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wakatta1
I recall in one meeting a leader said that when you are doing shakubuku the end justified the means, i.e. if you had to avoid a sticking point, tell a white lie, or gloss over an organizational problem in response to that person's question, then that was okay since you were doing it out of "Buddhist Mercy".
Has anyone else heard this line?
Wakatta1
Not those exact words, but the message came through loud and clear. I remember when there would be guests at meetings. Leaders warned members to behave in an animated, cheerful way. We were warned not to discuss organizational problems, the Komeito party, financial donations, or the priesthood -- the goal was to "sell" guests on SGI. I also heard members telling guests things like this:
"There is no pressure to donate money."
"You should just try the practice; if you don't see changes in your life, then you can just quit."
"You can still be Christian and chant. I heard of this nun in New Jersey who chants "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!"
"We are a world peace organization."
"You can join SGI and still be yourself." (Then why do I have to do the "rah-rah-rah" act when guests come? That is just so not me!)
"You can change anything in your life if you chant."
A friend of mine questioned this; the leader came back with the "Parable of the Burning House," from the Lotus Sutra. This guy goes out of town, leaving his kids, and comes back to find his house on fire. He calls the kids but they won't come out, so he tells them that he has some beautiful carts for them to play with. That does the trick -- the kids come out to play and are saved from the fire.
Leaders have also cited another parable, in which the father's away, but this time the kids drink poison. He returns and prepares an antidote. Some of the kids drink it right away, but several won't. The father tells the kids he's dying, or going away permanently, I forget which. This somehow motivates the kids to drink the antidote and be saved.
I heard those parables and all I could think was, "That guy should have gotten a better nanny!" I know, that's not really the point. The parables are comparing life without Buddhism to being in a burning house, or being ill and deranged from drinking poison. Leaving the burning house or drinking the antidote stands for accepting Buddhism, and to SGI members, specifically joining SGI.
In both cases, the father had to lie to his children to save them. So, naturally according to SGI, it's all right -- even commendable -- to lie to guests to get them to "save" themselves -- ie, join SGI! SGI will use that rationalization forever.