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commongirl
I think you should report the behavior of this member right away! [...]
I hope you do so right away. One of the first things I learned, after being discouraged by the behavior of another member, is never to seek the Law outside myself. You have discovered a philosophy that could enable you to unlock your most beautiful potential. Please don't give that treasure way based on the poor behavior of someone else. It would be like, as Nichiren Daishonin explains, "exchanging gold for rocks." The SGI is like any other community in that it's a microcosm of society as a whole. That means there will be sincere people and not-so-sincere people. But I have come to appreciate it as a collection of ordinary human beings, each doing his or her best to change their lives.
Commongirl
Commongirl -- I don't entirely disagree with you. I too value the Gosho and the Lotus Sutra. I can also agree that there are good people and bad people in SGI, just as there are in any other organization. I didn't dispute that. My concerns are as follows:
1. SGI members are encouraged to "seek guidance" from leaders regarding any kinds of problems that they face in life. It's reasonable, then, to ask what kind of qualifications leaders have to give advice on sensitive issues like domestic violence, abuse, and mental illness. From what I have seen in almost twenty years with SGI -- most leaders are NOT prepared to advise members on such issues. As a result, with good intentions, they often give inappropriate advice that makes the problem worse.
2. Not to bash our Japanese leaders, who are practicing in the United States -- but in the Japanese culture, a wife who is being abused is often blamed for it. She is advised to be a better wife and try to please her abusive husband. Some of our Japanese leaders may tend to give that advice even here in the States. From what I have read of domestic violence, this is exactly the wrong advice to give. The more one tries to cater to and please an abuser, the more he (or she) feels free to bully the victim.
3. The Japanese culture is simply very different from western culture; Japanese leaders simply may not understand nonJapanese members' issues and with good intentions, give poor advice. (Certainly the reverse can happen too.)
4. Leaders always give the advice to chant more. What if you've chanted for hours every day and you still can't solve your problem? You not only still have the problem, but you feel like a failure -- and perhaps that's kept you from looking for better, and more practical solutions.
5. In the "Fraught With Peril" post, the young woman's leaders DID know of the boyfriend's violent behavior -- and yet still chose him to be a unit leader! Also, I can't believe that Songshand's leaders knew this men's division leader for so many years and did not know about his issues with violence.
I think in both cases, the men were allowed to be in leadership positions because their leaders believed that involvement with SGI (and chanting) would fix their propensity toward violence. I think it was a poor choice, putting a violent person in a leadership position -- a position of power, authority and trust. What would these two men say if one of their members confides, "My husband hits me." ? I suspect they'd say "Stop annoying him then!"
And if a member complains about bad treatment by such a leader? Are that leader's leaders going to be willing to say, "Oh, I made a mistake by putting him in that position." ? From what I've seen, no. One woman who posted here -- maybe Gingermarie? -- spoke of her struggles with an abusive male leader. Their leaders did nothing to help her deal with him, telling her that "it was her opportunity to change her karma." Yet President Ikeda has always insisted that male leaders are to treat women fairly and with respect. She said that, and was told "You can't wag Sensei's guidance at people." Really? Then why does SGI do it all the time?
So, no, I am not questioning Nichiren Buddhism, or expecting all members and leaders to be perfect all the time. My point is, that in SGI, leaders can have too much power without accountability -- and lack proper training in how to handle difficult issues.