It's been awhile and with the changes with SGI I guess it's appropriate to comment... I wish you were all here to see the level of enthusiasm I now have towards the SGI. It's like being apart of company where everyone is a vice-president. Every member is now a minority shareholder, the stock owned doesn't allow you into any board of directors meetings however you can sit on
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

That is very interesting to what Anticult is stating. Drawing the parallel between the techniques of Bryon Katie (which has nothing to do with religion) and the SGI (The self proclaimed "largest religious organization in the world") and the methods are so eerily similar. A business model to preserve the cult of personality. QuoteThe AnticultToo bad for SGI-USA, that it seems hundreds
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Funny thing you should speak of healthy relationships within the SGI. To it's credit, I only know of one healthy relationship within my old SGI chapter but the others were so dysfunctional to the point were I pondered if they would somehow show up on an episode of COPS. But it's of no fault to them individually for how does one truly expect to have healthy relationships when SGI culture
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WOW. That video was horrible... QuoteHitchIkeda, Daisaku - Hack writer (The Human Revolution), hack poet and hack songwriter - . What an uncreative, repetitive piece of sap. It really makes me wonder is there even a threshold with cult brainwashing where it gets too sappy that even the cult members think that it's all pure bullshit?
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My sincerest prayers to SGBye so that he could make a joyful fulfilling financial contribution to his local Children's Hospital Foundation. QuoteSGByeQuoteHitchFor a reflection as to how dumb some of the so-called "leaders" are, take a look at this "special" pullout section from the WT used to encourage members to do May zaimu . That “Message of Thanks” by Danny Nag
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteHitchFor a reflection as to how dumb some of the so-called "leaders" are, take a look at this "special" pullout section from the WT used to encourage members to do May zaimu . Hitch - I know nothing of Ethan Gelbaum but his so-called experience, though he doesn't admit it, suggest that he struggled with substance/alcohol abuse. Waking up in the morning says it all.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteShavoy'They are dumb enough to believe and they want to make you believe that your entire existence hinges on participation in SGI activities.' Yes, indeedie. This quote sums up a lot for me. Because they all want to be happy. I remember one concept of this whole thing, that enlightenment for an SGI Buddhist means being having deep happiness inside, no matter what circumstanc
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

How could you tell if you won a debate with an SGI member? When he or she reaffirms to you that they are chanting for your happiness.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Obvious divorce from logic. So how is it that attending a SGI meeting or convention alone is suppose to increase your karma? If that's the case then one could easily make the same case for increasing karma by doing the following: -Attending a Wet T-Shirt Contest -Attending a weed party -Calling in work and playing hooky on Friday -Going to the strip club -Sleeping in and watching P
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Hitch, Wow, the burning pocket gohonzon brought back a long repressed SGI memory. At the time my living situation wasn't hospitable so I was trying to get a pocket gohonzon given that I was rarely at home. The SGI simply refused to give me one. No rhyme or reason I was just simply refused a pocket gohonzon. Think about that one for a minute and see the transparent arrogance of an so-calle
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I just call it competitive happiness which underneath was SGI narcissism in plain sight. Listen carefully it's all about me, me, me and my happiness. Can't account the many rude moments of fellow SGI members interrupting Cousin Rufus's most immaculate guidance to interject and impose their own happiness upon the bunch. We were a bunch of sick happy mofo's in the Youth Division
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Take into account they highly emphasized the narrative to "overcome a struggle" they foster an environment where the average member are encouraged to hyper-dramatize the most minute situation in life and personify it as a "struggle." That's what the SGI "experience" is for. It's really nothing more but a game of "keeping up with the Joneses" in wh
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

SGI is a joke and should be ridiculed in any opportune moment. QuoteSGByeI constantly butted heads with leaders towards the end of my time in the SGI regarding the numbers game. Leaders loved to say “The fastest way to do human revolution is to do shakubuku!,” as though they discovered some scientific equation to overcoming obstacles. It was a dirty and manipulative way to convince people wi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Actually it's the other way around: It's (what) can KR "do more" for the Ikeda Industrial Complex. I still have the "7 Effective Habits for Ikeda Kool-AID Sipping" leadership books in the shoebox with the gohonzon and all of the other SGI memorabilia they can have back. QuoteSpartacusWho wants to be in a cult in the first place? Who would want to be a cult leader
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Many SGI Kool-AID sippers can't chant. Even in SGI, I preferred to chant alone because there would always be that annoying SGI member who explicitly let it be known that there chanting is above all others and kill the entire rhythm. They will either: 1. Shout over other members. 2. Move at faster pace where it sounds like "Namoyo-Ricky-Ko" 3. Purposely accent certain sounds
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteHitchQuoteKRI participated in "Rock the Era" and remember being told by local SGI Leadership that "This will be the only big event for a very long time" meaning they have lost the will and resources to organize huge so-called culture festivals. One of the first things that struck me from watching youtube clips of RTE, was how small the venue/attendance appeared, unorgan
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Such wonderful feedback on the issue of the Gohonzon QuoteNichijewQuoteKRQuoteNichijewQuoteKRQuotejlynneda63Well that is bizarre. Where was the pic aken & why? Where did the gohonzons come from sgi gives out? The SGI gohonzons are massed produced and if my information is correct, even the act of doing such is grave slander to the Nichiren tradition. Gohonzons are suppose to be inscribed by
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNichijewQuoteKRQuotejlynneda63Well that is bizarre. Where was the pic aken & why? Where did the gohonzons come from sgi gives out? The SGI gohonzons are massed produced and if my information is correct, even the act of doing such is grave slander to the Nichiren tradition. Gohonzons are suppose to be inscribed by priest and from what I hear the ceremony is quite special. My linage of Hig
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

SGI is a frivolous organization: QuoteThe AnticultSGI-USA hires the top PR and US marketing agencies and people, to come up with new methods of advertising for fresh-meat uh...new members. These people tell SGI-USA to advertise, they need to do things like pick hit songs which are "hip" to attract younger people who know nothing about Buddhism. The less they know the better, as the
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Quotejlynneda63Well that is bizarre. Where was the pic aken & why? Where did the gohonzons come from sgi gives out? The SGI gohonzons are massed produced and if my information is correct, even the act of doing such is grave slander to the Nichiren tradition. Gohonzons are suppose to be inscribed by priest and from what I hear the ceremony is quite special. My linage of High Priest of the Nich
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

If I could share a brief story... The first involves a fellow SGI friend of mine who happens to be a painter. She tells me that she painted a huge picture of a lotus flower for the local SGI center and had donated it hoping that it would be hung up on the wall. Of course SGI just took the painting. That's it, they just took the painting. Of course they had no regard to the fact that deep
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QuoteNichijewMay Contribution Video One video given to each District.... I love the Japanese YMD telling about how he didn't even have a bowl of rice before donating his last penny to the SGI and now he's driving a Lexus. I also love how Nathan "Brainwashed" Gaeur and Danny "DON'T YOU THINK SO" Nagashima shill, lie, and cajole to get every last cent out of ev
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteSGByeIf this was already reported in this thread then my apologies but the SGI now has a new Youtube channel called SGIUSAmedia. They only have 2 videos up, one being the "We Are 2030" video that Nichijew had a link to earlier. The other one's a promo video for an Ikeda Youth Ensemble National Competition at Soka University happening in June. It's the usual SGI stuff b
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

SGI is an organization most deserving of ridicule and (sorry if I have always appeared to be dismissive, but that's how I treat most things I deem as bullshit) scorn. I thought maybe I should serve a little bad entertainment by adding my own commentary to a recent comment by Nichijew. I can't help myself. It's almost as if a man had discovered gold I will also add my commentary I o
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteSGByeWhen I was a child, my mother would make contributions in my name so that I would “receive good fortune.” Ugh. Later, when I had jobs like a paper route, I’d be encouraged to give my own money. I never gave much, but even $10 is precious when you’re a teen! Nowadays, leaders at meetings make it a point to say “Contribute from the heart, without expecting anything in return.” Th
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNichijewCheck out this video and tell me what you think. SGI's version of Jesus Camp only more hip. That Japanese-American youth cult leader should be imprisoned. It made me want to puke: #1. The SGI says they are all about world peace and initiating dialogues but when you come across the majority of the YouTube links of SGI videos the comment section is usually disabled. I know,
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteFindingmywaytodayI'm still struggling. Forgive me, but I had returned to meetings because I didn't know what else to do. I am really bothered by the mentor and sensei talk. Someone told me that many people don't President Ikeda as their mentor until they have been in the organization for a while. Upon first hearing this, I thought it was because they weren't smart enough
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

My apologies, unfortunately the language to my question wasn't worded correctly: QuoteKRFor anyone who reads this: What would be the most effective method to "shakabuku" someone out of SGI or any other cult? Your thoughts... I tried to keep it as simple as possible. I was more wondering if from everyone's personal experiences if anyone here had any success with at least
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteShavoyFunny thing, though....I was practicing sincerely before and after this last gift----gee, I dunno. Still got benefits. The sky didn't open up and swallow me. For anyone who reads this: What would be the most effective method to "shakabuku" someone out of SGI or any other cult? Your thoughts...
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNichijewWhat's not staged is monitored. For example, is becoming an official site of the SGI. It is highly controlled, secretive, and popular among SGI members. SGI has an Internet Committee that monitors the web and his headed by Ian McIlraith, a salaried SGI pimp. Nearly anything put out publically and spontaneously by members has the caveat that "the views expressed here are n
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families