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Morgaine
I posted my comment because I was struck by the fact that SGI just had a prayer session for the earthquake in Japan in 1995 and then less than a month later a much bigger one happens, quite bad. I wanted to get the opinions of others,that are on the forum and have knowledge of the gosho Risho Ankoku Ron (sp). It shows that something is amiss in Japan. thats all I will say, because , sometimes when I post something here the response is quite strange.

Japan is on a very active fault line -- they have small earthquakes all the time, and they've had many larger, destructive quakes and tsunamis throughout their history. It's to be expected that most Japanese, SGI or not, probably think about earthquakes a lot, and I think that the timing of the prayer session was coincidental.

I've read Rissho Ankoku Ron too --- my thought is that Nichiren Daishonin, wise though he was, did not know about fault lines and plate techtonics, the theory that there are large plates under the surface of the earth -- and that these plates shift and cause earthquakes and tsunamis. Someone anti-SGI would say that this earthquake happened because of SGI's evil influence. Devout SGI members would say that this happened because Japan opposes SGI. I say, plates shift all the time, no matter what religion people practice. Prehistoric earth, before people, had all kinds of geologic events happening -- earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, ice ages, glaciers moving around, dinosaurs becoming extinct. There were no people then -- so religion had nothing to do with it.

I'm saying this not to disrespect anyone's beliefs --- it's just that SGI had me convinced for years that not doing as SGI said could cause years of bad karma.

Yeah Shavoy, I think I saw you in Worcester...you were the one in the white shirt and pants, right? :)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/15/2011 08:07PM by tsukimoto.

Note to rrmoderator - I can't edit my posts. Edit option disappeared from my Options Menu.

Sorry, Morgaine, I didn't notice that you have 49 posts. But my message was not to you, it was to truly devoted SGI members. They monitor this thread.

@tsukimoto: Hi Tsukimoto, happy New Year, Glad you are well. There is something I would like to clarify and that is 1) What the SGI teaches 2) What Nichiren and Shakyamuni teach and the Lotus Sutra. One of the main things about Buddhism is securing the peace and security of the land, that is not something SGI teaches that is Nichiren. So that is why this earthquake is a big deal. Several of my buddies still in the org, are starting to wonder. that is a good thing.

Bobze39, no worries , your post (except the part about me) , was very clear and on point. We have to wake these people up. I am an optimist and still hold out hope. Cheers everyone!!!

Morgaine, you are lucky you didn't become SGI member. I wasn't so lucky. I actually joined SGI and received Gohonzon and I did my share of free labor at SGI warehouse. In fact I personally know SGI-USA leader Danny Nagashima, I met with him on several occasions and talked to him. That was not because I was a leader, no, I simply happened to practice in the same district, where he lives (or, at least, lived at the time) - in Orange County, California. What made me quit? Well, one of the reasons - I happened to hear Danny Nagashima's speeches. He sounded so militaristic, with his calls to fight till the end against evil and to be like a lion, while comparing SGI enemies to running away mice. Then he declared war on this and war on that; words like 'power", "war", "victory", "till the end", "no surrender", "battle", "fight", and in reference to enemies - "cowards", "mice", "evil" and so on. Man, talking about the need to lighten up ... I don't know how many people quit because of his speeches - his speeches are scary!

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tsukimoto

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Morgaine
I posted my comment because I was struck by the fact that SGI just had a prayer session for the earthquake in Japan in 1995 and then less than a month later a much bigger one happens, quite bad. I wanted to get the opinions of others,that are on the forum and have knowledge of the gosho Risho Ankoku Ron (sp). It shows that something is amiss in Japan. thats all I will say, because , sometimes when I post something here the response is quite strange.

Japan is on a very active fault line -- they have small earthquakes all the time, and they've had many larger, destructive quakes and tsunamis throughout their history. It's to be expected that most Japanese, SGI or not, probably think about earthquakes a lot, and I think that the timing of the prayer session was coincidental.

I've read Rissho Ankoku Ron too --- my thought is that Nichiren Daishonin, wise though he was, did not know about fault lines and plate techtonics, the theory that there are large plates under the surface of the earth -- and that these plates shift and cause earthquakes and tsunamis. Someone anti-SGI would say that this earthquake happened because of SGI's evil influence. Devout SGI members would say that this happened because Japan opposes SGI. I say, plates shift all the time, no matter what religion people practice. Prehistoric earth, before people, had all kinds of geologic events happening -- earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, ice ages, glaciers moving around, dinosaurs becoming extinct. There were no people then -- so religion had nothing to do with it.

I'm saying this not to disrespect anyone's beliefs --- it's just that SGI had me convinced for years that not doing as SGI said could cause years of bad karma.

Yeah Shavoy, I think I saw you in Worcester...you were the one in the white shirt and pants, right? :)

Tsukimoto...once again, you've hit the nails on the head...The Anti-SGI folks--SGI is responsible. The Frame: Japan is responsible for slandering SGI! You say--"Prehistoric earth, before people, had all kinds of geologic events happening--earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, ice ages, glaciers moving around, dinosaurs becoming extinct. There were no people then -- so religion had nothing to do with it. I'm saying this not to disrespect anyone's beliefs --- it's just that SGI had me convinced for years that not doing as SGI said could cause years of bad karma." Perfect! It works for me..

The SGI will have to keep those doughnuts coming. Time to put the billions where the mouths are....well, we'll see, won't we? Or won't we not...

Yup, white shirts..white pants... let's not forget the uniforms of the Fife and Drums Corps!:)...did you say that was the group you were in?

Shavoy

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bobze39
Morgaine, you are lucky you didn't become SGI member. I wasn't so lucky. I actually joined SGI and received Gohonzon and I did my share of free labor at SGI warehouse. In fact I personally know SGI-USA leader Danny Nagashima, I met with him on several occasions and talked to him. That was not because I was a leader, no, I simply happened to practice in the same district, where he lives (or, at least, lived at the time) - in Orange County, California. What made me quit? Well, one of the reasons - I happened to hear Danny Nagashima's speeches. He sounded so militaristic, with his calls to fight till the end against evil and to be like a lion, while comparing SGI enemies to running away mice. Then he declared war on this and war on that; words like 'power", "war", "victory", "till the end", "no surrender", "battle", "fight", and in reference to enemies - "cowards", "mice", "evil" and so on. Man, talking about the need to lighten up ... I don't know how many people quit because of his speeches - his speeches are scary!

Hello, bobze....SGI enemies--running away mice...yikes.

I'm curious....Did Danny ever "drop his guard" when you met with him? Or was the SGI-Hardline on full throttle, even in one-on-one?

Hello, Shavoy, well, I talked to Danny only briefly, and it wasn't one-on-one, it was in the presence of many people, he said something like "Welcome", "Practice with determination" and some general phrases. I don't really personally dislike him, in fact, he has a certain charm and appears to be strong (or plays this role well). He speaks with an accent, actually his English isn't very good. He drops his guard, yes, he even has some sense of humor. He is certainly a fanatic and is brainwashed as others. I think he actually beleives in all the crap he is saying (or he is a very good actor), and from that point he is just another victim of SGI machine. He also can be manipulated just like all brainwashed people. But he is a general of Ikeda's army and as such he definitely shares responsibility for all SGI misdeeds.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2011 12:21PM by bobze39.

Wait a minute. Dinosaurs have karma too!

Nichijew

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bobze39
Morgaine, you are lucky you didn't become SGI member. I wasn't so lucky. I actually joined SGI and received Gohonzon and I did my share of free labor at SGI warehouse. In fact I personally know SGI-USA leader Danny Nagashima, I met with him on several occasions and talked to him. That was not because I was a leader, no, I simply happened to practice in the same district, where he lives (or, at least, lived at the time) - in Orange County, California. What made me quit? Well, one of the reasons - I happened to hear Danny Nagashima's speeches. He sounded so militaristic, with his calls to fight till the end against evil and to be like a lion, while comparing SGI enemies to running away mice. Then he declared war on this and war on that; words like 'power", "war", "victory", "till the end", "no surrender", "battle", "fight", and in reference to enemies - "cowards", "mice", "evil" and so on. Man, talking about the need to lighten up ... I don't know how many people quit because of his speeches - his speeches are scary!

bobze39, A speech that Danny gave REALLY helped me in my decision to leave SGI. I was at a large meeting at El Segundo College a few years back, and the MD thing was really beginning to be cramed down people's throats. In his speech, Danny said, "The only way to true happiness is through the MD relationship". That was the first time I had heard it said that you HAD to accept Pres Ikeda as your mentor, or you couldn't possibly attain happiness....That speech was a definite turning point in the end of a very long practice.