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morgaine
I sincerely hope they are not coming up with an Ikeda Gohonzon.

well actually I do as it would make it quite blunt what SGI is about.

FOR SURE – you are SPOT ON – I was introduced to this practice in another country and back then we studied Buddhist teachings and having a MASTER in practice who was well versed in several Buddhist teachings he studied Buddhism all his life – when I came back to the U.S. I was looking for a Buddhist group and found SGI @ first it seemed community based and centered around districts and @ that time the Temple where the priests would do Gohonzon conferrals and other ceremonies! Over the years the SGI started a campaign of negativity towards the priesthood – to me and some others it seemed very un-Buddhist like behavior of course we all know where it lead to! And Ikeda got his unrestrained control over the SGI. Now the SGI has become just another group of people that think that their guy IKEDA is the chosen one – WOW isn’t that a novelty – like thousands of other groups out there! Not much Buddhism going on around in the SGI these dayz just IKEDA worship – and IKEDA idolization – of everything he says or does! My heart sinks when I see youth division – pardon me what was I thinking Ikeda Youth Ensemble . Being brainwashed in this grotesque cult of master / mentor – disciple!
On the IKEDA Gohonzon - earlier this year I was told by a Sr. Leader that it's in the mill and I guess it's in the queue waiting for the right moment for distribution.

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cyclops
FOR SURE – you are SPOT ON – I was introduced to this practice in another country and back then we studied Buddhist teachings and having a MASTER in practice who was well versed in several Buddhist teachings he studied Buddhism all his life – when I came back to the U.S. I was looking for a Buddhist group and found SGI @ first it seemed community based and centered around districts and @ that time the Temple where the priests would do Gohonzon conferrals and other ceremonies! Over the years the SGI started a campaign of negativity towards the priesthood – to me and some others it seemed very un-Buddhist like behavior of course we all know where it lead to! And Ikeda got his unrestrained control over the SGI. Now the SGI has become just another group of people that think that their guy IKEDA is the chosen one – WOW isn’t that a novelty – like thousands of other groups out there! Not much Buddhism going on around in the SGI these dayz just IKEDA worship – and IKEDA idolization – of everything he says or does! My heart sinks when I see youth division – pardon me what was I thinking Ikeda Youth Ensemble . Being brainwashed in this grotesque cult of master / mentor – disciple!
On the IKEDA Gohonzon - earlier this year I was told by a Sr. Leader that it's in the mill and I guess it's in the queue waiting for the right moment for distribution.

Oy Vey! He is a terrible calligrapher.

Nichijew

Hi all,

just wanted to give an update. i just quit the organization recently. i contacted leaders and friends, turned my phone off, and cried harder than i had in such a long time. a couple of people have gotten back to me, and theyre so sweet and caring, i can see they really cared for me as a friend and i hope to see them soon. as for others, even though i turned my phone off so i can deal with what just happened, when i turned it on, i was so surprised: nothing. nothing from people i thought would be the most upset. people i thought were close to me. maybe im just overreacting, but since theyre leaders, my husband made the point that they're probably doing "damage control". makes sense. part of me is glad my phone isnt blowing up, and the other part of me is thinking how stupid i am for thinking i was that important.

how long does the guilt last? the guilt of letting people down? this had to be done, no doubt. i recently was told that the next 20 years will be about who is a true ikeda disciple and who is not. it is known among a few that i struggle with that. maybe sooner or later i would have been pushed out because of this, who knows. but deep down inside i feel so lost.

what do i do now?

Chooselife:

What's next?

Maybe you can start by making a list of all the ways you would spend your time if you weren't attending the many meetings and home visits I assume you were attending.

I would just try to do a lot of relaxing things for now; things you enjoy.

Will you give up chanting too? Saying goodbye to Buddhism or just SGI? They are 2 different things - do you agree?

Good luck. You will do fine and your world will open up. True friends will stay in touch and base the friendship on other things in common.

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backnforth
Chooselife:

What's next?

Maybe you can start by making a list of all the ways you would spend your time if you weren't attending the many meetings and home visits I assume you were attending.

I would just try to do a lot of relaxing things for now; things you enjoy.

Will you give up chanting too? Saying goodbye to Buddhism or just SGI? They are 2 different things - do you agree?

Good luck. You will do fine and your world will open up. True friends will stay in touch and base the friendship on other things in common.

backnforth:

thank you so much! im not sure about chanting, or religion in general. i left my gohonzon up, but i tore down all the other stuff on the altar: daimoku campaign card, photos of prez ikeda and wife, my join certificate, all gone. all thats left is my butsudan and gohonzon, and all the other altar-type stuff. i cant even open it like i used to, with such ease. ill keep it up until i decide once and for all that chanting is for me. i like to chant, it clears my head, but i dont think it is the only way to meditate/concentrate/gain enlightenment.

ive been reading an objective book about buddhism, just to see if its really something i want in my life, and to learn more about shakyamuni. i like the faith alot, but i feel like i will be practicing alone alot. not that im committing to anything theravada, but needless to say, mahayana is kind of not on my radar either for obvious reasons. im just going to do as much research as i can, and make an INFORMED decision (aka- google search any group the first DAY i hear about it and not 2 years in)

i really could not have done this without all of you talking so openly about your experiences and making me realize how NOT crazy i am. someday soon i will really let it all out, but for now, i think im going to start learning how to have control over my life again.

thank you.

Chooselife, I can really understand how you are feeling. It is so hard to leave when SGI has been so much of your life for years and years. I too really miss the social aspect of SGI. I am aware that there are some members who are not truly your friends, although they may act like they are at times. But many of the people are great. I really miss some of the friends that I had in SGI. I miss the meetings that ended with a party, where members were able to socialize and enjoy each other.

It seems to me that SGI has changed so much over the years. Maybe it was always the way it is now, but it seemed a lot of fun way back when.

It was really hard to leave, but I just couldn't accept Daisaku Ikeda as my personal savior, as was being more and more required by SGI. It looks like it's going to become an absolute requirement to be a member of SGI.

If you would like some advice: just be open to new experiences, and really enjoy the things that you do! As Backnforth has said, your world will open up. Being a member is so demanding of your time and energy, you will be amazed at what is to come.

some people have said that there will not be a new designated successor. the organization will still continue administratively but without a so called "leader." they are also likely to increase their fundraising soon as donations have been down.

newbud, when I was a member I heard that too. It was explained to me that the reason for the MD push is that we are all supposed to strive to be like the mentor, and when he passes away, then EVERYONE will become a mentor. We will therefore not have a reason to replace the mentor. Strange logic!

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Nichijew

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cyclops

On the IKEDA Gohonzon - earlier this year I was told by a Sr. Leader that it's in the mill and I guess it's in the queue waiting for the right moment for distribution.

Oy Vey! He is a terrible calligrapher.

Nichijew

SGI can just hire a ghostwriter for that...it's not like they haven't done it before.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2010 06:23AM by tsukimoto.