I hope this site has, sincerely assisted someone in this manner, ie, of helping them to see clearly and unfettered by dogma and cult-spiel. When the bubble bursts, its hard to return to the ways you have been used to in SGI, and of that, Im glad! I would expect much more attention from SGI, after you've made yr intentions to leave clear to them, if you have been closely involved, I wish
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@DavidM I hope that having your post put on the thread proves to you that you have not been banned as you thought and have told other people. If you have left the SGI, then good for you, in my opinion. Anyone who values the truth , and human dignity should leave such an organisation. As I said in my reply to your PM, however, I found it more than a little dubious that someone who was intia
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I want to say one last thing to DavidM, before allowing the thread to return to the folk who are truly here to recover from SGI and speak objectively: If you are truly "naturally rebelious toward authority" (I wasnt aware that SGI represents an authority), then use that faculty to learn from other more open, honest, and verifiable sources than the narrow, controlled mediums The Cult
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Sushigrl (re. DavidM post) "I always had the impression that SGI-UK was more subtle in its promotion of Ikeda and the "practice". But why would you feel it necessary to feel sympathy for the damage done and the wrongs of SGI Japan and USA?" Quite true. I know of people here in the UK that are too scared to cut ties with SGI, and who are having their fears taken advantage
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@Nichijew Many thanks. But due to SGI, I have little trust of Buddhism now, if their examples are anything to go by. Gakkai folkk just cant stand it when someone, or several "someones" dont have the same opinion as they do, especially ex-members. Bite me. Deal with it. I'm an ex-member for thousands of reasons. This does not make me "lost",
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@DavidM If you are happy in SGI, why seek such a forum? I find this the most suspicious part of your post, to be honest Each nation has its own culture, so obviously, The Cult must adapt to each of them. SGI is just as bad in the UK as it is in other nations. If you took the Cult elements out of SGI, it would cease to be SGI. It might well collapse (personally speaking, I dont care either way
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@DavidM "I have been reading this thread for about the last 4 hours and it has made me sick to my stomach and close to tears." Personally speaking, I always feel a lot more clear minded after crying. Im glad you have spent four hours reading this thread. However, whilst it might feel safer to focus on things US, these experiences are certainly not exclusive to the States. The wo
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Well done you Sushigrl. Theres hope for me yet, then! Things that make you go hmm? 1) HQ Leader : "Oh no, you have to practise (SGI 'Buddhism') with other people (SGI members), otherwise you'll go a bit strange." Comments in brackets indicate what is never - well, not always - said, but always implied, btw. "Practising" in this case, meant attending act
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I threw my Soka jacket in the bin yesterday. A couple of years ago, I found a really cool range of clothing from an Australian surf company, whose designs were really unique but cheap too. Once, when I was due to do Soka at the national centre, I forgot my SGI-space monkey uniform jacket (as us youth have here in the UK), and in the breaks I was allowed I felt the chill and had to wear item of
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@ Evergreen Keep going, you'll be fine. Im going through the whole SGI "friendship" thing atm myself too. I think, given your own circumstances, you are being amazing. Trust your reactions and instincts as to what feels wrong or right, NOT what gets used to manipulate your heart-strings. Im no fan of Facebook. Im weak, and I use it nevertheless, its an occaisional passtime
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Thanks Tsukimoto. My intitial response to that is - the bloody f###### b#######! I have no respect for SGI at all, having found that out (SGI priests). Thanks , havnt read it all, since Im in "letting feet relax drinking tea mode" atm, but will come back to it later this evening. Its a shame, though, in a way, because SGI, whilst I was attempting to continue to live within its param
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Can anyone else add anything regarding SGI priests? If thats true, I know that would surprise a few people I know, maybe even (finally) get them thinking that is not as it seems...
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Thanks Rothaus, but that was more by way of an invitation for someone to fill in the blanks, than my expressing any desire to study deeper into Nichiren Daishonin. Im a bit tired of all the rivalry, its become an instant turn-off, hence my above comment on seeking something that seems less tarnished. Its hard for me to trust anything that has connections to Nichiren these days. But maybe you coul
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Im still more than a bit confused by the whole Dai-Gohonzon issue. Is it a fake or not, are there any quotes etc people could come up with tracking SGI's stance on this issue (I think it was Sushigrl that mentioned it earlier?)? I also practise Reiki... I dont view this as a belief system as such, no more than I would the principles that frame , say acupncture (or the mystical ancient ar
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

So much for daimoku "lighting up a room that has been dark for a thousand years". I feel that way the less and less I have to do with SGI, and the more I feel my own identity re-asserting itself. But, reading about Tibetean Buddhism in the post above, I feel thats more akin to my own (i.e. not force fed or controlled by a paranoid, cynical, bullying cult like SGI) take on life - the i
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

That is another main point that I had increasingly more diffi-cult-y consolidating, that even though, yes, I have Buddha nature within me, somehow I need an external object to help trigger it... I didnt have a Gohonzon when I began practising... but its just a mirror of my own life ... blah blah blah. Im sorry, but the very act of focusing on a PHYSICAL OBJECT THAT IS PHYSICALLY NOT ATTACHED T
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

OMG. Some of the dialogue in the above yahoo link is highly disturbing and highlights just howarrogant I could be if I followed such modes of thought. The response that my life is superior because I continue to practise/remain with SGI ... please, if that isnt a definition of arrogance, tell me what is? I hope SGI ARE following this thread, because I'd like to say that as the first clear,
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@ Rothaus Will do, but if my wishes get accurately conveyed to him (which would be the second time he's been asked to ... bugger off), I would like to think that is the end of the issue. There is a chance he'll react adversely to my official request, and try some other silly vengeful gambit in an immature spirit of spite (I get the impression he might), but that will get him a house-
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Exactly my opinion. They, the police, get paid to deal with trouble-makers, so you as an individual, dont have to. Theres nothing wrong with asking for their assistance, its what they are trained to do.
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An additional word of advice, however, on the above process: -It is important that you adhere to your own wishes too , i.e. that you yourself refrain from any form of contact with the person harrassing you, even in response (such as replying to text messages, emails* or left voicemails). (*note that emails are also another form of harrassment. Just because its done online, that dosnt make i
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Anticult is right. Looking back, I'm more angry at myself , maybe, than anything else. I could certainly cite other situations Ive encountered over the years in SGI, that are actually much worse than what Im experiencing at the moment. I took pre-emptive action yesterday, and visited my local Police Station. I think it would be of some help to people who get "in the path" of
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I dont think the Police would actually do anything here in the UK, at least not until he's begun arriving at my home.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Ok. This is happening to me now, and I would welcome any input or advice, since this is a thread on ex-members and affected families: Since Ive made my intentions clear and my wishes to be utterly left alone quite apparent, , an SGI member has started to become a bit of a problem: at first phoning my mobile incessantly, then sending text messages "not meant for me", by "mistake&
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Re. Byrd : I truly admire her tenacity, it shows real, sincere compassion for her to continue for the sake of peoples happiness, even when she was being stabbing in the back all the time. What a truly genuine person. I tried, in my own way to "be the change you want to see". But I just came to realise that it was a lose/lose situation - like social workers who go into the profession
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@ DrJesusEsq et al: Sorry, forgot to mention for anyone thats interested, that video clip was from the wikipedia page on SGI. I think he was very wise not to push the envelope further, given how SGI reacts to open criticism. Whoever posted it was also wise to "disable" the options for comments below the clip, allows his words to retain their clarity. But I value his presentation, i
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Ye Gods, its all so transparent, with the luxury of freedom and distance. The prayer issue seals it once and for all, for me. So many unsatisfactory answers over the years, sometimes, often, I recieved no answers at all. (and depending on the individual spoken to, varying levels of ways of serving out criticism or admonishment for even asking). It really does make me bloody furious, having al
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

To be fair, I havnt encountered the pressure for donations as others seem to elsewhere in the world. Thats not to say that I dont agree with reports of the opaque nature of where all the contributions go, and the lack of disclosure. That said, during my time practising, Ive been broke, so they knew better than to hustle me for cash, but the guidance was always to contribute "with the spiri
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

This may be old news, but I find this to be an interesting, if somewhat neutral, yet complete overview of SGI in Japan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx1st9FSK98
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Here is the link for Victims of Soka Gakkai: http://www.toride.org/eindex.html I dont think its been updated for a long time though. Personally, I wouldnt like to choose the word "victim" for myself. Although they may have had me for nigh on 4 years, I wasnt long into my practise before I railed against the incredibly limited freedom I was permitted in this corrupt organisation
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I didnt create this, but I sure wish I did! Totally hits the mark, IMHO - THE song, from Team America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh_9QhRzJEs
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families