fairness, I think that was the list from the EX-SGI members!
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
StillTaitenAndProud
()
Date: November 09, 2013 11:15AM
Wow, the trust fund discussion was a real eye-opener. Can't argue with any of it, though!
Wanna talk partial truths? Here are a couple:
1) With so many people practicing Buddhism within the SGI organization for so many decades, multiple generations in some cases, where are the enlightened results? Who in the world *RIGHT NOW* is actually, verifiably "enlightened"? There should be SOME enlightened people, if what the SGI tells the members is true. Or was that one of the little details that got changed when the SGI had to re-invent itself as a new religion to be able to keep its legal benefits after Nichiren Shoshu excommunicated it and thus yanked out from under it the legitimacy SGI had been claiming to that point?
2) Partial truth - next time some Christian tells you you have to acceptjesuschristasyourpersonalsavioretc., ask that person about infant damnation. You won't see that level of hemming and hawing and outright changing the subject anywhere else! Because, let's face it - if a conscious decision is required, then all babies who die in infancy (before they develop the ability to even understand Christianity, much less make conscious decisions about ANYTHING) go straight to hell. The dictates of a loving god in action. And if they tell you that others can pray them into heaven, ask why they won't do that for YOU. If they tell you that children get a free pass up to some "age of accountability," ask what that age is. Then ask why Christian parents don't murder their own children on the eve of that all-important birthday. Seriously! Let's be honest - MOST people reject Christianity, even when raised in it. Many more people in the world are not Christian than are, and Christianity is in decline. Jesus supposedly forgives every Christian's every sin, so for the Christian parent, there would be no fatal consequence to murdering his own children to save them from hell. What loving parent wouldn't suffer *ANY* consequence in order to make that guarantee for his children??
"Higher Authority must be easily identifiable by disciples. Abstract higher authorities such as “God” are generally not as effective as a dead person. "
This is fascinating. Probably why Christianity focuses so strongly on the supposed dead Jesus even while completely *ignoring* and avoiding Jesus's supposed "teachings."
The SGI's Dear Leader, Dai-Sucky Ick-eda, is either soon to be or already the SGI's DEAD Leader. Over the past couple decades, this a-hole has been positioning his repulsive and useless son, Hiromasa, to take over the international presidency, all the while insisting that the presidency, as with all other high-level leadership positions, is only bestowed upon the person who has WORKED HARDEST for the organization!
I think one of the problems with announcing Dai-Sucky's death is that the planned move of the untested, unaccomplished, completely unappealing and irrelevant Son-Of-Dear-Leader into the position of international president will, once and for all, make it clear that it's not what you DO, but, rather, who you KNOW, and ideally who you are RELATED to that makes the difference in the SGI. Of course the new international president will not be required to actually *DO* anything but refer continually to his sainted father, who will remain the ideal held up to all as the true object of worship. There are already lots of SGI members with a picture of his big fat face and greasy hair on their altars.
" The Guru’s example of love and servitude to this Higher Authority serves as an example to disciples as to how to treat their Guru."
...and the only difficulty here would be convincing people to transfer their adoration and devotion over to the new frogface. I think the SGI will bypass this step by insisting that it's the great toadface who must always be exclusively worshiped.
"Disciples will naturally transfer all things credited to the Higher Authority to their living Guru. "
I don't see this happening in the SGI. Ikeda has positioned himself as the ultimate cult figure, and even after death, the cult that venerates him as "a buddha for our time" will focus on his various activities, his awards (all purchased, no need to mention that detail), his completely hagiographed "autobiography" (what a joke!), and the articles, poems, "peace proposals", and even photographs attributed to him. No one need ever know how much ghostwriting was involved. Actually, frogface's claim to fame will no doubt turn out that his illustrious characteristic is that he's the *only one* who truly UNDERSTANDS toadface, because toadface was his father, and thus, he'll be the one to exemplify the "lofty" "Oneness of Mentor and Disciple" and "the importance of the mentor-disciple relationship in the practice of Buddhism within the Soka Gakkai for the contemporary age" (quotes from SGI). And thus will begin the Ikeda dynasty - each international president's son will take over, claiming unique intimate understanding of his predecessors' supreme supremacy, in an unbroken chain back to Dai-Sucky. Just like in North Korea.
"The Guru does not directly complain about ailments, but uses the Inner Circle to propagate stories of his humble suffering for the cause. "
Oh, yeah, SGI TOTALLY does that! Ikeda was supposedly a sickly lad who suffered so very terribly in just doing basic life tasks - he almost DIED! Weep for the imaginary sufferings of the richest man in Japan! Yet he CHALLENGED himself - for kosen rufu! - to "reply" to his "mentor" Toady Toda! And because he never felt sorry for himself and never took care of himself, he got better and became an international president who is now OBVIOUSLY just completely worthy of your perpetual and complete adoration and worship! NOW GIVE HIM ALL YOUR MONEY!
Since my post from before where I described this didn't survive the changeover, I'm going to repeat what happened when I called SGI HQ in LA and asked for a financial statement. I was told that, if I were to DRIVE UP THERE (2.5 hr drive), I would be allowed to go into a room, by myself, escorted by one or two YMD Sokas, and I would be permitted to *look* at a financial statement. No notes or photos would be permitted, and I couldn't bring anyone with me. How's THAT for transparent??
Oh, it's transparent, all right, but I don't think what we're seeing is what they WANT us to see!
Wanna talk partial truths? Here are a couple:
1) With so many people practicing Buddhism within the SGI organization for so many decades, multiple generations in some cases, where are the enlightened results? Who in the world *RIGHT NOW* is actually, verifiably "enlightened"? There should be SOME enlightened people, if what the SGI tells the members is true. Or was that one of the little details that got changed when the SGI had to re-invent itself as a new religion to be able to keep its legal benefits after Nichiren Shoshu excommunicated it and thus yanked out from under it the legitimacy SGI had been claiming to that point?
2) Partial truth - next time some Christian tells you you have to acceptjesuschristasyourpersonalsavioretc., ask that person about infant damnation. You won't see that level of hemming and hawing and outright changing the subject anywhere else! Because, let's face it - if a conscious decision is required, then all babies who die in infancy (before they develop the ability to even understand Christianity, much less make conscious decisions about ANYTHING) go straight to hell. The dictates of a loving god in action. And if they tell you that others can pray them into heaven, ask why they won't do that for YOU. If they tell you that children get a free pass up to some "age of accountability," ask what that age is. Then ask why Christian parents don't murder their own children on the eve of that all-important birthday. Seriously! Let's be honest - MOST people reject Christianity, even when raised in it. Many more people in the world are not Christian than are, and Christianity is in decline. Jesus supposedly forgives every Christian's every sin, so for the Christian parent, there would be no fatal consequence to murdering his own children to save them from hell. What loving parent wouldn't suffer *ANY* consequence in order to make that guarantee for his children??
"Higher Authority must be easily identifiable by disciples. Abstract higher authorities such as “God” are generally not as effective as a dead person. "
This is fascinating. Probably why Christianity focuses so strongly on the supposed dead Jesus even while completely *ignoring* and avoiding Jesus's supposed "teachings."
The SGI's Dear Leader, Dai-Sucky Ick-eda, is either soon to be or already the SGI's DEAD Leader. Over the past couple decades, this a-hole has been positioning his repulsive and useless son, Hiromasa, to take over the international presidency, all the while insisting that the presidency, as with all other high-level leadership positions, is only bestowed upon the person who has WORKED HARDEST for the organization!
I think one of the problems with announcing Dai-Sucky's death is that the planned move of the untested, unaccomplished, completely unappealing and irrelevant Son-Of-Dear-Leader into the position of international president will, once and for all, make it clear that it's not what you DO, but, rather, who you KNOW, and ideally who you are RELATED to that makes the difference in the SGI. Of course the new international president will not be required to actually *DO* anything but refer continually to his sainted father, who will remain the ideal held up to all as the true object of worship. There are already lots of SGI members with a picture of his big fat face and greasy hair on their altars.
" The Guru’s example of love and servitude to this Higher Authority serves as an example to disciples as to how to treat their Guru."
...and the only difficulty here would be convincing people to transfer their adoration and devotion over to the new frogface. I think the SGI will bypass this step by insisting that it's the great toadface who must always be exclusively worshiped.
"Disciples will naturally transfer all things credited to the Higher Authority to their living Guru. "
I don't see this happening in the SGI. Ikeda has positioned himself as the ultimate cult figure, and even after death, the cult that venerates him as "a buddha for our time" will focus on his various activities, his awards (all purchased, no need to mention that detail), his completely hagiographed "autobiography" (what a joke!), and the articles, poems, "peace proposals", and even photographs attributed to him. No one need ever know how much ghostwriting was involved. Actually, frogface's claim to fame will no doubt turn out that his illustrious characteristic is that he's the *only one* who truly UNDERSTANDS toadface, because toadface was his father, and thus, he'll be the one to exemplify the "lofty" "Oneness of Mentor and Disciple" and "the importance of the mentor-disciple relationship in the practice of Buddhism within the Soka Gakkai for the contemporary age" (quotes from SGI). And thus will begin the Ikeda dynasty - each international president's son will take over, claiming unique intimate understanding of his predecessors' supreme supremacy, in an unbroken chain back to Dai-Sucky. Just like in North Korea.
"The Guru does not directly complain about ailments, but uses the Inner Circle to propagate stories of his humble suffering for the cause. "
Oh, yeah, SGI TOTALLY does that! Ikeda was supposedly a sickly lad who suffered so very terribly in just doing basic life tasks - he almost DIED! Weep for the imaginary sufferings of the richest man in Japan! Yet he CHALLENGED himself - for kosen rufu! - to "reply" to his "mentor" Toady Toda! And because he never felt sorry for himself and never took care of himself, he got better and became an international president who is now OBVIOUSLY just completely worthy of your perpetual and complete adoration and worship! NOW GIVE HIM ALL YOUR MONEY!
Oh, yeah, that *ALL* applies to the SGI!Quote
Establish and Maintain Total Control
• Demand total devotion and trust
• Guru uses their own total devotion and trust to their “Higher Authority” as an example
• Blame all disciples failings on not having sufficient faith in the Higher Authority or lack of dedication to the practice.
• Establish an organization to hold and manage wealth collected.
• Exploit that wealth through the organization, not directly
• Enjoy the services of devoted disciples as their expression of devotion to the Higher Authority(
Since my post from before where I described this didn't survive the changeover, I'm going to repeat what happened when I called SGI HQ in LA and asked for a financial statement. I was told that, if I were to DRIVE UP THERE (2.5 hr drive), I would be allowed to go into a room, by myself, escorted by one or two YMD Sokas, and I would be permitted to *look* at a financial statement. No notes or photos would be permitted, and I couldn't bring anyone with me. How's THAT for transparent??
Oh, it's transparent, all right, but I don't think what we're seeing is what they WANT us to see!
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
meh
()
Date: November 10, 2013 12:10AM
I think it's been mentioned before, but one of the big advantages of being a religious nfp, both in the US and Japan, is that there is no legal requirement to provide financial information. That's troubling, even with a legitimate organization. Maybe if someone could get into the secret room with Google Glass and take some photos of those financial records?
We've also discussed the unease before, and how so many of us learned in our early lives to overlook those feelings. Sgi encourages that further by encouraging members to believe those feelings stem from their own shortcomings; poor practice, not chanting or that all-encompassing personality flaw of not being pure/good/strong/faithful enough to connect to the heart of senseless (how does one connect to something so greasy and slimy, anway?) Somehow, we have traits that make us prone to that manipulation.
I don't know what brought about the "awakening" that those of us here had that brought us to our senses - maybe the dissonance became too loud to ignore. We got a peak behind the curtain and saw the ugly little fat man back there.
It just takes that little glimpse that you can't overlook or shove under the rug, and you start looking harder. For me, it was a relatively easy decision to leave - what I read on this thread and from other sources makes it so easy not to ever want to go back. At this point, I've lost nearly every friend I've made over the past seven years (in fact, it's about seven years ago today that I received my gohonzon) - it's ok, but it makes me sad for them, that they're so trapped by all those lies and that they'd rather live in a web of deceit.
We've also discussed the unease before, and how so many of us learned in our early lives to overlook those feelings. Sgi encourages that further by encouraging members to believe those feelings stem from their own shortcomings; poor practice, not chanting or that all-encompassing personality flaw of not being pure/good/strong/faithful enough to connect to the heart of senseless (how does one connect to something so greasy and slimy, anway?) Somehow, we have traits that make us prone to that manipulation.
I don't know what brought about the "awakening" that those of us here had that brought us to our senses - maybe the dissonance became too loud to ignore. We got a peak behind the curtain and saw the ugly little fat man back there.
It just takes that little glimpse that you can't overlook or shove under the rug, and you start looking harder. For me, it was a relatively easy decision to leave - what I read on this thread and from other sources makes it so easy not to ever want to go back. At this point, I've lost nearly every friend I've made over the past seven years (in fact, it's about seven years ago today that I received my gohonzon) - it's ok, but it makes me sad for them, that they're so trapped by all those lies and that they'd rather live in a web of deceit.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
corboy
()
Date: November 10, 2013 06:32AM
I dont know the fine points of law on this but perhaps another advantage to claiming religious status is that one can claim clergy confidentiality.
Or...does one have to belong to an officially recognized faith tradition to claim clergy/penitent privilege...
No denying the financial advantages.
Or...does one have to belong to an officially recognized faith tradition to claim clergy/penitent privilege...
No denying the financial advantages.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
StillTaitenAndProud
()
Date: November 10, 2013 11:34AM
"At this point, I've lost nearly every friend I've made over the past seven years (in fact, it's about seven years ago today that I received my gohonzon)"
That's another key feature of both intolerant belief systems and cults. Especially when it's both together. They isolate their members by setting up an "us against them" mentality that gradually whittles the member's social network down to only fellow members. Remember all that talk of "zenchishiki", the so-called "good friends" who are supposed to encourage you to practice harder??
We've talked about this some in the past, but it bears repeating. The "private language" that only fellow members can understand (gongyo, esho funi, kosen rufu, hendoku iyaku, zangue, tozan, byakuren, kotekitai, soka han, fujin bucho, daimoku, etc.) is quite effective at isolating the member - he can only discuss these topics with fellow members, you see, because attempting a discussion with a non-member includes a daunting amount of explanation and translation, typically accompanied by increasing embarrassment as the outsider makes it more and more clear that what you are saying is nonsense.
The various activities that keep a member both busy AND surrounded by other members make sure there is less time for socializing *outside* of the organization. And those who insist on spending more time with outsiders are "challenged" to do more activities in order to improve their lives etc., with the unacknowledged goal of isolating the member.
You don't find many mentally healthy people in these groups. People join up because they're in a vulnerable condition, suffering, needy. Of course they have lots of problems! So these groups promise that, if they only do as the group dictates, everything will get better and they will be able to become both happy AND successful! And if that hasn't happened, it's an opportunity for the group's leaders to remind the member that doing MORE activities, spending MORE time on the group's priorities and practice, is the sure-fire way to fix all his problems.
When I joined in early 1987, there were discussion meetings every week. Every other night was a different activity - planning meetings, gosho studies, youth division meetings, special chanting sessions - I can't even remember them all. Oh, yeah, and going out to knock on doors or accost strangers to attempt to get more members - I hated that with a passion! I felt like such a tool.
When I joined, at meetings, the women sat on one side of the room and the men on the other. And everyone was expected to take their shoes off. If we needed to answer a question with a "Yes" or answer a roll call, we were trained to answer "Hai!" There were still the "A-A-O" chants - never DID understand what THAT meant - and most meetings were closed by a rousing singing of "Forever Sensei," which I found profoundly embarrassing. We were all supposed to put our arms around each other and sway back and forth while singing loudly and joyfully. Ugh.
I rather prefer my personal space, and obligatory bodily contact is distasteful to me.
That's another key feature of both intolerant belief systems and cults. Especially when it's both together. They isolate their members by setting up an "us against them" mentality that gradually whittles the member's social network down to only fellow members. Remember all that talk of "zenchishiki", the so-called "good friends" who are supposed to encourage you to practice harder??
We've talked about this some in the past, but it bears repeating. The "private language" that only fellow members can understand (gongyo, esho funi, kosen rufu, hendoku iyaku, zangue, tozan, byakuren, kotekitai, soka han, fujin bucho, daimoku, etc.) is quite effective at isolating the member - he can only discuss these topics with fellow members, you see, because attempting a discussion with a non-member includes a daunting amount of explanation and translation, typically accompanied by increasing embarrassment as the outsider makes it more and more clear that what you are saying is nonsense.
The various activities that keep a member both busy AND surrounded by other members make sure there is less time for socializing *outside* of the organization. And those who insist on spending more time with outsiders are "challenged" to do more activities in order to improve their lives etc., with the unacknowledged goal of isolating the member.
You don't find many mentally healthy people in these groups. People join up because they're in a vulnerable condition, suffering, needy. Of course they have lots of problems! So these groups promise that, if they only do as the group dictates, everything will get better and they will be able to become both happy AND successful! And if that hasn't happened, it's an opportunity for the group's leaders to remind the member that doing MORE activities, spending MORE time on the group's priorities and practice, is the sure-fire way to fix all his problems.
When I joined in early 1987, there were discussion meetings every week. Every other night was a different activity - planning meetings, gosho studies, youth division meetings, special chanting sessions - I can't even remember them all. Oh, yeah, and going out to knock on doors or accost strangers to attempt to get more members - I hated that with a passion! I felt like such a tool.
When I joined, at meetings, the women sat on one side of the room and the men on the other. And everyone was expected to take their shoes off. If we needed to answer a question with a "Yes" or answer a roll call, we were trained to answer "Hai!" There were still the "A-A-O" chants - never DID understand what THAT meant - and most meetings were closed by a rousing singing of "Forever Sensei," which I found profoundly embarrassing. We were all supposed to put our arms around each other and sway back and forth while singing loudly and joyfully. Ugh.
I rather prefer my personal space, and obligatory bodily contact is distasteful to me.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
meh
()
Date: November 10, 2013 07:42PM
Corboy, here's a fast-n-dirty answer to your clergy confidentiality question (US only):
[www.legalmatch.com]
I think an argument could be made that any org that promotes itself as clergy-free (e.g., sgi), one could contend that the confessee knowingly confessed to someone knowing that the confessor did not have clergy status. From how the attached is worded, there are no faith tradition qualifications. For a bit of a joke, I became a minister last year online; it was free, took less than three minutes and I can legally marry people (to each other) in my county of residence. That's how easy it is to become a minister, and I find it really scary that literally anyone can go online, get certified (with no study) and start promoting themselves as a spiritual guide.
[www.legalmatch.com]
I think an argument could be made that any org that promotes itself as clergy-free (e.g., sgi), one could contend that the confessee knowingly confessed to someone knowing that the confessor did not have clergy status. From how the attached is worded, there are no faith tradition qualifications. For a bit of a joke, I became a minister last year online; it was free, took less than three minutes and I can legally marry people (to each other) in my county of residence. That's how easy it is to become a minister, and I find it really scary that literally anyone can go online, get certified (with no study) and start promoting themselves as a spiritual guide.
Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Posted by:
StillTaitenAndProud
()
Date: November 11, 2013 01:56AM
Wow - really? Maybe *I* should become a minister! No telling how useful THAT might turn out to be, especially if I start a church or something!
The SGI, though, at one point was saying that its members were more priests than the Nichiren Shoshu priests, as it was the SGI members who went out to home-visit the members and recruit new members. So I think there's a possibility that it might at some point claim that leaders, at least, are "priests" or some equivalent name - if there's profit potential in that, of course.
The SGI, though, at one point was saying that its members were more priests than the Nichiren Shoshu priests, as it was the SGI members who went out to home-visit the members and recruit new members. So I think there's a possibility that it might at some point claim that leaders, at least, are "priests" or some equivalent name - if there's profit potential in that, of course.
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