Can't wait for the big fight over SGI's money [more than ten trillion yen] when the cultmeister dies. I'm stocking up on popcorn. Shakyamuini had two robes and a begging bowl and Nichiren ate grass and brachen. They both rejected honors and awards, Shakyamuni rejected monetary offerings, and Nichiren rejected a temple and official recognition by the Shogun. Ikeda takes money from desperate old ladies and except for his inner circle, he pays the staff peanuts. Thus I heard.

Nichijew

When I inquired as to the "appearance" of nepotism with Hiromasa waiting in the wings, it was brushed aside with the excuse that "there are many 'Vice General Directors' - so it doesn't really mean anything" and "he is just there to help out as a proxy for the family because his dad is getting older, can't travel or do as much." In my experience, there is just no getting through to these brainwashed people, they only see what they want to see. Hell, they can't even see through all the bought honorary degrees and arm twisting meetings with nobel peace laureates to garner support and nominations for the ultimate candy prize for Ikeda.

I just found another post that I can relate to from my time in the organization/cult:

Quote
rattyboy
I offered to drive part of a family to a big 'rock the era' meeting. There was the line of clappers outside and Mr. Nagashima on a big screen looking like the great and powerful Oz, lots of beating on tires and young people dancing and doing skits. The meeting went 40 minutes over to make time for a youth leader from California going on about the 1000 dialogues and the 2 hundred something honorary degrees. After the 40 minutes over time we weren't allowed to leave even though there were only 3 of us wanting to get to my car; not waiting for one of the busses. Women's division turned us around 3 times. We were going to try exiting the church style pew seats in this venue by the center aisle but a young woman ( byakuren) was posted right at our means of egress with her back toward us, ignoring us. We had been only a few rows from the exit but had to wait a Half an Hour to exit! That is 70 minutes past the planned ending of the meeting and just in time for adding another half hour to the usual 2 hour drive at the beginning of rush hour traffic. The locals somehow slipped out way before us. Now that wasn't the end of the world, but being diverted and blocked without any consideration for individuals daily lives? Someday that young 'blockerin' can work at a table and do team blocking for world peace.

I have experienced this kind of thing so many times that I've lost count. I've never liked it either. It's the kind of subtle manipulation and control that I have no more tolerance for entirely because of my time in the cult. I've always handled these situations by firmly and even aggressively, if necessary, physically pushing them out of my way. If it's a ymd, you just have to push a little harder, that's all. They invariably don't want to cause a scene and if they do, they will later get into even more trouble. I've found it's all bluff and bluster, but regardless, I've always hated it.

@Hitch. re: above message: I felt a parallel to what happened in Jonestown if one didn't drink the Kool -Aid. In the Jim Jones mass event Some were injected with cyanide and it is believed that resisters were shot. Not all suicides. Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but you had to be there. My hypnotic trance had been stripped away a bit through research and my straying from the program so that helped me notice things that day. I had noticed the limited capabilities of the stoic YMD at the entrance of the parking garage. These humorless and unfriendly drones had a bug up their butts that only allowed them to hold signs and provide basic info. When I presented this incident of being kept from leaving to a Men's Division member later, he said "That's alright". That is all he said. I was speechless. What's alright? I had just explained all the details and what we thought about it and he brushed it off. He was usually a nice guy, but not when I stood on the precipice of criticism.

Quote
rattyboy
@Hitch. re: above message: I felt a parallel to what happened in Jonestown if one didn't drink the Kool -Aid. In the Jim Jones mass event Some were injected with cyanide and it is believed that resisters were shot. Not all suicides. Okay, maybe an exaggeration, but you had to be there. My hypnotic trance had been stripped away a bit through research and my straying from the program so that helped me notice things that day. I had noticed the limited capabilities of the stoic YMD at the entrance of the parking garage. These humorless and unfriendly drones had a bug up their butts that only allowed them to hold signs and provide basic info. When I presented this incident of being kept from leaving to a Men's Division member later, he said "That's alright". That is all he said. I was speechless. What's alright? I had just explained all the details and what we thought about it and he brushed it off. He was usually a nice guy, but not when I stood on the precipice of criticism.

I'm not sure I can think of of a time I was more disgusted or scared by large group behavior.

I don't think it's an exaggeration, because it's only the first step in reaching such a point. That's also precisely why I never tolerated it. It's the subtle removal of your freedom by an unpeaceful, undemocratic, pseudo-buddhist cult that manipulates people. I agree, most of the members seemed to accept it with a shrug of the shoulders and not give it much thought (those would be the same people who would be the first in line to happily guzzle the kool aid, too). IMO, this is also an extension of Japanese influence in the cult where the group-sheep-herd mentality takes precedence to personal-individual choice and freedoms. It's the kind of behavior that passes without so much as the batting of an eye in Japan, but doesn't (and shouldn't) play well to some of the more independently minded western members.

Quote
overthetop
I guess the reason I think that the SGI abuses people is that they feed off of people's hopes and dreams for something better in their lives.
They promise a great way to overcome your challenges and be happy, but then turn around and skillfully take advantage of people's efforts and willingness to dedicate their lives to the organization. And it just feels to me like it's all so that the selfish leaders make money. In my mind, this is abuse.

The event was well attended until the very end. I was surprised at how few people were actually singing Forever Sensei at the end of the festival.
The youth worked really hard, including all the Soka Groups and Byakuren. I just don't think it's fair the way SGI makes these kids give so much
of their time and effort to throw some big party all to celebrate Sensei. And, to all the behind the scenes groups, it's always the same people doing all the work. To me is is just abusive and controlling on a mass scale. They do it to control people's lives and take their money. They are prepping these youth to be good little worker ants for the organization.

Maybe I just don't get the spirit of Nichirin Buddhism.
I didn't think Buddhism was all about filling up a big stadium blasting propaganda from the big screen and making their children
march in order singing praises to the dear leader.

BINGO!! Quoted for TRUTH!

Quote
overthetop
I'm starting to sound pretty jaded, I guess.
It probably doesn't help that some of the personal experiences I had made me feel somewhat abused and taken advantage of.

The whole event felt like I was watching a military organization. It's clear that a lot of hard work, sweat and effort was put into the show.

As I've stated before, these kinds of events (culture festivals, mass youth meetings) always reminded me of The Nuremberg Rallies. I was definitely abused mentally and verbally in the cult and my time was also definitely taken advantage of/taken from me. I sometimes wonder what ever happened to all of the "abusers" and if they even remember or regret some of the stuff they did. Do cult members even have a conscience while they are in it?

I have just found another interesting post that I can comment on.

Quote
Rothaus
That leads me to another observation. During my SGI times I often heard “experiences” when people were “victorious” and showed “actual proof”, tears rolled in those meetings and everybody was “encouraged”.
Maybe its just me but whenever things went wrong though like marriages breaking up, dysfunctional family situations within Soka families, severe illness like cancer you name it … if those people were not “victorious” they some how vanished form the scene. I am not sure if they just stayed silent or if they were told to sort things out and not show up at meetings.
The support one received from the peer group always seemed to be guaranteed if one was struggling or on the way to succeed, it got rather silent when someone’s life clearly did not go into the desired direction.

Since faith by definition is exclusively in the realm of irrational thought, it's dealt with simply by sweeping the unwelcome facts under the rug, mentally and behaviorally (at meetings) suppressing them. I had seen it with a number of long time members and it was usually never discussed out in the open. Privately, you bet it was discussed and gossiped about, especially by the (Japanese) WD members.

One tactic that I do remember is when something really unfortunate or terrible happened (accidents or life-threatening health issues), it could also be easily explained away by stating "it could have been much worse or happened much sooner" if they hadn't otherwise been practicing for a long time and accumulated so much fortune in their practice bank. So, it could still be salvaged and framed within the context of a "benefit." The abject ignorance of such primitive wishful thinking is beyond belief. It obviously works for some, though.

Quote
Rothaus
What I noticed is that many SGI memebers even never admitted of having troubles especialy in terms of family troubles or marriages breaking apart - they seemed to have been achamed to talk of things like that. This was wide spread among memebers with a Japanese family background.
Most of them did not strike me as any more or less successful in life than other people.

They weren't ("any more or less successful in life than other people"). Don't forget too, that outward appearances are everything to the Japanese mindset. Outwardly, all appears wonderful and bliss. Behind the curtain, however, it's a horrid dysfunctional mess. Sorry to say, but it's kind of just like a mini-version of Japan itself. I've said it before, but IMO, you can't separate the cult from the Japanese mindset/influence. In fact, I believe a thesis or a book could be written on this very subject.

Quote
Nichijew
Can't wait for the big fight over SGI's money [more than ten trillion yen] when the cultmeister dies. I'm stocking up on popcorn. Shakyamuini had two robes and a begging bowl and Nichiren ate grass and brachen. They both rejected honors and awards, Shakyamuni rejected monetary offerings, and Nichiren rejected a temple and official recognition by the Shogun. Ikeda takes money from desperate old ladies and except for his inner circle, he pays the staff peanuts. Thus I heard.

Nichijew

I'll get my own bowl of popcorn and join you Nichijew. I think it's going to get really interesting at the SGI when Ikeda kicks the bucket.

When I first left the SGI, if I had challenges in my life I would fight that much harder to overcome them because I just knew that, if I failed, I would be used as an example of "what happens if you stop chanting" (I still have friends in the org so they know what's going on in my life). I've relaxed a bit about that. Life is good and bad whether you chant or not and I don't care what the SGI thinks anymore. But I am 5 years cancer free all without the "benefit" of the SGI and it feels great.

Quote
Tibbs
When I first left the SGI, if I had challenges in my life I would fight that much harder to overcome them because I just knew that, if I failed, I would be used as an example of "what happens if you stop chanting" (I still have friends in the org so they know what's going on in my life). I've relaxed a bit about that. Life is good and bad whether you chant or not and I don't care what the SGI thinks anymore. But I am 5 years cancer free all without the "benefit" of the SGI and it feels great.

You are exactly right, Tibbs. One of my biggest "benefits" was dumping the practice, freeing myself from the silly rituals and the toxic manipulation. My life only kept getting better as a result.

Congratulations on your health milestones! That's a huge accomplishment and it's all the more wonderful that you accomplished it without the practice. People still in the cult need to see this kind of reverse "actual proof" to shake them up a bit.

Btw, I came across this post of yours from the past:

Quote
Tibbs
I was a YWD leader in my district, but it was something that was kind of forced on me. I never felt like a "leader" and it was one of the many things that caused me to leave the SGI. I never saw myself as abandoning anyone I was just choosing not to help anyone travel a path that I felt was wrong. We all have to make choices in life. Choosing not to follow the SGI isn't abandonment.

I, too, was forced into a very short youth leadership position, against my will. They told me there were no other capable people around to do it and literally pushed me forward. I went along with it until I saw the looks in the eyes of the other youth that I had to "encourage" for a meeting/campaign. I just couldn't BS and fool the members, the same way I was starting to feel that it was being done to me. I also didn't want to be responsible for getting people deeper into what I felt was becoming more and more of a prison for even myself. I quickly stopped and was so relieved. I've written before that this was also a turning point in my resolve to leave the cult. I honestly don't know how some of the "leaders" can even live with themselves for snaring and manipulating people into and deeper into the cult.