Looks like our friends from Victims of Soka Gakkai association are not sleeping after all. Their Japanese site [toride.org] is very much up to date, it has forum, latest news and other articles. You can use Google Translate [translate.google.com] to translate it. The message on their home page (I translated it with Google) says :
Soka Gakkai by "anti-social activities" and "human rights violations" by the people who have been damaged, appealed to the world wide frightening reality of Soka Gakkai, trying to rescue people who suffer as victims of the organization, and the aspirations of the "victims of the Soka Gakkai Association" was formed.
This "bastion of freedom" is "meeting the victims' home page is.
Other than a political party and ideological differences in, please look into the issue Soka Gakkai.

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bobze39
Tennpeach, welcome to the board! You said you know someone who died as a result of following SGI suggestions not to take her medication. This statement would be more powerful if you gave her name and told her life story, who she was, how long she practiced with SGI and so on. It's time for the world and for Japanese and American governments to realize that people actually die because of SGI. We have to start coming up with actual facts and statistics about how many people died because they followed SGI's advice not to take their medication; how many people became homeless, because they gave their last money and property to SGI; how many people lost their jobs, because SGI talked to their bosses and defamed them; how many families were destroyed, because SGI completely brainwashed one of the spouses, which led to divorce. Would be nice to have more information from The Victims Of Soka Gakkai Association, which is a Japanese organization of more 10 thousand members, but unfortunately they have very little information on their english-language website, and we can't read their Japanese sites, because there is a language barrier.

Her name was Kimi L., I remember meething her for the 1st time when I was 15 years old, I think she was a similar to my mother--so she might have been about 35~40 years old at that time. I returned from out-of-country in '86. Then the split happened--she contacted my mother around 1991 to let her know that SGI leaders were trying to dig up any kind of dirt to discredit me as being a "disgruntled member", etc.. In the end, since they couldn't get the kind of information they wanted, they made up stories-- real doozies, I tell you. Returning to Ms. Kimi's story--she moved to Austin in Texas around 1995. She was working a minimum wage job, had severe emphysema and needed to carry oxygen. Her leader told her that she must attend some big meeting in Houston, she explained to the leader that if she went, she wouldn't be able to afford her oxygen....that ldr told her she must show conviction of her practice, use her money to attend that "big" meeting and "overcome" her illness by showing she didn't need the oxygen. My mother begged her to use common sense, her oxygen and life was more important that going to that meeting....she didn't listen...she went, returned home. A few days, her landlord found her dead...she had basically suffocated from lack of oxygen....

I'm interested and glad to read just how many other people are concerned by the 'deification' of ikeda, and worried at how many people seem to become gakkai-addicts, at the expense of the rest of their lives - a problem which seems particularly prevalent in the Youth division

I'm writing from my own experience, as an SGI district leader in London, practicing for over 20 yrs.

I'm still practicing - I've yet to discover a philosophy that beats nichiren buddhism, and chanting works for me - but there are elements of the organisation that suck.

I have little patience for addicts who have no life outside SGI. I will not tolerate being told My life will 'stagnate' if I don't repeatedly refer to 'Sensei' in glowing terms as my mentor. I will always challenge people who speak in Gakkai jargon, to explain themselves in normal, every day language. I advise people it's not healthy to live in a Buddhist bubble (like advising the 4 members who are considering to move in with each other 'for kosen rufu', that they're acting like a cult) - for many of the reasons people have stated in these posts. But i've not been ostracised, browbeaten or criticised for this - Indeed my opinions have been shared and backed up by the director general of SGI UK on a couple of occasions - there is a healthy dialogue

A lot of us long term members are concerned about cultish elements permeating the organisation. As in any organisation, you get people who misunderstand the basics - unfortunately the gakkai addicts who see their route to enlightenment to be vigorous recruitment, spending every waking hour 'training' new members that Ikeda is superhuman - have more influence than members who have a healthy faith-life balance, simply because they're the people you're more likely to meet. Ironically, after mis-representing SGI and conning members with their own fanatical views, it's often these people who burn out, feel conned, leave the SGI and become its most vicious critics.

To an extent, SGI is a victim of its own success. It is highly egalitarian. Rather than having to rely on priests, lay members are empowered to support each other. The downside is that people are encouraged to teach buddhism and give guidance before they really 'get it' themselves - and sadly, some real idiots are able to get into positions of influence simply because they have the time to take it on, or are filling an ego gap. Similarly, rapid growth has mean that the messages have become more and more simplistic.

I don't know what is going on with this Ikeda worship that's been growing over the last 3-4 years. I have a lot of respect for the guy and have yet to find better interpretations of Buddhism than some (not all) of his writings, but he's not infalible - I suspect there are strong touches of ego - OR the SGI powers-that-be are terrified that the organisation will fall apart when he dies, and so are trying to create a myth that will live on. What's important is to carry on questioning, challenging, and keeping the practice firmly rooted in the teachings of Nichiren


Here's a few pointers I give to people

- Daisaku Ikeda has written some of the best interpretations of Nichirens writings, that are available - they are well worth reading to get a modern, 'daily life' understanding of Buddhism. however, simply by calling him 'sensei' and saying you can 'feel his heart' repeatedly, you will not change your life in any way whatsoever. Also, while he writes some really good encouraging guidance (often via ghost writers), his poetry sucks. As does his photography. He's human. Get over it.
- Giving money to Soka Gakkai is a good way of supporting the organisation, enabling them (us?) to build more centres, fund libraries, educational activities etc. However, it will NOT change your financial karma, magically turn you into a millionaire, help your money management
- Lilac and Soka activities are a good way of getting to know people, and a good way of learning how to organise small events and develop a good team culture/positive, giving attitude/service with a smile attitude. However - opening doors, making coffee, and directing cars for 6 hours in the rain every single weekend and evening at the expense of your life outside the gakkai, will NOT bring enlightenment, and does not necessarily mean you are capable of giving people guidance on complex life problems
- Just because someone has a leadership position, has been practicing X years or chants 1000 hours/week, does not mean they are wiser, more right or 'a better buddhist' than you. SGI members are a very diverse bunch, and includes some very wise people, and some idiots! Make your own decisions - choose to trust other members on the same criteria you'd use to trust someone outside SGI!

S.

With all due respect Spamster, you can't see the forest for the trees. Didn't you ever wonder what breeds this cancer within the Soka Gakkai, if the SGI interpretation of the Lotus Sutra was correct? SGI is way off and so are you.

Nichijew

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spamster
I'm interested and glad to read just how many other people are concerned by the 'deification' of ikeda, and worried at how many people seem to become gakkai-addicts, at the expense of the rest of their lives - a problem which seems particularly prevalent in the Youth division

My goodness you have put my feelings so much more clearly than I can, thank you Spamster. I too have about 20 years of practice in the UK (more recently as a leader in London), but unlike you can no longer sustain my leadership responsibility. I tried for sometime, but am unlucky that my 'superior' leaders are so completely sucked-in to the closed-loop of Ikeda worship that I couldn't stomach meetings where they were present any longer. Maybe I'm a wimp, but they seem so brainwashed about 'Sensei' that it feels pointless, even cruel, to try to debate this with them. I also found it impossible to bring guests to meetings and then keep a straight face as all the rubbish about the mentor and disciple stuff is relentlessly spewed out. Was it better when they attempted to hide this from 'guests'- no, just an example of how underhand the whole SGI-UK thing/think can be.

Like you, I had quite kind feelings towards SGI-UK because most of the people I have met (including Robert Samuels the UK general director) are undoubtedly sincere in their thinking that they are practicing and teaching others Buddhism and that SGI-UK exists as a benign organisation to support this practice. Sure there is a diverse range of people and some I didn't get on with, but that will happen in any area of life - so this didn't put me off being a part of the organisation. The pointers you give to your members are along the lines that i tried to encourage members too.

However, my attitude changed after I started researching into SGI in Japan and talking to people who had practiced recently in the USA (shocking stuff). My eyes were opened to the fact that our 'parent' organisation in Japan is nothing less than a multi-billion dollar money making business cleverly using (parts of) a genuine Buddhist practice as a front. This business also seems to sucessfully use incredibly sophisticated mind-control techniques to keep the whole multi-level scam going. Encouraging the use of chanting to put people into a trance state so that they uncritically accept whatever rubbish you tell them (however ludicrous) is actually a nasty and evil tactic. Hence the increasing number of what Spamster refers to as gakkai-addicts - and yes there are more Ikeda-bots in the youth divisions because the youth division are persuaded to give most of their lives and free time to gakkai activities (where these mind control techniques are continiually refined and reinforced).

Also the realisation of Ikeda's almost psychotic egomania makes me almost nauseous. There is no question that he knows and even encourages his 'disciples' to lobby for all those fake degrees and naming of monuments after him (while he is still alive!). After all he could easily ask those "disciples" to stop lobbying for these things if he wanted to demonstrate what an enlightened, modest and unegotistical human being he is. But does he ask for this to stop - not on your nelly!

So however much I respect the leaders of SGI-UK as sincere human beings who have had the wool pulled over their eyes for many years (as had I), I cannot be part of an organisation (SGI-UK) that supports this manipulative and hypocritical cult from Japan, however innocent those in charge in the UK organisation may be. I just can't turn a blind eye any more to the 'bad' bits, because the 'bad' bits are too awful and ignoring them is in effect supporting and encouraging this awful behaviour. And if you think about it, taking something as beautiful and valuable as Shakyamuni's and Nichiren's teachings and twisting them and USING them to perpetuate a marketing scam is just truly disgusting - I can't be any part of that!

I am reeling from the realisation that I have been a member of a cult (and even worse have introduced others to it!), so am still processing my feelings about the whole thing. However I do know the difference between Ikedaism (or SGIsm) and Nichiren Buddhism and am trying my best to continue with as untainted a practice as I can. I do miss the exhilaration of chanting with a group, but hopefully that will pass. Joining in with SGI activities is too high a price to pay just for a momentary feeling of exhilaration!

I'd like to thank everyone who contributes to this forum for the support I have felt whilst becoming aware of all this. Thank you so much!. I did post a few pages back but then disappeared to read the whole thread (300+ pages) from the beginning, so have been quiet during that time. I can't express how much this thread has helped me keep my strength whilst being 'home visited' (and undergoing other unwelcome consequences of withdrawing from SGI). I would recommend any newcomer to the forum to go to the beginning of the thread and read as much as they can!

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simplify

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spamster
I'm interested and glad to read just how many other people are concerned by the 'deification' of ikeda, and worried at how many people seem to become gakkai-addicts, at the expense of the rest of their lives - a problem which seems particularly prevalent in the Youth division

My goodness you have put my feelings so much more clearly than I can, thank you Spamster. I too have about 20 years of practice in the UK (more recently as a leader in London), but unlike you can no longer sustain my leadership responsibility. I tried for sometime, but am unlucky that my 'superior' leaders are so completely sucked-in to the closed-loop of Ikeda worship that I couldn't stomach meetings where they were present any longer. Maybe I'm a wimp, but they seem so brainwashed about 'Sensei' that it feels pointless, even cruel, to try to debate this with them. I also found it impossible to bring guests to meetings and then keep a straight face as all the rubbish about the mentor and disciple stuff is relentlessly spewed out. Was it better when they attempted to hide this from 'guests'- no, just an example of how underhand the whole SGI-UK thing/think can be.

Like you, I had quite kind feelings towards SGI-UK because most of the people I have met (including Robert Samuels the UK general director) are undoubtedly sincere in their thinking that they are practicing and teaching others Buddhism and that SGI-UK exists as a benign organisation to support this practice. Sure there is a diverse range of people and some I didn't get on with, but that will happen in any area of life - so this didn't put me off being a part of the organisation. The pointers you give to your members are along the lines that i tried to encourage members too.

However, my attitude changed after I started researching into SGI in Japan and talking to people who had practiced recently in the USA (shocking stuff). My eyes were opened to the fact that our 'parent' organisation in Japan is nothing less than a multi-billion dollar money making business cleverly using (parts of) a genuine Buddhist practice as a front. This business also seems to sucessfully use incredibly sophisticated mind-control techniques to keep the whole multi-level scam going. Encouraging the use of chanting to put people into a trance state so that they uncritically accept whatever rubbish you tell them (however ludicrous) is actually a nasty and evil tactic. Hence the increasing number of what Spamster refers to as gakkai-addicts - and yes there are more Ikeda-bots in the youth divisions because the youth division are persuaded to give most of their lives and free time to gakkai activities (where these mind control techniques are continiually refined and reinforced).

Also the realisation of Ikeda's almost psychotic egomania makes me almost nauseous. There is no question that he knows and even encourages his 'disciples' to lobby for all those fake degrees and naming of monuments after him (while he is still alive!). After all he could easily ask those "disciples" to stop lobbying for these things if he wanted to demonstrate what an enlightened, modest and unegotistical human being he is. But does he ask for this to stop - not on your nelly!

So however much I respect the leaders of SGI-UK as sincere human beings who have had the wool pulled over their eyes for many years (as had I), I cannot be part of an organisation (SGI-UK) that supports this manipulative and hypocritical cult from Japan, however innocent those in charge in the UK organisation may be. I just can't turn a blind eye any more to the 'bad' bits, because the 'bad' bits are too awful and ignoring them is in effect supporting and encouraging this awful behaviour. And if you think about it, taking something as beautiful and valuable as Shakyamuni's and Nichiren's teachings and twisting them and USING them to perpetuate a marketing scam is just truly disgusting - I can't be any part of that!

I am reeling from the realisation that I have been a member of a cult (and even worse have introduced others to it!), so am still processing my feelings about the whole thing. However I do know the difference between Ikedaism (or SGIsm) and Nichiren Buddhism and am trying my best to continue with as untainted a practice as I can. I do miss the exhilaration of chanting with a group, but hopefully that will pass. Joining in with SGI activities is too high a price to pay just for a momentary feeling of exhilaration!

I'd like to thank everyone who contributes to this forum for the support I have felt whilst becoming aware of all this. Thank you so much!. I did post a few pages back but then disappeared to read the whole thread (300+ pages) from the beginning, so have been quiet during that time. I can't express how much this thread has helped me keep my strength whilst being 'home visited' (and undergoing other unwelcome consequences of withdrawing from SGI). I would recommend any newcomer to the forum to go to the beginning of the thread and read as much as they can!

Perfect Simplify. You brought tears to my eyes.

Mark

![/quote]
Perfect Simplify. You brought tears to my eyes.

Mark[/quote]

Thanks for your kind words Mark/Nichijew.

The trouble with enabling people to see that SGI is a cult if you live in the UK is that a lot of the red flags have been toned-down here. Or at least that is my experience in the districts I have practiced with. Up until the Mentor/Disciple personality cult stuff started to be shoved down our throats 3 to 4 years ago, there was a deliberate effort to not seem cult-like. There is very little pressure to contribute to the Kosenrufu fund, which in the UK happens 3 times a year. There is no suggested percentage - you have to guess. There is even no obligation to make a contribution when you receive gohonzon (inc.uding omomori and tokuso) and many members never contribute either when receiving gohonzon or to the three funds a year.

The same subtlety applies to encouraging members to buy the monthly magazine as well, lots of leaders and members don't actually subscribe and there is no pressure to do so.. Japanese leaders are not in great evidence. In fact I've been told that the General director and his female equivalent have to be British Citizens.

It seems that the UK is not an income stream for SGI-Japan. Possibly because us Brits are not so heavily coerced into giving. Is SGI-UK therefore a vanity or prestige project for Ikeda?

Unlike in the United States, the public can see the accounts of the charity [www.charitycommission.gov.uk] and some years we aren't getting in enough donations from UK members to keep the UK organisation running. I'm not very experienced at reading accounts but SGI-UK received an injection of some £26 million in 2006 from the Japanese mothership, so it appears that money is flowing away from Japan and into the UK rather than in the other direction.

One inexplicable item I found from glancing through the latest (2009) accounts was that Robert Samuels (General Director-staff) and Kazuo Fuji (vice-general director - staff) had huge salary hikes in 2009:

R A Samuels - General Director 2008 salary= £57,327 2009 salary=£91,325
K Fujii - Vice-General Director 2008 salary= £59,799 2009 salary=£112,470

They had both been steadily receiving just under £60,000 for many previous years, then suddenly their salaries are nearly doubled. Remember these are Pounds sterling not Dollars - these latest salaries are very substantial.

Can anyone tell me what that might be all about? Hush money? Or am i seeing deception and conspiracy everywhere now? :-)

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simplify
!

Perfect Simplify. You brought tears to my eyes.

Mark[/quote]

Thanks for your kind words Mark/Nichijew.

The trouble with enabling people to see that SGI is a cult if you live in the UK is that a lot of the red flags have been toned-down here. Or at least that is my experience in the districts I have practiced with. Up until the Mentor/Disciple personality cult stuff started to be shoved down our throats 3 to 4 years ago, there was a deliberate effort to not seem cult-like. There is very little pressure to contribute to the Kosenrufu fund, which in the UK happens 3 times a year. There is no suggested percentage - you have to guess. There is even no obligation to make a contribution when you receive gohonzon (inc.uding omomori and tokuso) and many members never contribute either when receiving gohonzon or to the three funds a year.

The same subtlety applies to encouraging members to buy the monthly magazine as well, lots of leaders and members don't actually subscribe and there is no pressure to do so.. Japanese leaders are not in great evidence. In fact I've been told that the General director and his female equivalent have to be British Citizens.

It seems that the UK is not an income stream for SGI-Japan. Possibly because us Brits are not so heavily coerced into giving. Is SGI-UK therefore a vanity or prestige project for Ikeda?

Unlike in the United States, the public can see the accounts of the charity [www.charitycommission.gov.uk] and some years we aren't getting in enough donations from UK members to keep the UK organisation running. I'm not very experienced at reading accounts but SGI-UK received an injection of some £26 million in 2006 from the Japanese mothership, so it appears that money is flowing away from Japan and into the UK rather than in the other direction.

One inexplicable item I found from glancing through the latest (2009) accounts was that Robert Samuels (General Director-staff) and Kazuo Fuji (vice-general director - staff) had huge salary hikes in 2009:

R A Samuels - General Director 2008 salary= £57,327 2009 salary=£91,325
K Fujii - Vice-General Director 2008 salary= £59,799 2009 salary=£112,470

They had both been steadily receiving just under £60,000 for many previous years, then suddenly their salaries are nearly doubled. Remember these are Pounds sterling not Dollars - these latest salaries are very substantial.

Can anyone tell me what that might be all about? Hush money? Or am i seeing deception and conspiracy everywhere now? :-)[/quote]

Greetings, Simplify. I am blown away by the salaries afforded to the UK General Director and Vice General-Director. These latest salaries are verrry substantial, indeed....and who pays for this? Members do. Japanese members, in particular, it seems. Even 60,000 pounds a year is too much.

Hush money...why not? Something's up if the UK organization has claimed financial hardships in the recent past....and now? The top Execs are doing very well, thank you. Too well.

I'm still wading through this myself, so I can't give a definitive insight. But I know the great others on this board could.

As for the SGI-UK being a vanity/prestige project for Mr. Ikeda, I think the whole world-wide SGI is filling the bill for him. I have watched the shift through 25 years of practice, where it has steadily, steathily become a pillar of worship to one man. You can't have enlightenment w/o taking the man as your sole mentor?? There used to be more emphasis on the chanting of NMRK. Now it is all "Follow Sensei's guidance". The WT has become the World Tribute....to Senor Ikeda. No Letters to the Editor are allowed. They used to that, back in the 90's. But like I commented here before, that was squashed....when people began sharing their opinions and questions. And criticisms. Squashed like a foul bug.

One cannot help but feel, that this has all been a master plan, from the time Mr. Ikeda took the helm. And when you serve the ego above all, conspiracy and deception are names of the game.

Welcome Spamster.

Your insight was very interesting and obviously fueled some more great discussion.

I had to learn the hard way too that this forum doesn't have any patience for one wanting to point out any of the good things about the SGI. We don't need to toot a horn for President Ikeda on any of the positive stuff he's done. It's all in question now. It's like unraveling an old rug; eventually it all comes apart and it no longer resembles a rug. President Ikeda resembles less and less an honorable man. I still go 'backnforth' about him myself. What I read in the 80's and 90's was sooooo inspiring. So, now the question: did he write it?

We may never know for sure.

Just be glad for the "Opening of the Eyes" of this time period - no pun intended. I am so relieved I am no longer believing that the SGI equals Nichiren Buddhism. It does not!

[www.123people.com]
We see not one word about SGI and Ikeda while beseeching America to let I Choose [SGI] into its High Schools. See the vacuous eyes of the I Choose cast and crew.

The entire organization I Choose is an SGI covert mind control division of the Soka Gakkai as is the International Committee of Artists For Peace. They are no different than American journalists and entertainers who work for the CIA.

What would Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin say about such deceit perpetrated in their name and the name of their Law?

Nichijew