Quote
TaitenAndProud
Here's the thing: If it's all "magic", then how can you know if you've got the correct "recipe" or "spell" to make it work? How do you know if the people who are telling you what to do really know how to do it? What if they're telling you to do it wrong?

I looked around me while still in the SGI-USA and saw a lot of people with really screwed up lives. Even the ones who were rich somehow didn't escape a karmic whack: One couple were, like, HQ MD and WD leaders. Big cheeses. The woman in particular had been instrumental in getting the local kaikan established; I guess that our area didn't technically have enough members to get a kaikan or something, but she'd made it happen. She and her husband were *rich* - he'd sold a software business and she'd sold her traveling nurse business. They bought oceanfront property in Leucadia CA ($$$$$ x a bazillion), razed the home that was on the property, and built a multi-level mansion. Must have been 3000 sq. ft or more. Beachfront porches on each level and a short stairway to the beach. THAT's "actual proof", right? Within 2 years of building their dream house, he was dead from cancer. He was only, like, in his 50s, too - left behind a teenage son. Is that what you'd want for yourself?

I mentioned that WD Jt. Terr. leader who was trying to tell me what to do, who even told me I should chant until I agreed with her (!), who dropped dead in HER late 50s of some weird whatever. Where's the "actual proof"?

So my advice would be: Look around you. Hard. Look critically and skeptically. Can you honestly say that the people you know in the SGI are better off than the people you know in the other spheres of your life? Are they wealthier? Happier? More content? More generous? More caring? More healthy? Do they have happier families? Are their lives more secure and stable than others'? What you're being promised is that, if you give more and more of your family's income to the SGI, YOU will get "benefits". What are benefits that you would want that DON'T fit into the categories above? ARE there any benefits that you would want that would be invisible in someone else's life to you as an impartial observer? Are the only benefits you can hope to gain the invisible sort that are impossible to verify that anyone's actually getting? Are you essentially using your family's hard-earned income to purchase the emperor's new clothes?

As far as that "actual proof" goes, no one in President Ikeda's family of origin converted. Not one of his relatives. I think THAT's saying quite a lot. AND his eldest son died very young. Where's that "actual proof" again?

Quote

Incomprehensible Death of Daisaku Ikeda's 2nd Oldest Son

On October 3rd, 1984, Daisaku Ikeda's second oldest son, Shirohisa Ikeda, died in a Tokyo hospital at the young age of 29. The cause of death was gastric perforation (a hole in the stomach).

Following graduation from Soka University, Shirohisa Ikeda began his career as a staff employee of his alma mater. It is said that Daisaku Ikeda favored Shirohisa very much because his body type was similar to his own and as such, he was commonly regarded as his father's likely successor to lead the Soka Gakkai in the future. So why is it that Shirohisa suddenly died of a gastric perforation which, unless left untreated, is not normally fatal? In the 10th volume of Daisaku Ikeda's novel "Human Revolution," in the chapter called "A Steep Path," there is a passage which reads like a prediction of Ikeda's own son's death: "The father of Ittetsu Okada (who had made a counterfeit honzon) died in agony because of gastric perforation." By making counterfeit wooden honzons, Ikeda, himself, committed just such a grave slander thereby troubling High Priest Nittatsu Shonin greatly. And just seven years after the slanders of 1977, Ikeda, like the character in his novel, lost his most beloved son and successor due to gastric perforation. [www.myokan-ko.net]

Again Ikeda quoting...
Can`t you really say anything in your OWN words,after 40 years of
practice?
:-(
It would be more interesting to hear YOUR direct experiences,
rather than reading you quoting Ikeda quoting some other people`s
experiences...
By the way,Ikeda himself lost a son to cancer:if it were as simple as
he says in what you quoted,then we could say(and I think we would be
wrong to do so)that Ikeda`s daimoku was not "daimuku of faith"
enough...

Kim [groups.yahoo.com]

I had no idea Ikeda lost a son to cancer. I knew he had two sons,
> correct? And, I did wonder why I only heard anything about the one
> son who works with him, and did wonder about the other one. Was
this
> something was is well known among members? Illuminate, por favor.

If memory serves (always a questionable commodity, with me), it
happened in 1976. I don't remember the details, but it was during
the New York convention, and President Ikeda was supposed to attend,
but cancelled due to his son's death. I was working for NSA (SGI-
USA's prior monicker, for those who weren't around then) as staff at
the time, so I heard it from "inside," but I have no idea if it was
generally known or not.

(Unless it was the 1986 NY convention? So many brain cells lost.) [groups.yahoo.com]

Ikeda had three sons.
One died unfortunately of cancer.
I drove around Florence his widow,during Ikeda`s visit in Florence in
June 1992.
I was a "Tenrin".(until 2002)
I even bought her an ice cream at a "gelateria" next to the Ponte
vecchio!
I have to say, in her defence,that she was very reluctant in letting
me pay.
I explained her that it was normal in Italy,if not a "must",for a man
to pay...An ice cream to a lady!
She just had to accept it.
I left her no choice.
:-)
Ikeda`s other two sons:
are both(and were then)SGI "vice presidents". [groups.yahoo.com]

Michael: It's just so strange not to have known that piece of
personal information about Ikeda. It's funny that is was not shared
among the membership, especially in terms of solicitation of prayers
on his behalf. I guess, maybe it's strange to me because Ikeda has
the appearance of living a somewhat charmed existance. Not that he
actually does, but the projection is certainly there. For example,
photographs always depict he and Mrs. Ikeda smiling and happy
(especially her) That's her role. You have to wonder what her
internal life is like when such a static image is portrayed.

When my sister died I was 23, had been a strong YWD for 5 years. I
wouldn't even allow more than a moments' grief. Had to keep that
bright, YWD smile, NO MATTER WHAT! I wonder if it was the same for
the Mrs. [groups.yahoo.com]

It wasn't kept a secret. I knew about it and I heard it discussed many
times, for example in the context that Ikeda had suffered from life's
hardships just like everyone else. I don't remember ever hearing of
Ikeda mentioning it himself. [groups.yahoo.com]

Quote

The trouble with this guidance is that it gives the impression that if
you chant for something and it doesn't happen, then this is because of
your own inedequacy. I know people who have accepted this type of
guidance and chanted for years for some impossible goal, and never
achieved it. Not all goals are achievable, and not just because you are
not chanting enough or you doesn't have a sufficiently confident and
positive attitude.

Hence, there are many members who end up with very low self-esteem,
where their biggest 'obstacle' becomes a need to overcome that. [groups.yahoo.com]

Quote

(RE: Ikeda's son's death)

> Yeah, but it was never published or officially acknowledged, at
least not in the US. Just like
> the WT doesn't have an obituary section, even though some of our
pioneer members are
> dying. It's like death is shameful, or doesn't exist, even though
it happens to everyone. I
> don't understand it.
>
> Vanya

I know, I've takennote of that more than a few times myself. The
single exception I can recall off the top of my head was after the
death of Shin Yatomi this past July. THere was an article about him
and his efforts in the WT.

I know that some people memorialize the pioneers online - there was
a beautiful one on Fraught WIth Peril last year, but I won't post a
link to it withnout the family's permission.

This seems to me, too, to be an avoidance of hat we in the west
generally consider a common courtesy - I wonder if this is Japanese
management's way of steering clear of the Buddhist associaiton with
death in Japan?

Maybe the Americanmembers need to just step up to theplate with this
and create a webpage where we could write memorials for members who
have passed on? It's not something the organzation would be likely
to do, but we could do it. What do you all think?

Byrd in LA [groups.yahoo.com]

Quote

Back here in Italy SGI publications do not have an obituary section.
The last pioneer,to be to have been remembered on an Italian SGI
publication was Mrs.Amalia Miglionico(she received Italy`s first
Gohonzon in 1965 and had translated most of the Goshos from japanese
to italian)and this happened in 2002...
:-(
The italian SGI publications are 80-90% about Ikeda!

Ikeda`s guidance...
Ikeda`s essays...
Meetings with Ikeda...
Ikeda`s messages...
Ikeda`s teaching the Gosho...
ikeda`s teaching the Lotus Sutra...
Ikeda`s awards, prizes and honorary titles updates...
Ikeda`s poetry...
Ikeda`s photographs...
Ikeda`s new books...
Ikeda`s old books...
Members and leaders quoting and praising Ikeda....
Reports on Ikeda`s latest videos...
The importance of the Ikeda/disciple relationship...

I am not kidding.
:-((
Kim [groups.yahoo.com]

Quote
Hitch
I can add many names and stories to the list about long time, sincere practicing gakkai members who met with some horrible deaths (alone, wasting away with metastasized bone cancer, senseless accidents, etc.) in the end. These things are never faced, thought about, mentioned, nor discussed by other gakkai members. It's all quickly brushed aside, put out of mind and bypassed so as to avoid any discomfort in having to deal with any of it (i.e., how the so-called "practice" didn't really help when it truly mattered). I've seen this many times and other less severe things (not dealing with deaths) that also get conveniently swept under the rug. For example: model "YOUTH!" division leader role models who were celebrated for getting married and having "fortune" babies (the perfect gakkai member love story fairy tale, kids given names from Ikeda, etc.), gossip of the town and THE model couple / family, envy of all, worth of emulation in behavior, etc. . . . . . . who later got divorced. Oooops!

Their confirmation bias is, of course, always a one-way street.


- Hitch

Quote
Hitch
Magical Thinking - The Seven Basic Principles:

1. Anything can be "sacred" = The Magic Paper Scroll (Mandala / Gohonzon / Joju Gohonzon / Omamori Gohonzon / Dai-Gohonzon / etc.)
2. Anything can be "cursed" = Anything or anyone outside of your "specially" "chosen" sect / group / circle / faith mindset. (Inter-faith tolerance is a ruse.)
3. Mind over matter = Positive thinking, "leader guidance / encouragement", Ikeda's "Daily Guidance" book(s), "FIGHT!", "VICTORY!", Gakkai Cult Org. songs, etc..
4. Rituals bring good luck = Daily Gongyo, prayers, extra daimoku, weekly meetings, activities, monthly Kosen-Rufu Gongyo, annual (as currently being discussed on this thread) May Financial Cult Contribution Campaign, FNCC Cult Retreat "pilgrimages", etc.. Doing more of anything in this category, by default magic thinking, brings in even more goodies --> BINGO!!
5. Names carry meaning = any & all gakkai specific cult-speak-lingo
6. Karma is Just = Self-explanatory (Fake karma, etc.)
7. The world is "Alive" = The "Mystic Law" responds to gakkai members being in "harmony" with and supporting it (or should I say, Daisaku Ikeda?) unconditionally, without question and 100% pure "seeking spirit" (see item #5 above) faith.

[www.youtube.com] / Article: [www.psychologytoday.com]

The demarcation boundaries separating "Positive Thinking" from "Psychosis" are paper thin, very subtle and sometimes blurred.

NMRK x3 and rub those juzus. That's not enough either - don't forget zaimu.


- Hitch

Quote

I also chanted for goals, a lot reached, but real sticky, important ones, never in my practice. You are told if you do more and more daimoku, study more, participate 500 notches more, give more $$$, you will achieve everything, no matter what. BUT---when you cannot achieve the goal, or something else happens in original goal's place, then THAT is the best thing for your life. Well, you hear that in the secular world as well. In the Christian world, etc. You may not get what you want, but what you need. SGI does not have sole propriety on that one. - Shavoy