QuoteMitchellJust a note on my wife: she has spent a lot of time reading and thinking and is making a lot of progress. We talk openly without fighting. She mentioned this morning that she was reading about the Komeito party on the Japanese wikipedia site and that while it had a lot of good, eye opening for her, information it said something like in the late 80s that the government made it ille
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteThe AnticultFrom memory, in a 330 page thread, there was only ONE time one person, probably in a moment of being emotionally upset, said something like that, that obviously no one condones! That goes with saying, to anyone who has read a thread like this. So why keep going back to one single thing, that one person said? They said it, so address it to them. One person made that comment,
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteThe AnticultWhen people are coming out of a cult, sometimes they need to blow off steam, or they type something while they are emotionally upset. At the same time, there are massive facts in this forum, like the one's exposing the billion dollar investment funds of Soka U. SGI, The richest cult in the world? over $1 BILLION in the USA Often when people are in a cult, especi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotebacknforth I don't visit this board that often anymore; I got a little tired of the negativity and hate that also live here. As I understand it, the purpose of the Rick Ross forums is to provide support and help to people who want to leave cults. It is not a "kumbaya" board -- it can't be, and still serve its purpose. The distortions and fear tactics of SGI, the
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quoteevergreenbacknforth - how do you chant for self and others if you aren't part of a group? Hi Evergreen, I'm just curious...why do you ask that question? I guess I thought the answer, as offered by several people, was obvious, so maybe I missed something :) Thanks :)
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Nichijew quote: "You certainly would be better off criticizing the SGI than me. Any praise whatsoever for the Soka Gakkai gives those on the fence pause for thought. Why allow that here? This is the only forum on the internet where one is absolutely free from SGI propaganda. Lets keep it that way. A bit of vigilance is in order. Let me remind you that recently we had an SGI plant here and
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNichijewBacknforth... I should probably have said, why not join a more orthodox sect of Nichiren Buddhism, one that more faithfully adheres to the basic tenets of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. I certainly am not saying, my way is the one true way. What I am saying is that the Gakkai way is not the way of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren. Find another way or you are complicit. This group is en
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteMorgaine@Being Adagio, I think it is hard to stop the Gakkai speak, especially after 20-plus years, I still speak that way and I have not been to a meeting in over a year, I sometimes have to go back and erase something I have written to post because I know it sounds very Gakkaish. Such is the way of cults and getting over being in one , the behavior and verbiage is hard to shake.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuotebacknforthTskimoto - in answer to your question, I have to answer with a question - is there any faith in you about the life condition of Buddhahood or not? Did you notice a higher life condition while you practiced or not? It's not about something outside of yourself such as 'accepting a personal savior' or 'properly connecting to the the mentor'. None of that is
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteSecretSquirrel...I came to this site to read others experience and maybe get some support in this separation. I don't necessarily believe SGI is a cult per se, merely an organization that doesn't meet my needs anymore and has a lot of problems, including multiple divergent and unreconciled personalities. With that said, just letting you all know that I won't continue on this
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotetsukimoto It's important to appreciate and value what a good teacher did for you -- but does that teacher expect you to devote the rest of your life to him, or her? To follow what he or she says, even after you are grown and out of school? To hang around them constantly, telling them how wonderful they are? I had a really great eleventh-grade English teacher. However
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuotedoubtfulI know you and some others resist crediting Ikeda with introducing members. Perhaps you are right. We will have to agree to disagree. The charisma that he has displayed in many videos (not the recent ones) was obvious to me. Danny Nagashima has it too. I cannot deny that Ikeda is special in some way that maybe I cannot comprehend. If he were not, then why do so many members love him?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@doubtful and @Morgaine, thank you for the welcome :) Yes, the fear and superstition have gradually diminished for me. I hadn't realized how much my participation was based on fear until I walked away from SGI, and had to confront all those warnings and dark tales I had internalized about what happens to people who leave. Instilling fear, and then providing the magic antidote, is an o
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I haven't posted before, but I've been reading this thread for about three months. It's good to find a group of people with the courage to speak truthfully about their experiences with SGI, whether they are still involved or have left the org. I quit SGI in 2008 after almost 30 years, and now practice independently. At first, I was so disgusted that even the sound of chanting
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families