@ quietone,

Maybe, Mr. Ikeda is not behind it maybe he is, at this point it is irrelevant, the SGI as a whole is spreading a doctrine that is not Buddhism, also Mr. Ikeda has a son that is young enough and I would guess in contact with his own father, he could try and put a stop to it. One call to a local newspaper and that would at least make people aware. In any case , 20 years ago, there was more of a system of checks and balances, now there is no one to tell them to stop. As the "president " of the organization he has to accept responsibility, the fish alway stinks from the head down...

Certainly Ikeda is behind everything, in that he created the entire SGI structure, with Ikeda at the top. One can look back decades into SGI, and see Ikeda using crude Stalinist-style persuasion techniques on the SGI followers.
As detailed earlier in this thread, they fine-tuned and modernized their methods, especially in the USA.
SGI clearly hired some experts in mass persuasion and PR to market SGI-USA, but the overall structure was set by Ikeda.


Ikeda turned himself into a multibillionaire. And when Ikeda dies, whoever takes over SGI will take over those billions. Usually guys like Ikeda hang onto their power until their last breath, unless they lose their grip and someone else takes over behind the scenes.
Certainly Ikeda doesn't write any of the SGI content, and has hired ghost-writers to do that for decades.
But he has always been in control over the overall system.

SGI exerts powerful influence, and ownership of newspapers and media. If any papers or media do investigations into SGI, then SGI will send their army of lawyers after them.
It seems the only papers to really go after SGI were in Japan, and its been a battle there. This is why SGI constantly talks about yellow journalism, that is meant as a pre-frame to the investigations into SGI by papers in Japan.

Any son or heir of Ikeda, is very likely to want to take over the SGI empire.

The unfortunate thing with SGI, is that most people who get involved in it, just get caught up with the chanting, and wanting goodies from the magic of chanting, and don't understand the higher-level persuasion and manipulation strategies SGI is running on them.
They don't even know SGI has countless billions socked away in countless schemes.
As stated earlier in the thread, SGI might be the richest cultish sect on the face of the earth, its far richer than Scientology.

SGI-USA is brilliantly designed, to just extract cash with no expenses being paid out by SGI. On top of that, SGI-USA tells their members they are being supported by SGI-Japan, when in fact that is a total fraud tactic, to try and make SGI-USA members feel guilty, and give more money to SGI.
SGI-USA is also able to keep a fairly low profile, and stay out of the western media, and just recruits people person-to-person, and gets people to send in their dues, and buy the materials.
Even when Ikeda dies, SGI will keep right on rolling, and with all those billions, even if totally mismanaged it will run for decades more.

People in Japan are correct to have sounded serious alarms and warnings about SGI being a dangerous sect, it is.

Some interesting comments on this article.
One has to wonder what would have happened, if Ikeda had achieved his dream of ruling Japan. His mentality smacks of being a Dictator-for-life, but he was never able to make that happen.


Soka Gakkai boosts advertising on TV
[www.japantoday.com]

Forbes on SGI
[www.forbes.com]

Search Google for this string, and it gives many results from the JapanToday website.
Search Google:

"Soka Gakkai" site:japantoday.com





DPJ's Ozawa meets ex-Soka Gakkai president, sparking rumors of partnership
[www.japantoday.com]
Comment QUOTE:
"Is SGI a cult ? yes it is. To the followers, President Ikeda Daisuke is the 2nd coming of christ. They brainwash their members that SGI is fighting for world peace and all the show is president Ikeda meeting dignitaries around the world. With all the money they collect from members who are known to donate generously, they don't contribute to disasters around the world, instead of helping out in third world countries by building schools or hospitals they went and built the Soka university in Los angeles when the U.S already thousands of UNiversities. I know of many members who donate their entire summer or winter bonus to the oganisation. What religion would put a minimum amount (10,000yen) for thanksgiving donations ? SGI is not a religion, it was an umbrella organisation of Nichiren shoshu sect. How ever President Ikeda of SGI gained much influence due to the large followers so much so that he became more powerful than the head priest of the nichiren shoshu which resulted from SGI breaking from Nichiren shoshu. As a member you are forced to subscribe to the Seikyo newspaper, SGI graphics,buy numerous books by President Ikeda (when those he have time to write), buy a gohonzon (temple) costing more than a million yen. With SGI everything is about money."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2010 04:06AM by The Anticult.

@backnforth, quiet one, and Anticult You are all correct in agreeing that SGI has twisted Nichiren Buddhism into something non-Buddhist by declaring that, "For us, as practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism...it is the teacher or mentor who puts the teachings into practice that helps us connect to the Law. Mastering our minds means having a sincere seeking spirit in faith based on the shared commitment of mentor and disciple, and not being ruled by arrogant egoism or self-centeredness." Why don't they just come out and say that accepting Ikeda as THE mentor is the ONLY way to "master your mind"? I agree that guests and newer members are hoodwinked by promises of the many tangible payoffs of chanting only to then be told that the most reliable path to all the "goodies" is written and socially declared allegiance to this man none of them will ever meet and that few others here have ever seen. I heard attendance, especially by MD, was way down at the August MD-led discussion meetings. I started to feel bad about not attending my district's meeting. Then I had to remember why I left. Ah, if only I could stay and make SGI better. I considered that once, very briefly, a few months ago. Then I realized, especially after reading the posts on RRI, that it is naive to believe that a little district leader could effect any significant change. SGI would rather see people like me go than to change an organization that works fine for those who don't express their individual mindset and for those who profit from the way it is run. It's a pity. SGI is full of nice people who really are trying to make their lives better. I know that, but the leaders, publications, and die-hard members REFUSE to accept that reasonable people will not allow an organization, rich or poor, to tell them who to venerate in order to practice Buddhism. I really wish they would stop that. They won't accept how much many of us want them to stop that.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2010 08:06AM by doubtful.

Quote
backnforth
I am new to the forum. I am so happy to see some like-minded people with present or previous Gakkai experience. I wonder if some of you might help get the word out. The oneness of mentor/disciple is an SGI invention and people need to know. We should point this out to anyone we care about. The study material for the 'new' study exams to be held in October has a very disturbing bit of information, and those that we care about need to be made aware of this blatant doctrinal error. This is on P. 53 (available on the web site: sgi-usa.org. (called 2010 Introductory Study Guide - English). The first sentence is necessary to put it in context and I don't have a problem with how it starts. I will include 3 sentences total, and the doctrinal error starts in the 2nd sentence. Spread the word to anyone you care about. I'm sure I will find more examples of how SGI is off course from Nichiren's teachings in this study guide.

From P. 53

"For us, as practitioners of
Nichiren Buddhism, mastering our minds means
basing ourselves on the Gohonzon and Nichiren’s
writings. And in Buddhism, it is the teacher or
mentor who puts the teachings into practice that
helps us connect to the Law. Mastering our minds
means having a sincere seeking spirit in faith
based on the shared commitment of mentor and
disciple, and not being ruled by arrogant egoism
or self-centeredness."

This is meant for those of us that still respect the teachings. Not meant to try to convince others, or convert anyone, as I respect everyone's individual
choice in the matter.

@backnforth.

This above distortion about M/D and thoughts like it , I have been questioning in my previous district for the last five years. A very senior leader was at a meeting and we were told was bought there to address my concerns in front of everyone, I was made to see how this M/D thing was in fact correct and I was "misguided", The "dialogue" turned quite nasty with most of my fellow members yelling at me for daring to question the validity of the popular "senior leader". I use this to point out as many have here, that this is not a new doctrine, it is something that the SGI has calculating put forth, and maybe even really believe. If you are still wiling to fight , good luck, just take care of yourself and your practice. I know I found it exhausting and discouraging.

Anticult: I don't agree - I was never forced to buy publications, but much of what you say is just amazing and shocking. How can so many people be so duped?

Morgaine: I think the key to being able to make a difference (or maybe make at least a dent?) in this is to NOT hold a leadership position. In the last couple years they had leaders sign a pledge to 'follow their ways" so to speak. So I'm not bound by anything since I'm no longer a leader. I care about a lot of people in the SGI and they just aren't looking close enough; their minds are clouded with the stress of their lives; they basically aren't paying that much attention and just going through the motions. But I built a good amount of trust with just the regular folks so why not point out this error that they are now being so blatant about? I am not going to expend a ton of energy on this, but I will chant for them and when I can get one on one time, everytime, I will point out this error.

For the record, the quote above is from a person posting on the Japan Today website, and it appears to refer to SGI members in Japan.
By saying people are "forced" to buy their SGI magazines, it reads that they are compelled to do so, in order to belong to the SGI sect.
There are other articles about Japan, describing what amount to SGI towns, where SGI literally is running people's lives.

As stated many times, SGI operates with different techniques, in different countries.
SGI-USA has modified their techniques many times over the years.

As far as SGI-Japan, there are many credible reports that in fact SGI is very dangerous in that region. Not just an existential danger, but a physical danger from real SGI fanatics.

Why doesn't the average SGI person in the west have any idea of what's going on?
Because SGI trains people to not think about it, and to just chant, and try to get more goodies.
SGI has a highly organized indoctrination process, and many people just buy into it.

But many people do wake up to reality, when they see the FACTS about SGI, and how it operates.

Many SGI members are shocked to find out SGI has billions invested in the stock markets, and many of those investments would be in companies that mass produce weapons components.
It would be important to be able to find proof that SGI has investments in companies like General Electric, who are engaged in the manufacture of nuclear weapons components.

Quote
The Anticult
Certainly Ikeda is behind everything, in that he created the entire SGI structure, with Ikeda at the top. One can look back decades into SGI, and see Ikeda using crude Stalinist-style persuasion techniques on the SGI followers.

If you look back into the Soka Gakkai's history, it's clear how SGI became the organization it is today. At the end of World War II, the Soka Gakkai, like Japan, was severely damaged. Its first president, Tsunesaburo Makaguchi, had died in prison, and the second president, Josei Toda, had just gotten out of prison. Most other Soka Gakkai members had renounced their faith out of fear of persecution by the Japanese military government. After the surrender, General MacArthur established freedom of religion in Japan -- and all kinds of cults, sects and new religious movements just boomed. People were desperate, looking for something, anything, to help them cope with their loss, defeat, hardship, their struggle to survive, their uncertain future. They'd lost the war; they needed a new cause to believe in.

Toda knew exactly what message would sell in these troubled times, and by the late 1950's, grew Soka Gakkai membership from almost nothing to 750,000 households.

From page 135 of this thread:

[forum.culteducation.com]

-------Quotes from Josei Toda, second Soka Gakkai president:-------------------------------------------------------

"Your faith has only one purpose: to improve your business and family life. Those who talk about "faith" and do not attend to their business are sacrilegious. Business is a service to the community. I will expel those of you who do nothing but shakubuku without engaging in business."

"A gohonzon is a machine that makes you happy"

----------------------End of quotes, Josei Toda--------------------------------------------------------------------------

So you can see, this emphasis on material gain and making your dreams come true, was always part of the Soka Gakkai, even in the 1940's and 50's --- because it brought in new members! This is what the impoverished, defeated Japanese of the postwar era wanted to hear. The purpose of Buddhism is to improve your business and family life, really? Shakyamuni doesn't say that. Nichiren doesn't say that. The prosperity gospel is not Buddhism. Toda's statement reveals SGI for what is was and would be: nonBuddhism pretending to be Buddhism. It's all about the money. Always was, always will be.

And as Japan became more prosperous in the 1960's and 70's, so did the Soka Gakkai. The Gakkai began taking donations directly from members' bank accounts, and investing in stocks, real estate, and a variety of businesses. The Soka Gakkai still kept its operating costs low, by having members do a considerable amount of unpaid labor for SGI...and also went global, expanding internationally. More workers, more donations, more investment opportunities!

The hostility toward the priesthood was always there too. This is also from page 135 of this thread:

-------------------------Beginning of Quote------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Daniel B. Montgomery, "Fire In The Lotus" (book about Nichiren Buddhism)

"Seeing he was getting nowhere, Toda finally strode out, leaving the old priest (Ogasawara) to the mercies of his tormentors. 'if you stubbornly refuse to apologise, whatever may happen to you is no longer my concern. Whatever the youth division members may do to you, I will not take responsibility.' "
-------------------------End of Quote--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Montgomery is referring to an incident in the 1950's, in which Toda's Young Men's Division Members beat up an elderly priest, Rev. Ogasawara. The YMD leader? None other than our friend Daisaku Ikeda. Surprise, surprise. Toda blamed Ogasawara for his and Makiguchi's imprisonment during World War II. Well, maybe Ogasawara was responsible, maybe he wasn't...but even if he was, do two wrongs make a right? Is it Buddhist behavior for a group of young men to taunt and beat up a lone elderly man? The SGI leaders that I discussed this with, felt that the YMD were justified in their abuse of this old man. There was no question in their minds at all. I couldn't understand it. This, from an organization that says it values human life and peace?

If you look at the history of SGI/Nichiren Shoshu priest relations, it was rocky through the 1950's, 60's, 70's and 80's. SGIkeda clearly was testing the limits, doing things like trying to change the silent prayers, and the high priests weren't having it.

I didn't know any of this in the early 1990's, so the split seemed very bizarre and contrived to me. If Nikken and his fellow priests were really so evil, why didn't SGI know -- and say something -- before this?

I think that the answer is this: SGIkeda needed the priesthood while the Gakkai was in its growth phase. The priesthood made SGI seem like a legitimate Buddhist group. So SGI had to tolerate the priests until SGI was big enough to stand on its own. By the 1990's, it was. Ikeda could say goodbye to those annoying priests who wouldn't let him do what he wanted. So he did.

The split itself proved to be useful to SGI. Having a common enemy united a diverse membership -- the good people of SGI vs. the evil priesthood! Members were whipped into a frenzy of hatred for Nikken, told that they were the ones who would save true Buddhism from evil and corruption! Oh, the drama! Uniting...and Soka Spirit also distracted the members from asking about what the senior leadership of SGI might actually be doing! Double play!

Since the split -- Ikeda has been free to make SGI what he wants, to indulge his insatiable desire for power, money, glory and admiration. Hence the evolution toward mentor/disciple.

When I look back...I can see that Ikeda must have had these plans since the 1950's. SGI did not become what it is by accident. It's been Ikeda's plan for decades. I didn't see this when I was in SGI...or even right after I left. I used to hope that SGI would change, and that I could return. I thought that the problem was just a few clueless leaders, and that members who felt as I did could change SGI for the better.

I've since come to realize that my earlier views were naive. SGI is what Ikeda wants it to be -- he's carrying out a plan that he's had for decades. Either you follow his plan -- or leave. SGI allows no other choices.

Quote
Morgaine

This above distortion about M/D and thoughts like it , I have been questioning in my previous district for the last five years. A very senior leader was at a meeting and we were told was bought there to address my concerns in front of everyone, I was made to see how this M/D thing was in fact correct and I was "misguided", The "dialogue" turned quite nasty with most of my fellow members yelling at me for daring to question the validity of the popular "senior leader". I use this to point out as many have here, that this is not a new doctrine, it is something that the SGI has calculating put forth, and maybe even really believe. If you are still wiling to fight , good luck, just take care of yourself and your practice. I know I found it exhausting and discouraging.

This has been my experience too. I finally found that fighting just took too much of my energy, and I was not changing anyone's mind anyway. The True Believers were just going to believe whatever the leaders told them, no matter how many Gosho passages I might cite.

One on one, most of the SGI members I knew were nice people -- but it's very threatening to them when someone questions SGI dogma. It can make otherwise pleasant people turn nasty, and then add the "groupthink" at a meeting! I was actually afraid for my safety at one point, wondering if I would be hit, or physically dragged out of the meeting! I wasn't threatening anyone, I wasn't yelling or swearing -- I was just questioning what we'd been told about the split. Just that -- but to certain members and leaders, questions ARE very threatening.

That experience made me think, "World peace organization? They're certainly not very peaceful!" It made me question "Why be part of such a group? Is it really any place for a person who thinks?"