Quote
Rothaus
@ wakatta1
I loved your plane episode – well done and to my mind not impolite to the elder lady. Another useful thing is to now and again use the Google search on news on SGI. I tend to contact newspapers or rather their online edition when they issue articles that could have stemmed from the SGI-marketing division. I simply tell them politely that SGI has some severe issues and ask if any of their editors may in fact be a SGIist and add some links including this one. One time I even got a TV-broadcasters internet site to delete an article on Ikeda and SGI.

You da man Rothhaus. I usually get a response that the SGI is a grand organization, so take a hike.

Nichijew

Reverse gakkai cult stalking - in these two clips, the stalker becomes the stalkee as 1) he is actually given an anti-gakkai pamphlet from Santa Claus and then leaves [www.youtube.com] (doesn't even say "thank you", either), and 2) when caught out, the cultie stalker turns tail from the camera and is closely followed until he ducks into a convenience store to hide [www.youtube.com]. (Again, notice in both clips, the pretending to be talking and using the cell phone trick.)

Such is the gakkai cult and its members, all bluff and bluster.

As evidenced in the above two clips, the anti-gakkai-cult protestors are fed up with the stalking and indirect police harassment, so they devise their own ways to get back through culturally accepted ways. The following clip is one such example: the Japanese celebrate a ceremony annually, every February 3rd, called "Setsubun" [en.wikipedia.org]. "Devil Out!, Good Luck, In!", is what is done, while throwing beans at an "Oni" (devil) - "The beans are thought to symbolically purify the home by driving away the evil spirits that bring misfortune and bad health with them."

Here, they do it in front of the $oka Gakkai Cult's Shinanomachi Headquarters, with soka MIB all around. They also politely clean up after themselves with the help of some convenient Ikeda dear leader masks as tools. The gakkai culties (and the police on hand) have no choice but to tolerate the revelry, in keeping with the spirit of the season. [www.youtube.com]

The protestors are against the cult in Japan, its tax-exempt status and its ties / influences to regional and national governmental offices. The $oka Gakkai is viewed as a crazy cult with zealot members, by most Japanese people. Everyone knows what it is or has heard about it, with most people either actually knowing somebody who is a member (neighbor, distant relative, or friend), or is familiar with an acquaintance who has some sort of ties or connection to the pseudo-religious organization. You can also see random (ordinary) people walking by in this clip, smiling and taking obvious enjoyment in what the protestors are doing, right smack in the middle of infamous cult town, Shinanomachi (everyone knows what this area is associated with, too).

Special note: Rarely caught on film crazy gakkai cult eyes at the ~ 6:00 min. mark. Rare for the outside to glimpse, but commonly seen on the inside in hardcore groups (especially ignorant "YOUTH!" division zealots), from my time "in." Enjoy!

This list was first posted by Nichijew, back on page #218, with a short discussion being generated by it. Of the 100 points listed, I can attest to the fact that the gakkai cult (in the U.S. and Japan) meets all of the other 99 requirements, based on my "experience" "in."

The Cult Test (100 Characteristics)

1. The Guru is always right.
2. You are always wrong.
3. No Exit.
4. No Graduates.
5. Cult-speak.
6. Group-think, Suppression of Dissent, and Enforced Conformity in Thinking
7. Irrationality.
8. Suspension of disbelief.
9. Denigration of competing sects, cults, religions...
10. Personal attacks on critics.
11. Insistence that the group is THE ONLY WAY.
12. The group and its members are special.
13. Induction of guilt, and the use of guilt to manipulate group members.
14. Unquestionable Dogma, Sacred Science, and Infallible Ideology.
15. Indoctrination of members.
16. Appeals to "holy" or "wise" authorities.
17. Instant Community.
18. Instant Intimacy.
19. Surrender To The Group.
20. Giggly wonderfulness and starry-eyed faith.
21. Personal testimonies of earlier converts.
22. The group is self-absorbed.
23. Dual Purposes, Hidden Agendas, and Ulterior Motives.
24. Aggressive Recruiting.
25. Deceptive Recruiting.
26. No Humor.
27. You Can't Tell The Truth.
28. Cloning — You become a clone of the group leader or other elder group members.
29. You must change your beliefs to conform to the group's beliefs.
30. The End Justifies The Means.
31. Dishonesty, Deceit, Denial, Falsification, and Rewriting History.
32. Different Levels of Truth.
33. Newcomers can't think right.
34. The Group Implants Phobias.
35. The Group is Money-Grubbing.
36. Confession Sessions.
37. A System of Punishments and Rewards.
38. An Impossible Superhuman Model of Perfection.
39. Mentoring.
40. Intrusiveness.
41. Disturbed Guru, Mentally Ill Leader.
42. Disturbed Members, Mentally Ill Followers.
43. Create a sense of powerlessness, covert fear, guilt, and dependency.
44. Dispensed existence
45. Ideology Over Experience, Observation, and Logic
46. Keep them unaware that there is an agenda to change them
47. Thought-Stopping Language. Thought-terminating clichés and slogans.
48. Mystical Manipulation
49. The guru or the group demands ultra-loyalty and total commitment.
50. Demands for Total Faith and Total Trust
51. Members Get No Respect. They Get Abused.
52. Inconsistency. Contradictory Messages
53. Hierarchical, Authoritarian Power Structure, and Social Castes
54. Front groups, masquerading recruiters, hidden promoters, and disguised propagandists
55. Belief equals truth
56. Use of double-binds
57. The group leader is not held accountable for his actions.
58. Everybody else needs the guru to boss him around, but nobody bosses the guru around.
59. The guru criticizes everybody else, but nobody criticizes the guru.
60. Dispensed truth and social definition of reality
61. The Guru Is Extra-Special.
62. Flexible, shifting morality
63. Separatism
64. Inability to tolerate criticism
65. A Charismatic Leader
66. Calls to Obliterate Self
67. Don't Trust Your Own Mind.
68. Don't Feel Your Own Feelings.
69. The group takes over the individual's decision-making process.
70. You Owe The Group.
71. We Have The Panacea.
72. Progressive Indoctrination and Progressive Commitments
73. Magical, Mystical, Unexplainable Workings
74. Trance-Inducing Practices
75. New Identity — Redefinition of Self — Revision of Personal History
76. Membership Rivalry
77. True Believers
78. Scapegoating and Excommunication
79. Promised Powers or Knowledge
80. It's a con. You don't get the promised goodies.
81. Hypocrisy
82. Denial of the truth. Reversal of reality. Rationalization and Denial.
83. Seeing Through Tinted Lenses
84. You can't make it without the group.
85. Enemy-making and Devaluing the Outsider
86. The group wants to own you.
87. Channelling or other occult, unchallengeable, sources of information.
88. They Make You Dependent On The Group.
89. Demands For Compliance With The Group
90. Newcomers Need Fixing.
91. Use of the Cognitive Dissonance Technique.
92. Grandiose existence. Bombastic, Grandiose Claims.
93. Black And White Thinking
94. The use of heavy-duty mind control and rapid conversion techniques.
95. Threats of bodily harm or death to someone who leaves the group.
96. Threats of bodily harm or death to someone who criticizes the group.
97. Appropriation of all of the members' worldly wealth.
98. Making cult members work long hours for free.
99. Total immersion and total isolation.
(100. Mass suicide.)

[www.orange-papers.org] Recommended reading for specific, including $oka Gakkai - aka: the "Santa Claus" Cult, examples. I find it spot-on and could cite gakkai cult examples that I either witnessed or experienced first hand, to go with every single numbered category point listed, except the last one (#100) of course.

To disavow the above list, equates to one being in the throes of one of the most basic of unconscious psychological defense mechanisms, called DENIAL.

Some random "experiences" I came across recently:

1) ESCAPE FROM NICHIREN SHOSHU AND THE 13TH CENTURY, [www.paulmorantz.com]

2) Luckily, I’m not a Nichiren Buddhist, [recoveringyogi.com]

I wonder how many "attempted" shakubuku stories are out there that haven't been told, yet.

Hi,

In addition to the list mentioned above I repost a message of mine from 2009:

Quote
Rothaus
It was published by the DBU (Deutsche Buddhistische Union), the DBU is sort of an umbrella organisation of various Buddhist traditions in Germany. The list is not even aimed at SGI, but I guess more against some cult like groups of Tibetan Buddhism. So its a look at cult like phenomena from a Buddhist point of view, which I find quite interesting and must admit that I could relate to quite a few points in respect to you all know who.

- What is my motivation on my path?
- What fascinates me about Buddhism?
- Do stories about holy men or the promise of holiness impress me?
- What role does the need for a feeling of security, affirmation and approval
play in my life?
- Do I have the impression that I can leave the group as easily as I joined it?
- Am I given the opportunity to keep up my contacts outside of the group?
- Am I allowed to voice criticism without being discriminated for doing so?
- Are within the group the teachings of the Buddha or the teachers themselves
in the centre of attention?
- Are the teachers qualified by the means of a thorough study of Buddhist
teachings and own experience?
- Are the teachers trying to live according to the teachings of the Buddha?
- Are the teachers and their respective groups embedded in their own Buddhist
tradition/school?
- Is there an exchange with other groups and traditions?
- Is there an authentication by other approved teachers?
- Are dependencies created by the teacher/disciple relationship?
- What role do titles, authority and "career opportunity" play in your group?
- Is there financial transparency within the organisation?
- Is munificence being taken advantage of?
- Have I become financially depended?
- Have I donated exceeding my financial abilities? Have I run into debts
because of that? Have others in the group done so?
- Are aggressive methods being used either for recruitment or appeal for funds?
- Is my man power being exploited?
- Are sexual relationships being encouraged that have an unhealthy effect?
- Is coercion and /or force being used against me or other members of the
group?
- Are occurring feelings of guilt exploited , amplified or is there help to get
rid of them?
- Is there defamation, misinformation, or depreciation of critics, different
opinions or of other groups, teachers or other traditions/schools?
- Are other teachers, ways of practice being mentioned in an appreciated
manner?
- Am I being encouraged to develop personal responsibility and self esteem?

Quote
Hitch
This list was first posted by Nichijew, back on page #218, with a short discussion being generated by it. Of the 100 points listed, I can attest to the fact that the gakkai cult (in the U.S. and Japan) meets all of the other 99 requirements, based on my "experience" "in."

The Cult Test (100 Characteristics)

1. The Guru is always right.
2. You are always wrong.
3. No Exit.
4. No Graduates.
5. Cult-speak.
6. Group-think, Suppression of Dissent, and Enforced Conformity in Thinking
7. Irrationality.
8. Suspension of disbelief.
9. Denigration of competing sects, cults, religions...
10. Personal attacks on critics.
11. Insistence that the group is THE ONLY WAY.
12. The group and its members are special.
13. Induction of guilt, and the use of guilt to manipulate group members.
14. Unquestionable Dogma, Sacred Science, and Infallible Ideology.
15. Indoctrination of members.
16. Appeals to "holy" or "wise" authorities.
17. Instant Community.
18. Instant Intimacy.
19. Surrender To The Group.
20. Giggly wonderfulness and starry-eyed faith.
21. Personal testimonies of earlier converts.
22. The group is self-absorbed.
23. Dual Purposes, Hidden Agendas, and Ulterior Motives.
24. Aggressive Recruiting.
25. Deceptive Recruiting.
26. No Humor.
27. You Can't Tell The Truth.
28. Cloning — You become a clone of the group leader or other elder group members.
29. You must change your beliefs to conform to the group's beliefs.
30. The End Justifies The Means.
31. Dishonesty, Deceit, Denial, Falsification, and Rewriting History.
32. Different Levels of Truth.
33. Newcomers can't think right.
34. The Group Implants Phobias.
35. The Group is Money-Grubbing.
36. Confession Sessions.
37. A System of Punishments and Rewards.
38. An Impossible Superhuman Model of Perfection.
39. Mentoring.
40. Intrusiveness.
41. Disturbed Guru, Mentally Ill Leader.
42. Disturbed Members, Mentally Ill Followers.
43. Create a sense of powerlessness, covert fear, guilt, and dependency.
44. Dispensed existence
45. Ideology Over Experience, Observation, and Logic
46. Keep them unaware that there is an agenda to change them
47. Thought-Stopping Language. Thought-terminating clichés and slogans.
48. Mystical Manipulation
49. The guru or the group demands ultra-loyalty and total commitment.
50. Demands for Total Faith and Total Trust
51. Members Get No Respect. They Get Abused.
52. Inconsistency. Contradictory Messages
53. Hierarchical, Authoritarian Power Structure, and Social Castes
54. Front groups, masquerading recruiters, hidden promoters, and disguised propagandists
55. Belief equals truth
56. Use of double-binds
57. The group leader is not held accountable for his actions.
58. Everybody else needs the guru to boss him around, but nobody bosses the guru around.
59. The guru criticizes everybody else, but nobody criticizes the guru.
60. Dispensed truth and social definition of reality
61. The Guru Is Extra-Special.
62. Flexible, shifting morality
63. Separatism
64. Inability to tolerate criticism
65. A Charismatic Leader
66. Calls to Obliterate Self
67. Don't Trust Your Own Mind.
68. Don't Feel Your Own Feelings.
69. The group takes over the individual's decision-making process.
70. You Owe The Group.
71. We Have The Panacea.
72. Progressive Indoctrination and Progressive Commitments
73. Magical, Mystical, Unexplainable Workings
74. Trance-Inducing Practices
75. New Identity — Redefinition of Self — Revision of Personal History
76. Membership Rivalry
77. True Believers
78. Scapegoating and Excommunication
79. Promised Powers or Knowledge
80. It's a con. You don't get the promised goodies.
81. Hypocrisy
82. Denial of the truth. Reversal of reality. Rationalization and Denial.
83. Seeing Through Tinted Lenses
84. You can't make it without the group.
85. Enemy-making and Devaluing the Outsider
86. The group wants to own you.
87. Channelling or other occult, unchallengeable, sources of information.
88. They Make You Dependent On The Group.
89. Demands For Compliance With The Group
90. Newcomers Need Fixing.
91. Use of the Cognitive Dissonance Technique.
92. Grandiose existence. Bombastic, Grandiose Claims.
93. Black And White Thinking
94. The use of heavy-duty mind control and rapid conversion techniques.
95. Threats of bodily harm or death to someone who leaves the group.
96. Threats of bodily harm or death to someone who criticizes the group.
97. Appropriation of all of the members' worldly wealth.
98. Making cult members work long hours for free.
99. Total immersion and total isolation.
(100. Mass suicide.)

[www.orange-papers.org] Recommended reading for specific, including $oka Gakkai - aka: the "Santa Claus" Cult, examples. I find it spot-on and could cite gakkai cult examples that I either witnessed or experienced first hand, to go with every single numbered category point listed, except the last one (#100) of course.

To disavow the above list, equates to one being in the throes of one of the most basic of unconscious psychological defense mechanisms, called DENIAL.

Wow, that list is truly comprehensive and sums up the the SGI cult on most if not all of the points. It's apparent that Japan covers all points, here the cult is too small to play hard ball on the level that Soka Gakkai Japan does, at least for now.

Still, I have a certain amount of healthy fear regarding exposing myself beyond this anonymous user name, considering that the SGI cult does go after it's critics in an aggressive way.


On another point, reading posts regarding the NSA time period, I find it amazing that people used to sit on their legs for extended amounts of time. I think the threshold has been lowered and the SGI cult westernized so that less fanatical elements could be absorbed into the organization. Clearly, going through such austere rituals, a westerner would have to have a Marco Polo complex.

I spent less than a year in the cult and left when the novelty of studying the SGI cult as a case study wore off. To think that people actually succumb and surrender common sense and decency regarding worshiping a man that they have never met, nor have any true understanding about his nature or actual being, it's obviously the result of mind control through social group dynamics. Actually, personally, they most likely don't have high regard, but through the SGI cult public persona, attempt to outdo one another in adulating Ikeda. It's the instant community mask that everyone wears. A fake persona for a fake environment. I always felt that the SGI had a static environment because everyone is very careful not to disturb the script. The lively energy that comes with authentic environments is missing, albeit the forced jubilation and cheering that accompanies the "I'm a group think whore for the cult cause I am brainwashed" mentality that could be released on cue.

It's that phony, artificial environment where people whore themselves to group think that blew me away. My experience with the SGI cult lessened my view of humanity as being capable of reason, until I realize that mind control is at the heart of all of this. Manipulation perhaps is so common place in society that one's own radar is damaged.

I am sure that if you leave the SGI cult, speaking to viewers, there is a good chance that you will regain your dignity which can only be held through one's own momentum and effort, not through group pressure.

This list is the excalibur of swords slashing through the questions about whether the SGI is a cult.

Paul Marantz;s link is interesting. It's an account of how a good-looking woman (and her sister) took advantage of his attraction to her to pressure him to join SGI.

[www.paulmorantz.com]

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

It all begin and ended with Linda.

To my joy, Linda accepted a date with me for that night. So I came back from the beach encounter to my apartment excited and proud of my success. Part of me had thought I would never pull it off. Unfortunately, I did not yet realize that I may not have achieved anything except to be Shaku Bukued. When I called she explained that night was her Nichiren Shoshu meeting. I offered to pick her up after wards but she said it would be nice if I came with her. I was so smitten I gave it no thought.

-------------------------end of quote-------------------------------------------------------

Paul attends, but doesn't like the meeting. Does his rejection of SGI knock out his chances of dating the beautiful Linda?

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

I couldn’t do that. And when the incomparable Linda realized that sometime later, our dating came to an abrupt halt, disappointing me and my law school mates who dropped to their knees when she appeared at a party.

Then on a Sunday Bette (Linda's sister) called. She lived nearby which is why Linda had been in the area when I first saw her. She said Linda was coming over for a brunch, would I care to join. I would not forgo any chance to get her back and said I would be right over. I had even thought of telling her I would chant to have her. But I knew I couldn’t do that. Not that.

The breakfast may have been the best I ever had– Eggs, bagel, cream cheese, sausages–all the works. Now I sat on the couch, Bette and Linda on each side, snuggled up and softly touching me, letting me know how much I meant to them, how much they want me to pass the bar exam. If I would just chant, they said with staring eyes, I would pass the exam. What was the harm of trying?

I look into their faces and saw such caring. They had just made me this big breakfast. And Linda … The next thing I knew I was on the floor, on my knees, in face of their Gohonzon, rubbing beads in my hand while all 3 of us chanted Nam’ Myoho-Renge-Kyo over and over.

------------------------------end of quote-------------------------------------------------

His friend comes over at this point, looking for him, and drags him out....Paul decides not to practice -- and of course never hears from Linda again once she realizes that he's not going to join SGI.

There are no depths that some SGI members won't sink to for shakabuku! For them, the ends justify the means...they can do almost anything!

Recovering Yogi's experience with being shakabuku'ed is also interesting:

[recoveringyogi.com]

--------------------beginning of quote--------------------------------------------------------

Things weren’t adding up. Mostly I wondered why Nichiren Buddhists chant for things.

I attended one more meeting to find out.
The opportunity presented itself perfectly. They asked me what topics they should discuss at the next new member meeting. I replied, “Why do we chant for things?”

The head of my chapter looked at me squarely and said, “Earthly desires equal enlightenment.” Huh? I don’t know where I’d heard that Buddhism was about non-attachment and shit. Silly me. And that’s when the witch-hunt began.

One of the team leaders got wind of my doubts and called to ask if we could get together and talk. Talk about what? How you co-opt ancient teachings to get some bling? Or, are you going to try and convince me that what walks like dogma and talks like dogma isn’t actually dogma?

I told him no thank you.

I politely added that I wouldn’t be attending any more meetings. The next day he sent an email. He said that I had a shallow impression of Buddhism. He suggested that it was a reflection of my own mind.

------------------------end of quote---------------------------------------------------------------

And here are some responses that she received in the Comments section:

From AC: "We ask for worldly things like every other religion."

From Jess: "Sure SGI members write prayers, and chant for “earthly desires”. Let me ask you then, if we have nothing to desire, how do we live everyday with intention?"

From Kelly: " I’m sorry, and honestly appalled at the practitioners you experienced on your path to seeking the way to enlightenment. I would like to start a dialogue between you and I regarding the errors of the practitioners you experienced, and the true teachings, and meanings of Nichiren Buddhism. "In short, Kelly wants to use this woman's bad experiences with SGI as a wedge to get in and shakabuku her!

From JP: "Chanting for things, it sounds bad but it isn’t shunned. Nichiren set out to enlighten the masses, NMRK is meant as a tool for EVERYONE to become a buddha (in contrast with the other teachings that are only for an elite group, or require deprivation like fasting). The Lotus Sutra acknowledges human needs and human nature, and is built to adjust to changing times. I am definitely rambling, but compare this philosophy to the film The Matrix, and much more importantly, STAR WARS. Lucas himself was exposed to this teaching, and you can find that in his concept of Midi-chlorians and the Jedi way." Well, yeah, but did Yoda ever tell Luke Skywalker that he'd get benefits if he gave Yoda a donation?

And from Paul Marantz's blog:

"Finally the lay priest for the day took me aside to suggest I try it. Linda, he said, told him I had just taken the bar exam and chanting could see to it that I passed. Chanting, he said, had was a Formula for Happiness that does not fail. “Just chant and what you need happens.”

“What if I want to rob a bank?” I asked.

“Then,” he said, “you will realize what you really want and do it. Or you will be caught, rehabilitated and come out of jail a better person. Or you will get away with it and live in riches.”

I was impressed. He had it covered from all angles.

This is vintage SGI mindfucking! If you don't like something about SGI, it's your own shallowness and negativity. SGI DOES tell people that they can chant for cars, money, drugs, whatever-- but then when someone questions this -- SGI says that this is maybe not exactly what they meant, although it's really okay if they did. Amazing how they dance around the question!

And the leader telling Paul that if he robbed a bank, maybe he'd get away with it and live in riches? Typical of SGI's amoral view of morality, where nothing is really wrong -- oh, except criticizing SGI!

"The head of my chapter looked at me squarely and said, “Earthly desires equal enlightenment.” Huh? I don’t know where I’d heard that Buddhism was about non-attachment and shit. Silly me. And that’s when the witch-hunt began."

tsukimoto


The witch hunt. If you vaguely veered towards criticism while communicating in the group, you could immediately sense the witch hunt bubbling under the surface.

It's the self policing non spoken policies that stifle any authentic dialogue, something that the SGI cult blathers about constantly.


Everything is smiles until you approach questions regarding the SGI, then it's sudden police state. It's black and white. Play on this script and you can have your fake community, walk left or right of the line and prepare to get harassed.

Interestingly, I would use complex measures to introduce content exposing the nature of the SGI cult and sometimes people would agree. It's a matter of not using direct language.

You know, the reason they can paint us as disgruntled members is because they have hijacked smiles and sunshine as their group think agenda. Anyone who attacks the SGI cult, attacks smiles and sunshine as well. "Look how disgruntled these people are", they hate balloons and chanting bears.

Attacking the SGI cult is attacking everything positive in the universe. The cult will do whatever it can to survive. It would hijack misery and depression if it would turn a profit.