Borgs

Pod people

Zombies (borrowed from anthropology/folklore, now universal)

Vampires

Thralls

Thrall - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionaryb : a person in moral or mental servitude. 2. a : a state of servitude or submission
<in thrall to his emotions>. b : a state of complete absorption <mountains could ...
www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrall - 162k - Cached - Similar pages

More dedicated thralls in action:

"Soulful Sensei" - [www.youtube.com] (The new Ikeda Cult Master "Forever Sensei" thrall version)

"$oka Train" - [www.youtube.com] - (From Ikeda Cult Master's "official" guidance encompassing 4 "critical" points)
1. Chant Daimoku (the magic words)
2. Shakubuku (converting others into thralls)
3. Home-V (peer pressure to re-hook thralls who are backsliding or not "enthralled" enough)
4. Study (of course, Ikeda The Cult Master writings, for indoctrination of dogma)

As I mentioned in a previous post, no. 1 encompasses the pillar of "Faith," no's 2 & 3 are the pillar of "Practice," and no. 4, the pillar of "Study." Nothing changes, it's all the same playbook.

(At the 1:15 min. mark, somebody literally yells "Get Up!!," in a tone demanding people join in the thought/behavior regressing ritual.)

Thrall leadership appointments to cult in-house manufactured positions - [www.youtube.com]
"Raise one other person in faith. Leadership allows you this opportunity."
"Unless you are doing something for somebody else, then you are not practicing Nichiren buddhism."
"You have to serve others, in order to get the full benefit." "Otherwise, you are just practicing for yourself."

Translation:

Take careful note of the heavy ladened cult-speak throughout (like "Kosen-rufu," "leader," "strengthen," "determined," "opportunity," "encourage," "challenge you," "stand-up," "tremendous," etc.) You also get double-bonus-points when you use combinations of any of the above, such as "tremendous opportunity!" I kid you not.

There are also typical cult manipulations at play, such as guilt-tripping & doublethink/doublespeak. ("You are not practicing correctly, only for yourself." When ironically, you are to only completely serve the cult.org itself. Assimilation, slavery, servitude.).

Also note, the early intimations of the borg(thrall) mental-implant download manifestations in the first speaker's behavior/mannerisms/word usage/and speech patterns. The process has begun for that individual.

Hardcore "Men's Division" indoctrination (by the same speaker?) - [www.youtube.com]
Personal note: I'm not sure this kind of crap would have gone over well with the men's division that I was familiar with when I was in. In my opinion, things have gotten a bit more hardcore for the men's division. Sad to see grown men fall for this stuff.

Love-bomb the "members" as they arrive (bused in from out-of-town, far away areas). [www.youtube.com]

Notice, they have combined the YMD "rah-rah" activities together with the MD (men's division) activities, to kill two birds with one stone. This clip tells me two things:
1. They don't have the numbers to have separate meetings for the two different groups, and . . .
2. They are desperate by treating the men's division members like hardcore YMD. In other words, once again, they are lacking in adequate "thrall" numbers.

- Hitch

Careful drinking the Kool-Aid

Kosen-Rufu Kola - [www.youtube.com] (You just can't make this stuff up.)

[en.wikipedia.org] ". . a figure of speech commonly used in the United States that refers to a person or group holding an unquestioned belief, argument, or philosophy without critical examination. It could also refer to knowingly going along with a doomed or dangerous idea because of peer pressure. The phrase typically carries a negative connotation when applied to an individual or group."

This a glimpse into one variety of the inane skits that members (in this case "YOUTH!" division) are called upon to partake in, especially at monthly Kosen-Rufu Gongyos and/or discussion (zadankai) meetings. Yet another form of infantalization of behavior (acting silly) for thought stopping purposes (the psychological projection in this case is ironically very telling).


- Hitch

And a couple more, demonstrating the Gakkai cult in action:

If not silly skits (as above), then amateur "artists" engage in cultish performances - [www.youtube.com]

Skits and performances are always preceded by Gongyo/Daimoku (magic chanting sessions) and highly formalized speeches by lower tier "leaders" (cult terminology) - [www.youtube.com]

Notice the strict, rigid, formality that these young "leaders" are displaying. This is prototypical "YOUTH!" training effects. Very militaristic and authoritarian atmosphere on display (again, in complete contrast to the touted "World Peace" "Buddhist" organization facade - yet another reminder of the doublethink/doublespeak/& double behavior/action inherent to the gakkai cult).

Also note, the Cult Master Ikeda large color photo overlooking all of the attendees, in the upper right portion of the room doorway. This is hardcore New York area cult kaikan stuff.

Following skits/amateur performances, a "special" "VIP" high-level "Senior" "leader" (ideally, preferably, & usually, salaried) speaks. This is the climax of the cult meeting. You won't find many clips on YouTube of this portion of the meeting, simply because it is verboten.

Once the senior leader is finished, there is usually a high-energy "pick-me-up" song performed by all.

[www.youtube.com] (Dear Leader song. Note gakkai cult tricolor pom-poms hanging in the doorway on the right side of the room, as well as the tricolor lace decorating the stair handrail leading up to the stage on the left side. Again, hardcore NY cult kaikan event.)

[www.youtube.com] (A more manic, frenzied, YMD version of the same. This from the FNCC cult retreat in Florida - the post-ex-communication "new" tozan-pilgrimage site, featuring The Dear Leader Museum.)

The cult meetings are always formally concluded with 3 recitations of the magic chant (daimoku sansho).

Then, the real work begins: "senior leader" individualized "guidance" sessions to deeper indoctrinate key members with adjusted implant cult-think and/or to redirect straying members who are veering off-path, back on to the correct cult outlook path. Also, this is the time that zaimu (monetary donations), subscriptions (official cult propaganda material publications) are informally solicited, along with future cult event meeting obligations (transportation, promises, logistics, distribution of responsibilities) and other "administrative" details (such as statistic collection, etc.).

Repeat the vicious cycle every month, peppering with extra-special manufactured cult anniversary and seasonal dates & events. (At the height of my time in, the cycle was repeating weekly, sometimes multiple times a week.)


- Hitch

Hitch, I note that there's not a number on your list for studying anything other than ikeda-ism. I think it's important to be aware that there is no real Buddhism within sgi; the only thing that's studied are ikeda's interpretations of nichiren's goshos. And the whole "practicing for others" is utter BS; there is no selflessness in sgi except, perhaps, among idealistic new members who haven't had it programmed out of them yet.

Based on my most recent experience (a little over a year ago), their youth numbers are pathetically slim. While this varies from district to district, of course, there was one YWD member and one YMD at the time of my departure. Of the "active" district members, all but one were in their 50's and 60's - the outlier was the son of the MD leader, and he had recently aged out of YMD. These numbers were fairly representative of attendees at krg.

It's important for sgi to keep the existing members ever more hard-wired to the org - with an aging population, their ranks will (hopefully) be thinning.

Hitch, I note that there's not a number on your list for studying anything other than ikeda-ism. I think it's important to be aware that there is no real Buddhism within sgi; the only thing that's studied are ikeda's interpretations of nichiren's goshos. And the whole "practicing for others" is utter BS; there is no selflessness in sgi except, perhaps, among idealistic new members who haven't had it programmed out of them yet.

Based on my most recent experience (a little over a year ago), their youth numbers are pathetically slim. While this varies from district to district, of course, there was one YWD member and one YMD at the time of my departure. Of the "active" district members, all but one were in their 50's and 60's - the outlier was the son of the MD leader, and he had recently aged out of YMD. These numbers were fairly representative of attendees at krg.

It's important for sgi to keep the existing members ever more hard-wired to the org - with an aging population, their ranks will (hopefully) be thinning.

The public tends to take a rather nonchalant view of cults that aren't murderous, suicidal or publicly crazy. They have no idea of the deep psychological damage that done to members of the quieter groups.

I've mentioned that a couple of us are running anti-sgi subreddits. An sgi member joined a conversation over there a couple of weeks ago. Initially, his posts were articulate and intelligent. He was having doubts about the organization (a member for 30+ years) - he had a lot of reasonable questions and countered our position reasonably, although as you might expect a cult member to do in defending his beliefs. It was a pretty enjoyable conversation, actually. Over the past week or so, though, it's been as if we've been witnessing the disintegration of his entire psyche . . . he's rapidly unraveling. He admits to depression and possibly being bipolar (the latter in the past day or so), and I have to wonder if this isn't the result of trying to separate from the cult. For the past three decades, his entire self has been tied to sgi; could it be that now that he's questioning that, his identity is falling apart?

I'm not a doctor (nor do I play one on TV), but this makes sense to me. I finally advised him that we really can't support or help him and have urged him to seek professional help. The poor guy is really in bad shape.

There is another group called OneTaste which sells OM "meditation" linked with public sex activity, and the LGAT kitchen sink thrown-in.
You could call it a sex-LGAT.

OneTaste, Nicole Daedone, sex-LGAT warning
[forum.culteducation.com]

One part that reminds of SGI, is that after their "experience" the OneTaste members go on the microphone, and "brag" about what an amazing experience they had, yadda yadda.

Its identical to the SGI dynamic, where SGI members are encouraged to get up and testify about the amazing chanting results they get from SGI.
Obviously that is designed to get members of the sect to sell the sect, and also leads to competition and thus exaggeration and fabrication of benefits, to get the approval of the SGI leader present.

Its the same dynamic with OneTaste, where each person would start to compete with others and exaggerate and fabricate to get the approval of the leader.


Its a clever cultic technique, get the followers to compete with eachother to "brag" about the sect in some way, and this will lead to more Tall Tales and exaggerations to get the attention and approval of the sects leadership.

meh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hitch, I note that there's not a number on your
> list for studying anything other than ikeda-ism. I
> think it's important to be aware that there is no
> real Buddhism within sgi; the only thing that's
> studied are ikeda's interpretations of nichiren's
> goshos. And the whole "practicing for others" is
> utter BS; there is no selflessness in sgi except,
> perhaps, among idealistic new members who haven't
> had it programmed out of them yet.

Very much agreed. When I grew up in the cult, there was more MWND (Major Writings of Nichiren Daishonin) "study" going on, than Ikeda stuff. It was not as Ikeda-centric as it is now. In my opinion, it's gone completely off the rails with regard to becoming a cult of a (living) personality. The Ikeda slant was always there, but just not to the degree that is evidenced now. I think it's a reflection of both the insecurity of The Dear Leader and of the priesthood short-leash being severed by the ex-communication.

I also agree that the gakkai cult was never about "selflessness." Even from the very beginning when people joined, it was about personal gain. Then, following the "honeymoon" period, it was quickly refocused to be about tying your own personal gain to become entirely contingent upon serving the cult organization (subscriptions, zaimu, activities, propagation, etc.). Also, the more you give, the more they want and the more they expect, until one is in a position of constantly striving to stay in the good graces of the "leaders" above them. In order to successfully do so, ironically, one must also necessarily abandon any and all genuine buddha-like behavior in their actions, interactions, and treatments of others (i.e., one must lie, twist, manipulate, coerce, pressure, cover-up, and otherwise become a generally not nice kind of person). The only "niceness" that I saw (overall), was when one was doing only what they were supposed to do and meeting or exceeding "leader" expectations. If not, then you were either backsliding (cult-speak), not demonstrating actual proof (more cult-speak), or being made to feel guilty because you were not "selflessly" serving the cult org. enough (i.e., threats of mystical damnation or lessening one's karmic retribution; again, all more cult-speak).

It's all a crock of BS, but can have a terrible effect on people most susceptible to magical thinking (which is all of us at some point in our lives, especially as children) and deeply shackle them to become slaves to ritual & superstition.


The Anticult Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Its a clever cultic technique, get the followers
> to compete with eachother to "brag" about the sect
> in some way, and this will lead to more Tall Tales
> and exaggerations to get the attention and
> approval of the sects leadership.

Absolutely. Also, whenever very high level "senior" leaders were in attendance, they would attempt to bring out the big guns in terms of confirmation bias experiences (the kinds involving substantial financial karma / health karma / family karma / or any kind of generic karma change or substantial life benefit). The most inane kinds of "member experiences" were only trotted out at lowly district level meetings or monthly kosen-rufu gongyos (especially those "slow" months).

You were also tacitly "encouraged" (yet more cult-speak) to come up with "benefits" from your "practice." They put ideas into your head, if you are a kid in the org., so as to start you off down the road of quintessential mental confirmation bias/delusion. As for adults, yes, they also engage in inter-district, inter-region, inter-member, inter-leader competitions to outdo each other with their tall-tales of mystical cosmic influences that benefit their lives, the lives of their family or loved ones, in some way, shape, or form. Whomever hits the biggest cosmic jackpot does so because of the "correctness" of their "practice," "level of repaying their debt of gratitude" (i.e., monetary donation/zaimu/tithing), depth of their "faith" (in Ikeda - The Dear Leader's words of wisdom), or dedication to serving the cult org (in terms of time, commitment, responsibility, & enslaving others via shakubuku or proselytizing).

I have never heard (I emphasise the word NEVER) a single "experience" from my entire life growing up in the gakkai cult, of what I would consider a "benefit" that could not be ultimately chalked-up to some form of confirmation bias on some level.

- Hitch

Hitch, was it you that supplied the link to that demented YWD girl's ranting and raving performance? If so (and if you can find it with a minimum of effort), could you please provide it again? Thanks!