I find it both interesting and extremely revealing that gakkai cult org. members' blinders are so strong that they feel it's completely normal and secure to post YouTube clips of their cult meetings. Having been to hundreds (or more?) during my time in, it's equally fascinating that absolutely nothing has changed. The themes, the corniness, the format, everything, it's all exactly the same.
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Arrive at the cult kaikan (now called "buddhist centers").
Go to the chanting room and recite the magic words to the box, while waiting for fellow cult members to arrive. Lots of talking, nods and waves "hello."
Lots of wanna-be "leaders" running around, some like a chicken with its head cut off, trying to look important, rushing around, dispensing orders.
More people arrive. Everyone asked to please move to the front (don't be shy and sit way in the back). Sitting up front with everyone else, makes you more susceptible to the group peer pressure and artificial enthusiasm.
The magic box with the magic paper is opened.
Eventually, the "senior leader" arrives (if they weren't already waiting in a special cult side office room, being catered to), walks into the chanting room, suddenly changing the atmosphere of the entire room (all the cult members sit up straighter, chant louder and more sincerely).
A whirlwind gonygo (recitation of the prayers) follows ("YOUTH!" meetings, with super loud and super fast versions), with the "senior leader" sitting up front in front of the magic box "leading" it all with a microphone.
As soon as it's finished, feigned guttural applause from all in the room. Then, . . . . "THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! WELCOME TO THE . . . . . [insert cult area name and manufactured cult title group name) . . . . with Mr. / Mrs. ___________ (most likely some Japanese surname or salaried leader)!!!"
"Yeeeeaaaaaahhhhhh!"
The magic box has been closed, while you were distracted.
"We'll start off our meeting with a performance by . . . . ." (different divisions are assigned some mandatory amateur performance task for each meeting --> these things are really thought-stopping and behavior regressing activities to tenderize everyone's minds to be even more [in addition to the chanting session] receptive to the "leader" "guidance" that eventually follows during the last part of the cult meeting).
Here's one example of such a "performance" -
"I'm not like you, and you're not like me
We got a connection I hope you'll see
We are just like . . . . just like . . . .
Fish in the water
I've got your . . . . (?)
And you've got brown
We've got the rhythm now, swimming around
We are just like . . . just like . . . .
Fish in the water
They say we are like Many In Body,
But we are One In Mind
Faith in The Mystic Law forever
But in the end you'll be fine
When evil people drag you down
They don't have
A faith like
A fish in the water
They other day, I heard you say
Let's get to fight, to see better days
We are just like . . . . just like . . . .
Fish in the water"All cult speak jargon
bolded and incorporated into the song. 1st song, first couple of minutes of the clip [
www.youtube.com].
Then, obligatory cult speeches ("determinations", "goals", etc.) follow, given by various "leaders."
Extremely ignorant confirmation bias "experiences" by members will precede the last portion of the meeting. The bigger, more important the cult venue meeting, the more (superficially) deep (oxymoron, I know), and heavy hitting (e.g., life threatening accident, health problem, financial or personal "obstacles") the story.
Finally, "official" cult org. "senior leader" kool-aid guidance. The more the salaried leader likes to hear themselves talk, the longer it will be.
The magic box is stealthily re-opened.
Once finished, $oka-han might make an announcement (usually about parking or driving safely) and then the cult meeting officially closes with the magic chant repeated three times.
The magic box gets closed again.
After the cult meeting, there is love bombing of newer members or guests, and a special opportunity one-on-one "senior leader" heavy guidance for any member who may be particularly vulnerable, experiencing severe hardships, or otherwise in an acute state of prime manipulation mindset. Other lower tier volunteer "leaders" start dispensing their scheduling demands and requirements for the next cult meeting (there's always another one to start preparing for right around the corner).
Always something for everybody.
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I think the title of that cult song performance should be changed from
"Fish in the Water", to
"Ikeda - Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel."- Hitch