I’ve always loved the teachings of Unity; and when I discovered Science of Mind I became even more fascinated by the power of our minds! And since I was so interested on learning more about these teachings I found a Unity church which I’ll call ‘Violet.’ So I started attending believing that it was going to further accelerate my growth, and increase more some of the happiness and exhilaration tow
Forum: Destructive Churches

This guy I know was pushing this program on us, because he is a facilitator, so he will have financial gain if we subscribe to the program! It is called EMC2, The AIM Program by Stephen Lewis, who co-wrote a book called Sanctuary: The Path to Consciousness. The only reviews I found were about his book "Sanctuary: The Path to Consciousness" on Amazon where some people talk about his AI
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuoteFindingmywaytodayThank you to everyone else for their support and interesting posts. The idea of the 6 beat chant being calming to the body is interesting. I feel it is brainwashing on the SGI's part to say why people feel so good is because of the SGI. I have tried other forms of spirituality where chanting takes place and feel it has an effect as well. I appreciate reading everyon
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

THANK YOU EVERGREEN, SUSHIGRL AND SCOOBYDOOBY FOR YOUR ANSWERS!!! I was actually more worried about this girl getting on trouble with SGI or with her mom, because when I used to talk with her mom and members from SGI, they seemed to believe that everything about the Christian religion was wrong. I go to a church that teaches Positive Christianity, and takes from many religions (Christianity,
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi! I wrote on this Forum many months ago because a friend was trying to make me join SGI, and I thank you so much for all of your information. I'm so grateful to all of you. I have another question. My daughter's friend who belongs to SGI (her mom was the one pushing me to join SGI), has joined the Christmas Choir, and we were wondering if SGI celebrates Christmas???? Or is it okay f
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Again thank you Tsukimoto for your explanations. I guess it's great if those symbols have a positive meaning. And I imagine you don't buy the candles or accessories from SGI anymore, do you? But as long as they bring you well-being, I will go for it! I appreciate your information on incense because I used to burn it at my house just for the nice aroma, and I was always wondering if it
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thank you Tsukimoto for your explanation about the offerings. Wow! A lot of symbols! I thought they were offerings to the Gohonzon, that's why I thought it was silly, but now I understand they mean something. I grew up in the Catholic Church with a lot of symbols and rituals. Most churches have its symbols and rituals and if they work is because the individual believes they work. It
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thank you for all your support. I can't believe that even if I only attended two meetings it really affected me so bad because of the brainwashing that my 'friend' was trying to do to me. Can somebody please tell me why do members from SGI need to put offerings to the area around the Gohonzon? And what kind of offerings they need to put? What do you do with the water or the apple
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Yzak: Thank you so much for your response. The reason I agreed to go with my "friend" to the Buddhist meet was because I had heard very good things about their practices of meditation and mantras. I even saw a video on the Internet from another Buddhist church that was excellent! But SGI was certainly a big disappointment!
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The ‘friend’ who invited me to the only 2 SGI meets I attended NEVER called me back (maybe she got the message after I returned 2 booklets from SGI to her through my daughter). But yesterday I got a call from the woman who hosts meetings at her house inviting me to come over for Chanting. I told her that I love Christianity and I wasn’t going to change my beliefs; but she told me that I didn’t
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Tsukimoto: I laughed so much when I read that three Buddha statues, a statue of the Hindu goddess Sarasvati and a fertility god, and Mary share the same shelf! Many Christians would object because many believe that Jesus (and Mary) are the only truth. I'm Christian, but in Unity and Religious Science (my favorite churches) they have taught me that there are many paths to God or many paths
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

You are right Anticult, by chant, meditate, pray "constantly," I just meant 10 or 20 minutes a day, but every day. It seems like the orders from SGI to chant harder and longer as Yzak says are very common. I was thinking as Anticult says, to make my own Gohonzon with drawings of the things that mean a lot to me! The fact that SGI owns the Gohonzon is a way to control its members and
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi Yzak! I'm so glad you found this group. Anticult, Tsukimoto, Mav, etc, are very respectful and I was so glad to find them also. I had a lot of doubts about SGI, and many things didn't feel right about it. I only attended two meetings and I was lucky to find this group before I went any farther. But I did learn good things from SGI: 1.They are very constant in their practice whic
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thank you Tsukimoto and Ithomas for sharing. Even if my ‘friend’ had told me I didn’t have to quit my beliefs, it was already clear to me that I wasn’t supposed to talk anymore about God or Jesus (because the Buddha they were teaching was the only truth). She told me they don’t talk about Love, but respect. It was going to be very hard to combine my Christian beliefs about Jesus and a Loving Go
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thank you to everybody that has been posting in this forum to make people aware of the truth of SGI! I was totally appalled last night reading through all, but also very grateful. I only joined two meetings, and I’m so thankful to say that I’m done with SGI. I’ve read about the power of our subconscious mind, and I couldn’t understand why only “Nam Myoho Renge Kyo” would work. Our subconscious
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Shaklee PRODUCTS!!!! Wow! This sounds to me as the same kind of brainwashing Soka Gakkai (SGI) Organization (also mentioned in culteducation.com) was trying to play on me! They told me that "The only way to get a better life," was to join their cult and do their rituals! Thank you for your information. A woman I know told me she wants to do a 'presentation,' of their produ
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes