Welcome back Wakatta 1. Good to see your presence here again - we missed you.

After looking through the links that corboy offered, all I can say that it can be a really scary world out there.

Someone commented (and I paraphrase here) that since Anticult is so familiar with the mind-controlling techniques used by BK, that perhaps s/he is using those techniques to further a personal agenda and found their own little cult.

The response to that (once again, paraphrased) is that the difference would be that someone who knows all the techniques but has a conscience wouldn't be interested in forming a cult.

My favorite quote of all, though, was this:

Finally, here is an old trial lawyer's proverb:

1) If the facts support your case, argue from the facts.
2) If the facts are against you, argue from the rules of evidence.
3) If the facts and rules are against you---scream and pound the table.

That's just kind of a perfect description of any opposition we've come across over on the reddit board. Lots of screaming and table-pounding!

Hi Wakatta!

No, they don't give up. They are like a dog with a rotting, putrefying bone - it's beyond their comprehension how anybody could walk away from such a fabulous way of life. After all, they can't, and they've been imbued with such wisdom by das org that, poor you, all they have to do is get you to open that door a crack and you will surely see the error of your ways.

The best course I've found is to use caller ID; I don't get calls any more (because I threatened them with legal action), but I don't take calls from names or numbers I don't recognize or that I know to be sgi-related. Whoever it is, whoever it is can leave a message and I'll call them back or I won't. I don't want to engage with these people in any manner, shape nor form. Sod 'em.

I'm thankful for caller ID. I've written the number down and will remember it in the future. What is a little worrisome is that it's been a lot of years since any of those folks have called, so I'm wondering if there is some sort of data mining campaign going on in Gakkai-land. Preparations for the big handoff to the heir?

'better out than in' -- Shrek

Wakatta1

@spartacus

Feelings mutual - kinda missed this little corner of the world :)

Wakatta1

I don't know when you left the organization, wakatta, but since 2010, they have been using bubble-version answer sheets in their exams, and I can't imagine they haven't been housing that data somewhere. It may have just been an out of the blue kind of contact - maybe they had a member-care meeting and someone said "aha! here's wakatta's membership card . . . here, noobie, give him a call and get some great benefit for yourself."

I did some research on misuse of personal information in the state of PA (where I live), and it was vague but menacing enough to make me happy - it stated that once permission for the use of personal information has been withdrawn, no matter how it was originally obtained (like me giving it to them), it can't be used for any purpose by the recipient of it. I did that after I discovered that I could still access my info on their website and that my subscription to WT and LB were still active. I honestly don't know if they still have my membership card - I guess I'll find out in April or May when they ramp up their contribution campaign.

I got a call on January 5th [my birthday] from the one who sponsored me 37 years ago, my so-called "shakubuku father". Everything was going well until he started talking about the greatness of Ikeda. I criticized him as a slanderer and my "friend" asked incredulously, "and Toda too?". I stated, "yes". No longer was he Mr. Happy Smiley Face as he hurriedly said goodbye.

Nichijew

PS Welcome back Wakatta and thanks to all for my welcome back.

Nichijew, I wish I could have seen his face turning purple when you criticized Ikeda and Toda as being slanderers. He probably had nightmares that night and had to run get emergency guidance immediately to prevent himself from automatically going taiten after being exposed to such an "evil enemy of the SGI" as yourself. It must have been terrifying experience for him, but now he'll be able to give an experience describing the great benefit he received by surviving his encounter with a "slanderer" that served to "deepen his faith" or some such usual cult drivel.

When SGI first came out with the Ikeda/Ghandi/King thing, I thought to myself, "what's this about? What did ikeda actually do to rate being honored next these giants of history?" In hindsight, now I finally understand why they really wanted to associate ikeda with Ghandi and King. Their main purpose was to create the illusion of ikeda's "greatness" in the minds of the members by associating him with two other people that were already recognized as giants of social reform. At the time, I thought it was merely a great PR stunt by the SGI to promote ikeda to the world, but now I see that its most useful purpose was to reinforce the brainwashing of SGcult members.

Ghandi and King were true movers and shakers in their respective countries and the world, whereas ikeda has done nothing to affect real social changes beyond creating a political party as a means to gain political power in Japan. Purchasing a grotesque number of honorary degrees and bribing the UN to give his precious SGI special status as an NGO does not make ikeda a great man, but it sure looks good on paper and keeps his little bots drooling as their tears flow in admiration. But merely submitting peace proposals to the UN year after year, decade after decade, do not qualify Ikeda to stand shoulder to shoulder with other iconic leaders of change in society. And establishing the largest corporate religious org anywhere, one that rakes in billions a year, is no qualification for elevated recognition either. IF ikeda's true intention was to actually promote world peace, the it is obvious to anyone not under his spell that he has failed miserably. But hey, at least he is rich and powerful with an army of fanatical followers.

The Sgi sought to solidify Ikeda's illusion of greatness by elevating him to the lofty status of ghandi and king through mere association. Whether or not the public bought the newly minted myth didn't really matter, just as long as the members lapped up the spoon fed pap of illusion. In reality, Ikeda is no "ambassador of peace", but golly gosh, doesn't that just sound wonderful? Members are effectively rendered into ikeda-bots that gleefully think to themselves, "my mentor is working SO hard to bring peace to the world - he's even the equal of King and Ghandi!".

Nichijew, I totally agree with your premise that ikeda and toda are slanders of Buddhism. Perhaps you could clarify your reasoning by laying out your case against them for all to see. Then visitors here can read for themselves why you believe ikeda and toda should be considered detractors of the dharma.

When the US military invaded Iraq, the SGI-USA refused to condemn or even criticize this imperialist offense against humanity, this international crime.

On the basis that it was more important to "support" the SGI-USA members who were members of the military and who were being sent over there to kill and destroy.

'Nuff said.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2014 05:24PM by StillTaitenAndProud.

The fifth anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan took place not long after I started practicing. I thought that surely, this would be a great opportunity for sgi to have a presence in the peace march that was taking place in Albuquerque! All about the world-peace-thing, right? I was very gently told that sgi couldn't risk pissing people off or offend them, so couldn't participate as an organization. Of course, if people wanted to go and march as individuals (NOT representing the org, it was stressed) they were certainly able to. Of all those solid, peace-wanting members, only two others besides myself went.

And I'm pretty sure that any of us could submit a peace-proposal a week to the UN (certainly if we had a cadre of minions and lackeys to write them up for us); that's sort of like saying that you write letters to santa every year. Big whoop.

As we all know, the whole cousin rufus gig is to gull well-intentioned people into the organization by making them think they're contributing something to making a better world.

And I have to say "slanderer" is a kind word for what senseless and toady have done to Buddhism . . . my words would be "pillaged and raped."