Of course Buddhists usually believe in the sanctity of life, and some won't even kill a fly or tiny spider.
But the Buddha was very clear, that does not apply to human beings. As long as human's are given a nice meal, they can be executed by the government.
The Buddha and Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr all were huge supporters of the US death penalty, and their ideal was Texas, where they do it right.
Of course, China has the best policies and statistics on the death penalty [
www.amnesty.org] and China also has the best and most honorary professorships as well. [
forum.culteducation.com]
For SGI members to be such outrageous slanderers, to have an anti-death penalty speaker at their meetings, is cause for serious retaliation.
If they invite that dangerous extremist Helen Prejean (the nun who inspired the movie "Dead Man Walking), they deserve what they get. (Its been said that the nun Helen Prejean actually is an anti-SGI NST priest!)
For example,
QUOTE: [
www.sgi-usa.org] "According to the Buddhist teachings, prior to Shakyamuni slanderous monks would have incurred the death penalty".
So these former SGI troublemakers are lucky, back in the day, the troublemakers and slanderers would have incurred the death penalty, and been executed on the spot by the man in charge.
If anyone voiced a contrary viewpoint to the Buddha or his organizations and financial investments, they were executed, convicted, and sometimes even had a trial, everyone knows that.
_______QUOTE_______________________
[
groups.yahoo.com]
Sat Aug 4, 2007 6:27 pm
Byrd Ehlmann
Death Penalty (Was: Throwing Up)
Hi, Anna - I think the remedy is not to condemn the Gakkai or its
leadership for these matters, but rather to do what the Ankers in
Granada Hills are doing - that is, forge ahead and have the meetings,
just don't have official SGI permission to do it. If Julius wants to
invite Sr. Helen Prejean (the nun who wrote "Dead Man Walking") to
speak, he just finds enough members who would be interested in
hearing her, sets up the talk, and then holds the talk. If he wants
to set it up so that people do gongyo as part of the meeting, then
that's up to him. I think these sorts of things are being "worked
out", and that soon enough, the SGI will develop some sort of policy
in regard to guest speakers. What happened in Granada HIlls was that
Bill Anker invited Ryuei Michael McCormick (a friend of his,and also
of mine, who happens to be a published author and a minster in the
Nichiren Shu) to speak at his home. As a result, the Ankers were
forbidden to have SGI meetings at their home, and were removed from
their position as district leaders. Personally, I think this was an
assinine move on the part of the organiztaion, but it has ended up
working out quite well - the meetings at the Ankers' home are
flourishing, and they're a good opportunity for people to chant
together and support each other in faith without all the rigamarole
that goes along with the SGI (e.g., statistics, "guidance", etc.)
Another very very positive feature of these meetings is that it's OK
to learn about other forms of meditation (we've done seated silent
meditation and walking meditation, as well as loving-kindness
cultivation practice), other Nichiren groups such as the Nipponzan
Myohoji (see dharmawalk.org), and we make wonderful new friends.
For me, the district and chapter organizations often feel
like "assigned friendships", but the alternative meetings have
allowed me to really make new friends with Nichiren Buddhists I would
not have met "through the line". I think they're fabulous. Julius
can do the same thing. At the end of the day, he can set up the
talks he is discussing, it just doesn't involve the Gakkai as an
organization at all.
Stay well and happy, all. I have lost 25 pounds over the last 2
months! Diet and exercise! I still have about 50 to go, but I sure
feel a lot better that Iused to!
Best, Byrd in LA
--- In
SokaGakkaiUnofficial@yahoogroups.com, "Anna" <bodhianna@...>
wrote:
>
> How can there be question on Buddhist view of death
> penality? Buddhism uphold sacredness of all
> life, even lives of those who destroy life. It is
> appalling that a Buddhist leader, Linda Johnson, who say
> she is opposed to death penalty does not have the
> courage to stand up for own convictions, and so much
> worse, participates in this barbaric practice. Have we
> not heard million times to put beliefs in actions?
> Where is actual proof is this case? Where is setting
> the good example?
>
> Rosa Parks oppose death penalty. If she were alive still
> would she be allow to speak to Julius group? Would that
> be upsetting? Would she be allowed to meet Mr. Ikeda?
>
> Gandhi also opposed to death penalty: "I cannot in all
> conscience agree to anyone being sent to gallows. God
> alone can take life because he alone gives it."
>
> If there is NO official opposition from Ikeda-SGi-Komeito...
> > > To the DEATH PENALTY in Japan, then perhaps Mr. Ikeda
> should remove his name from all things associated with
> Mahatma Gandhi.
>
> Namaste,
> Anna
>
[...]
--
> --
> > Hi,Byrd!
> > Yes I still am processing my experiences...
> > It is a tough job, even after 5 years.
> > My deception was great because I really believed in SGI and cared
a
> > lot about SGI.
> > I still feel very concerned and responsable for its
> members,specially
> > those I brought in,and those I followed,for many years.
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> -
> >
> >
> > My mother was a huge anti-death penalty activist, and, as
> > > you know, it's something that is still practiced here in
> California
> > > (not as much as they practice it in Texas, but we do execute a
> few
> > > people each year.)
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
-
> > I lift my hat to your mom.
> >
> > I hope California(I`ve been there several times and I loved it!)
> will
> > soon find the courage to stop executing people legally.
> > If California does it, many others will also follow the example.
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> -
> > > <snip>
> > >
> > >
> > > Our SGI-USA womens' division leader, Linda Johnson, has been an
> > > appellate death penalty prosecutor for years here in
California.
> I
> > > remember about ten years ago, when I was interested in
practicing
> > > law, I gave her a call and asked if it was possible to work in
> her
> > > office without prosecuting what she called "capital cases".
The
> > > answer was no - if you wanted to work in her office, you had to
> be
> > > willing to prosecute the death penalty. Maybe things have
> changed
> > > now that we have a different governator, but that was my
> experience
> > > then. I've heard her mention this matter in her talks a number
> of
> > > times, so people must raise the issue with her. She has
> repeatedly
> > > said that she doesn't "believe in " the DP, but does the work
> > anyway,
> > > and trains other attorneys to do the work. Personally, I find
> that
> > > kind of double-think alarming, but that's me. Me, I pretty
much
> > just
> > > try to advocate what I believe in, especially if the taxpayers
> are
> > > paying me. But that's me, and maybe my precious conscience is
> why
> > I
> > > found the practice of law so stressful.
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> -
> >
> > Maybe she is a better person than others,in that job...
> > I sincerely hope she is.
> >
> > But she should not be allowed to give lectures on buddhism as
long
> > she sends people to death.
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> -
> >
> >
> > >
> > > I think every country pretty much has its own PR department in
> > regard
> > > to promoting President Ikeda and whatever the issues close to
his
> > > heart may be at any given time. What plays in Europe will get
> > played
> > > up in Europe, and what plays in America will get played up here.
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> -
> >
> > I think you are right...
> > And I am really disgusted about it!
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> > > >
> > > As far as I know, Japan still has a DP, with somewhatsporadic
> > > enforcement (that may have changed - does anyone have any more
> info
> > > on this?)
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> -
> >
> > Take a look at AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL`s web site on death penalty
in
> > Japan....
> > You will be horrified by what you will read.
> > :-(
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
--
> -
> >
> >
> > I think you may be looking for some sort of consistency in
> > > political principle from the Gakkai, Kim. It don't think
you'll
> > find
> > > it.
> > >
> > > Bye for now, Byrd in LA
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------