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quiet one
I think that SGI really tries to fill people full of fear. If they have any questions, any doubts, or just don't want to belong anymore, they are told that they are making a terrible cause and that they will loose everything that is good in their lives. Even missing a meeting is a terrible cause, according to some SGI leaders. If a person is led to believe SGI's dogma, then they will sincerely convey it to another person, who in turn starts believing it, and then espouses it to others. That's why everyone at the meetings seems to "be of the same mind"--they are all full of fear!
Now, many years later, I see SGI as a rigid, ineffective, and not very honest organiztion. SGI may be effective in recruiting new members, but it does not hang on to them well.
Actually, SGI has embarrassed me several times. I always feel embarrassed by the "Ikeda, King, and Ghandi" exhibit. Is President Ikeda like King or Ghandi?
I agree. I enjoyed my early years in the organization; I felt hopeful, valued and encouraged when I went to meetings. Yet honestly, there was some of this manipulation, fear and guilt-tripping even then. We were told that we'd have bad fortune if we left or criticized SGI, but there were enough positive messages to balance the negative. The atmosphere at meetings became much more negative and fear-based after the Nichiren Shoshu/SGI split, and it sounds as if it's only gotten worse.
lthomas, I used to do shakabuku, trying to get friends and family to come to meetings and join. At some point, I no longer could. I didn't want people I cared about having to experience the fear/guilt mongering. I didn't want them to be afraid to speak their minds. Our organization talked about courage, and dialogue -- then why COULDN'T I speak honestly? At some point, I realized: if I don't want my sister or my best friend suffering from SGI's oppression and negativity -- why was I putting MYSELF through it?
SGI also embarrassed me. At one of our major conventions, we were supposed to cheer wildly when these two leaders from Japan were introduced. Our leaders made us audience members practice cheering before the meeting began...several times until we finally cheered loudly and enthusiastically enough. I sat there thinking, "God, I'm glad I didn't bring any of my nonSGI friends; this is just so phony and over-the-top! Practicing this Buddhism is supposed to benefit US. Not putting on a big show to impress these Japanese big shots!"
At the after-the-split meetings, I felt that way too. All this talk about Ikeda, the wild cheering for him when videos were shown. Our leaders wanted us to bring co-workers to the meetings. My first thought was "No way! I don't want my colleagues to see this! These people are more excited about President Ikeda than a churchfull of Holy Rollers are about Jesus Christ! My co-workers would think I'm in some kind of bizarre cult!" My second thought was, "Well, why am I here, then?"
And yes, just the whole Gandhi/King/Ikeda thing is just embarrassing too. Ikeda cannot be compared to the other two men. What has he done that is comparable? Gandhi and King were willing to risk -- and lost their lives for their causes. They inspired masses of people from all kinds of backgrounds to create real change -- the end of British rule in India, ending some of the worst of the Jim Crow laws in America. What's Ikeda done? He's a rich man who lives like a rock star. Does anyone outside of SGI even know who he is? Did King and Gandhi have time to get honorary degrees, make videos, and have their pictures taken with famous people all the time? No, they were too busy actually getting things done.
lthomas, sorry about how the woman who shakabuku'ed you is acting. Very unBuddhist, criticizing you behind your back...and I don't believe that it was accidental that you got that e-mail. Buddhism is supposed to be all about valuing and respecting the individual. There's no value or respect in how those members are behaving, just fear and "You're either for us or against us." It reminds me of middle school, where the kids bond by picking on others...if you don't taunt and exclude "different" kids, you'll find yourself teased and rejected yourself.
As to why we haven't had more trolls -- the SGI loyalists are afraid of reading websites critical of SGI. Back when I was in SGI, I wanted to discuss something I'd read on the Buddha Jones site. My leader told me "You shouldn't be reading those stupid anti-SGI websites; they're just going to lead you astray! You're making a bad cause when you go to that site!" Yes, thinking about anything other than what SGI wants you to know is a bad cause, according to SGI. It's the standard cult "control the information" thing.
So the loyal members are not going to come here and read what we have to say. They're too afraid to. However, I'm sure that someone in the SGI senior leadership is aware of us. On another website, I read a post from one guy, who used to be in SGI. He said that he used to have the job of monitoring anti SGI posts on the Internet and reporting on them to his leaders. The leaders were especially interested in criticism of President Ikeda.
But I'm sure that our SGI lurkers and their leaders are all chanting for our happiness, right?