Re: Soka Gakkai International -- SGI
Date: December 02, 2010 10:12AM
MiaPicher, thank you for sharing your experiences! I read your post and thought at many points, "Oh, I felt that way too!" I felt that I was slacking and immature when I didn't want a leadership position, I never felt comfortable with the reverence paid to leaders and the pep talk cheering, and despite all that, I still found it hard to quit SGI.
One thing that I've noticed in many posts, not only yours, is that posters apologize for being "negative" -- ie, criticizing SGI. When I was in the Soka Gakkai, leaders made it sound like that was one of the worst things you could do, criticizing or complaining about SGI. You were "negative," and you were bound to have terrible karma as a result.
The message couldn't have been clearer -- you don't have the right to criticize or question SGI.
And yet, I have to ask, why not? Look at some of the things that many of us have experienced, or have seen someone else experience:
--We are told that if we join SGI, we can practice true Buddhism, and yet SGI is stating things that contradict the teachings of Nichiren, like Mentor/Disciple. Publications, and meetings are taken up with praise of Ikeda, rather than discussion of Shakyamuni, Nichiren, the Lotus Sutra, or the Gosho. In the 1990's, SGI leaders vilified the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood for saying that enlightenment came from the high priest -- enlightenment came from chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo! So how come SGI is claiming NOW that enlightenment comes from taking Ikeda as your mentor!?
--Members are pressured, guilted and manipulated into doing a great deal of unpaid labor for SGI, and yet have no say in how the organization is run.
--SGI owns valuable real estate, and businesses and holds extensive financial investments -- and yet pressures members who are living from paycheck to paycheck to give donations. SGI refuses to account for where that money goes. SGI-USA claims to be a nonprofit organization, but doesn't follow the rules for nonprofits in the U.S. (using the money for political activities, posting IRS 990 forms.)
--SGI Japan members are pressured to support the Komeito Party. Members are told that they must vote for, work for, and donate money to Komeito Party candidates. SGI Japan has the reputation of harassing people who criticize the organization or choose to leave it.
--SGI does things in a sneaky way, for example, opening a charter school, the SOKA Academy in Massachusetts, with no mention of its SGI/Komeito connections.
--SGI-USA has harassed and excluded members who have criticized or questioned SGI's actions, or who have asked for change. (Wendy Byrd Ehlmann, the IRG members.) SGI has also shut down websites critical of SGI -- for example, Lisa Jones's www.buddhajones.com.
--If people question any of this, they're told that the problem is them -- that it's lack of faith, fundamental darkness, or ego. It could never be that SGI is wrong about anything. Oh, no, never, not SGI!
So I have to ask -- IS discussing all of these issues negativity -- or is it simply telling the truth, telling truths that SGI would rather deny? The reality is, SGI has been dishonest with members. It has used and manipulated sincere members. If some former members are angry, it's understandable. Anger is a reasonable response to being deceived, manipulated, taken advantage of. Sure, you don't want to be consumed with bitterness and resentment for years -- that hurts you, rather than SGI. However, I think that jumping to forgive someone who's hurt you -- and denying your hurt and anger -- is not healthy either. In SGI, I felt that I had to be positive all the time, especially about SGI, regardless of how I really felt. I kept pushing down my feeling of "Something is not right," and denied that I felt and saw what I was really feeling and seeing. That is very unhealthy! Finding this site and being able to finally express my anger and frustration with SGI was a great relief. It is freeing, and very healing, to finally find somewhere to talk honestly about the SGI experience. It's true that there are many good, well-intentioned people in SGI -- it is also true that there are many negative aspects to the SGI organization.