Barbara's Buddhism Blog has had two good articles on SGI -- one on the Ikeda-King-Gandhi exhibit and the other on naming the park gate after Ikeda.
In her article on the Ikeda-King Gandhi exhibit, she asks the same question that many of us have -- how can you compare Ikeda to Gandhi and Dr. King?
-----------------------Beginning of Quote, Barbara's Buddhism Blog----------------------------
Barbara O'Brien: "If you're struggling to place Daisaku Ikeda: He is the president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a lay Nichiren Buddhist organization. I'm sure he's a nice fella, and I'm aware that he has directed SGI into doing a lot of good work. But does he belong in the same league with Gandhi and King? I'd like to give SGI members a chance to explain why he does. "
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buddhism.about.com]
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Response #25, from "Luisa," who says she is a psychotherapist, is interesting because it reflects the way a lot of SGI members and leaders argue.
--------------------Beginning of Quote, Barbara's Buddhism Blog----------------------------
Luisa:
"Barbara, All these negative remarks about President Ikeda are off the mark. They are fear based and inaccurate.
As a Soka Gakai Buddhist and psychotherapist SGI Buddhism does not confuse Buddhism and Psychology.
President Ikeda is honored per se by members because he sees us and we see us as no lesser capacity than he or Nichiren Daishonin or Shakyamuni Buddha. We are hence no lesser than and of no less capacity I say.
The proof is that one by one each of us are in fact transforming our lives home, work and environments slowly but surely and are trully becoming happy individuals. Ultimately this is the purpose to attain fulfillement create value that is what Soka means create value.
I am sure by reading these comments above that none of these individuals who have commented negatively about the SGI or President Ikeda have ever spent a moment in reading about the history of our movement nor have they read any of President Ikeda’s writings. That we can and will and do overcome the four sufferings in life as described by Shakyamuni Buddha to attain absoulute happines is proof enough and will continue to be. Thank you!
With My Deep Respect and Appreciation for these comments,people are stirring and I am not surprised,
freedom at the same time is most empowering as well as can create fear."-----------------------End of quote------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Luisa mentions fear at the beginning and end of her comments. Why? I didn't find anything about fear in Barbara's piece, nor in the preceding 24 comments. People were just asking what exactly Ikeda has done that would make him the equal of Gandhi and Dr. King. How is that fearful? This is a typical SGI argument. If you don't agree with them, you are blind, afraid, stubborn, or something uncomplimentary. SGI members often go for a personal attack of critics rather than having good arguments to rebut their critics.
And honestly, it's SGI that uses fear to manipulate people. Leaders tell members that their lives are going to fall apart if they leave or criticize SGI.
2. She says SGI Buddhism does not confuse Buddhism and psychology. Well, who said it did? The issue was what Ikeda has accomplished. Luisa is introducing a topic that is totally unrelated to this argument, and arguing against something that nobody said! This is also typical of SGI members when they are losing an argument. Let's throw in something totally irrelevant!
Luisa is the one who mentioned that critics of SGI are fearful, perhaps of freedom...it sounds as if SHE's the one confusing Buddhism and psychology. (Or she would be if SGI were actually Buddhism.)
3. Ikeda sees his followers as his equals? Then why is he the mentor and everyone else is supposed to be the disciples? SGI members ARE of no less capacity than Ikeda -- I agree with that, but does SGI actually teach and believe that? My experience is that it doesn't.
4. ALL the SGI members are transforming their lives for the better? Really? How in the world could she know what ALL the SGI members are doing?
Many of us have seen that a lot of members seem to be struggling with the same problems year after year. Many of us have noted that our friends and relatives who are still in SGI really don't appear to be any more successful, healthy or happy than nonmembers from similar backgrounds.
Some members actually seem to be held back by SGI. The amount of time that they spend on SGI activities keeps them from spending time improving their education, advancing in a career, or maintaining good family relationships. Many of us who have left have found that our lives are better for many reasons -- less guilt and manipulation, more time for the things and people that really matter to us.
5. Critics of SGI cannot possibly have read anything by him? Well, given his penchant for using ghostwriters, I don't know how much of his work I actually have read. :-) But again, Luisa is making assumptions and attacking. She can't possibly know how much any posters have read of Ikeda's work. Most sounded very knowledgeable, I thought. But as far as she's concerned, anyone who criticizes Ikeda is just ignorant. So typical of how SGI members attack critics. Does she realize that many of us don't think much of Ikeda because we HAVE read his writings? (Again, if the writings were even actually written by him, and not the ghostwriter.)
6. She says she has respect and appreciation for these comments. I don't know, so far this does not sound very respectful or appreciative to me.
She thanks Barbara for giving her the opportunity to tell SGI critics how ignorant and fearful they really are. Well, at least she's trying to be polite.
7. And that ending -- if you disagree with Ikeda, you must be afraid of freedom. And have a nice day!
And this woman says she's a psychotherapist? Please. This is an individual who makes huge assumptions about people she knows nothing about. She speaks of respect and yet insults anyone who disagrees with her. If you question her assumptions, she tells you that you are ignorant and fearful...if you weren't so dumb and fearful, you would love Ikeda as much as she does. I just hope that she can look at her clients' issues more clearly and objectively than this.