We just got our newest photo of President and Mrs. Ikeda in the mail yesterday, so I have another target in mind (I am imagining my wife's reaction if she ever heard me say that!)

Quote
ScoobyDooby
We just got our newest photo of President and Mrs. Ikeda in the mail yesterday, so I have another target in mind (I am imagining my wife's reaction if she ever heard me say that!)

I got that picture too -- and I haven't gone to a meeting in years! In May, I also got a cute picture of Kaneko and Daisaku, dressed in cute blue outfits. The attached letter called me a "Mother of Kosen-rufu" and wished me a happy Mothers' Day.

How much money do you think they spend mailing these pictures out to everyone? Enough to fund a decent youth education program?

What's next, an Ikeda calendar so we can enjoy their happy shining faces all year? They can wear leprechaun costumes in March, Easter Bunny ears in April...or maybe just carry an umbrella, April Showers and all....Pilgrim costumes in November. I can just see it. The Ikedas in Pilgrim costumes and the caption, "We are so thankful for sensei!"

Hey, how come I didn't get that picture??? I've been shunned....

Quiet one, if I'd known you wanted one, I would have sent you mine. As it is, I put it on my dartboard, and well, I had some friends over last night for darts and beer, and let's say, Sensei is not exactly a holy man any more...he's a holey man.

More Non-Buddhism From SGI Mentor, Daisaku Ikeda

"I have seen numerous examples of people discarding the path of mentor and disciple and instead taking the most deplorable course of betraying their mentor and fellow members. Theyhave invariably wound up spiritually bankrupt and in pitiful circumstances." -- Daisaku Ikeda

"This is the very kind of situation to which my mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, was referring when he said, "It may appear that our enemies are outside, but the most insidious enemies are within." Therefore, we must take a firm stand against those who seek to spread poison inside the organization. If left unchallenged, their noxious influence will pervade the entire organization and end up destroying everyone's pure faith. That is why it is imperative that we remain vigilant against those who would betray the teachings of our mentors." -- Daisaku Ikeda

He is confused about the non-dual teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Taking this to its ultimate conclusion, I can see why SGI leaders are paranoid. This [being wary of even their own members] together with their non-Buddhist guidance system with no privacy regulations, and what you get is a little Nazi Germany with everyone spying and telling on each other. For example, "John Public has been teaching he doesn't see a need for a living mentor." or "Debbie Smith has a Shakyamuni Buddha statue on her altar." or Buddha forbid, "Timmy Lagrue has exchanged his Nichikan Gohonzon for a Nichiren Gohonzon but he is still leading Gongyo as the Chapter Chief."

What a way to live! What a way to practice "Buddhism."!

Nichijew, Those quotes from President Ikeda are indeed disturbing.

A few weeks ago I was watching the History Channel. The show was about Nazi Germany and the rise and fall of Hitler. Perhaps SGI shouldn't be compared to such a horrific event as the rise of Nazism, but when I watched it I saw many parallels. I saw parallels between the fanatical German members and the members of SGI, the secrecy, the worship of the leader (in fact, Hitler was referred to as a mentor), the treatment of inside individuals who were questioning what was going on, the demand for absolute conformity, etc. A big difference, however, is that people have an option of joining or leaving SGI, and SGI can't hang on to members well. It is important that we keep communicating the realities of SGI and letting people know our experiences.

Interesting discussion on the Ghandi, King, Ikeda, exhibit:

[buddhism.about.com]

Quote
quiet one
Nichijew, Those quotes from President Ikeda are indeed disturbing.

A few weeks ago I was watching the History Channel. The show was about Nazi Germany and the rise and fall of Hitler. Perhaps SGI shouldn't be compared to such a horrific event as the rise of Nazism, but when I watched it I saw many parallels. I saw parallels between the fanatical German members and the members of SGI, the secrecy, the worship of the leader (in fact, Hitler was referred to as a mentor), the treatment of inside individuals who were questioning what was going on, the demand for absolute conformity, etc. A big difference, however, is that people have an option of joining or leaving SGI, and SGI can't hang on to members well. It is important that we keep communicating the realities of SGI and letting people know our experiences.

Another person stated these guidances by Ikeda were Stalinesque. Let us hope that physical violence is not an outgrowth of these teachings. There are however, a few reports of isolated incidents of physical violence within the SGI. We can do our part to bring to the fore such teachings of the SGI so that the mebers can reflect on these teachings and ultimately reject them as non-Buddhist.

Nichijew

Quote
quiet one
Nichijew, Those quotes from President Ikeda are indeed disturbing.

A few weeks ago I was watching the History Channel. The show was about Nazi Germany and the rise and fall of Hitler. Perhaps SGI shouldn't be compared to such a horrific event as the rise of Nazism, but when I watched it I saw many parallels. I saw parallels between the fanatical German members and the members of SGI, the secrecy, the worship of the leader (in fact, Hitler was referred to as a mentor), the treatment of inside individuals who were questioning what was going on, the demand for absolute conformity, etc. A big difference, however, is that people have an option of joining or leaving SGI, and SGI can't hang on to members well. It is important that we keep communicating the realities of SGI and letting people know our experiences.

When I was on the fence about leaving SGI, an acquaintance who already had suggested that I read Eric Hoffer's book, "The True Believer." Hoffer argues that with any mass movement, whether Naziism, Communism, or a religious cult -- there are a lot of similarities. Two groups may preach and espouse entirely different beliefs -- and yet often have the same psychology and tactics.

I went to a big convention once, and during it, I just had this memory of seeing a newsreel about Nazi Germany when I was in school. In this newsreel the Nazis were having some kind of big rally -- and just the wild, fanatical enthusiasm, and the audulation of the leader -- it just seemed so like SGI. I thought, "Am I crazy? SGI is nothing like Nazi Germany!"

I don't mean to suggest that SGI would advocate mass murder, or that Ikeda can be compared to Hitler. Still, there are disturbing parallels. 1930's Germany was socially, politically and economically unstable. Many Germans, especially young ones, must have been searching for stability and purpose, and their involvement with National Socialism may have felt as if it would give them that. They felt that they could create a better Germany, just as some Soka Gakkai members feel that they can create a better world. Both groups also created a despised enemy in order to unify themselves. Granted, Ikeda has not suggested putting anyone in concentrations camps. Would he, if he had the power to? What does it take for hate talk to become violent action, especially on a large scale?

-------------------Quote from Wikipedia, on Eric Hoffer's "The True Believer"----------------------------------------------------------------

The book evaluates and sometimes disparages communists, fascists, nationalists, and early Christians. Part of Hoffer's thesis is that movements are interchangeable and that fanatics will often flip from one movement to another. Furthermore, Hoffer argues the motivations for mass movements are interchangeable: religious, nationalist and class-based movements tend to behave in the same way and use the same tactics, even when their stated goals or values are diametrically opposed.

Hoffer argues that mass movements such as fascism and communism spread by promising a glorious future.

To be successful, these mass movements need the adherents to be willing to sacrifice themselves and others for the future goals. To do so, mass movements need to devalue both the past and the present.

Mass movements appeal to frustrated people who are dissatisfied with their current state, but are capable of a strong belief in the future.

As well, mass movements appeal to people who want to escape a flawed self by creating an imaginary self and joining a collective whole. Some categories of people who may be attracted to mass movements include poor people, misfits, and people who feel thwarted in their endeavors.

Hoffer quotes extensively from leaders of the Nazi and communist parties in the early part of the 20th Century, to demonstrate, among other things, that they were competing for adherents from the same pool of people predisposed to support mass movements. Despite the two parties' fierce antagonism, they were more likely to gain recruits from their opposing party than from moderates with no affiliation to either.

Hoffer does not take an exclusively negative view of "true believers" and the mass movements they begin. Examples he gives of positive true believers are Abraham Lincoln and Gandhi.
----------------------------------------------end of quote------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SGI, like other groups that Hoffer mentions, promises potential members a glorious future -- that they can both overcome personal differences and help create a better society (kosen-rufu, world peace). To gain such a future, members are encouraged to sacrifice both time and money. Like many of the members I've known, I joined at a bad time in my life -- I was frustrated, and dissatisfied with my life...so I was very susceptible to the promise of a better future, and willing to give up time and money in order to make this happen.

SGI does encourage members to rethink, reframe their lives in terms of "before SGI" and "In SGI." Your "before SGI" life was, of course, just not as good, and if anything good did happen to you then, it was rare, and random. Your "In SGI" life, was of course, much better, and anything bad that happened then was a test, or clearing out bad karma, or you just didn't follow your leaders' guidance enough, something like that.

-------Beginning of Quote, "The True Believer," Eric Hoffer----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The proselytizing fanatic strengthens his own faith by converting others. The creed whose legitimacy is most easily challenged is likely to develop the strongest proselytizing impulse."

"It is the true believer's ability to shut his eyes and stop his ears to facts which in his own mind deserve never to be seen nor heard which is the source of his unequalled fortitude and consistency."
------------------------------------------------End of Quote------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, I'm flashing back to an NSA (SGI) meeting of the 1980's, where members are screaming, "A-A-O! A-A-O! WASHOI! WASHOI! WASHOI! SHAKABUKU SHAKABUKU ALL THE WAY!" I don't know exactly what "A-a-o" or "Washoi" meant, but I knew "shakabuku." We were screaming our vow to go out and shakabuku, or try to convert, everyone we encountered!

Closing the eyes and stopping ears to facts, that sounds familiar too. It did not matter what information you could present to leaders, or the loyalist members -- it was all just some trick of "evil tabloids" or "jealous enemies of SGI" to discredit SGI. They simply COULD NOT believe that anything in SGI was less than wonderful. If you thought so, then something was wrong with you.