Thank you for that message. I just read through some passages of the blog and what I noticed was that is was filled with that same sort of hate, anger and self-opinionated talk that I know from SGI. As a matter of fact is that not true for all cults? Them against us? The enemy talk, the talk about that ones own position is the ultimate truth? To anyone out there – glow, blossom and flourish in
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteNichijewWhy don't you ask Rothaus about the fine Nichiren Shu faith and practice? They are truly the universal universalists of Nichiren Buddhism. Then you can turn the tables on them, they will fear you and avoid you because you will become everything they are not and hope to be. I personally think that this would be the most counter productive thing to do!! And by the way I am no o
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@ Tsukimoto well I myself am not to sure what to think whenever nichiren followers amongst themselves throw with dirt at each other or proclaim that they are the real McCoy. Sceptical and turned off. The Gandhi, Ikeda, King - issue is in itself an impudence. I mean Mr. Ikeda on the same level as those two - give me a break. Those two gave their lives and felt REAL struggle in their liftime
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QuotetsukimotoElmore has also commented that it's interesting that SGI has sponsored the "Gandhi, King and Ikeda" exhibit. During the Civil Rights Movement in America -- while Dr. King was alive, and working for civil rights -- Ikeda apparently said NOTHING publicly regarding Dr. King or his work. Well if you look at it SGI NEVER spoke out against human rights issues: China, Tibe
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The IRG is far from being new. The fact that it now re-surfaced on yahoo is not anything special, jut depends who founded it ... and with what intensions.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Dear Debonaire, I would agree with "quite one". Its most important to keep up your friendship alive and do not voice your opinion on SGI without them asking for it and if they do - be diplomatic. Leaving a cult is like being on drugs ... they have to realise for themselves that soemthing is wrong. And do use your own time intelligently!!! Be their friend if you you will be too cri
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Dear lthomas, I am no therapist, but also do not bring up the issue when you happen to meet sgi-members (what area is taht where you live with such a high sgi-density). and if they ask do decide for yourself if you want to talk about the matter. in the end there is absolutely NO NEED to defend your decission to anyone okay ?! and start thinking about what you can do with tiem you have gain
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QuoteFindingmywaytodayI have to say that when I chanted and practiced with the SGI, I felt energized, but in the back of my mind, I was also paranoid. I would read about these really drastic things happening to people in the World Tribune. I know drastic things can happen to people all the time, but there was just something about participating in the organization that made me feel that way. No ma
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Hi Nichijew, I do understand where you are coming from and the reasons for the way you put your argument forward. Nevertheless I regard this as a forum which serves several purposes: - to offer a place of exchange for people who have undergone similar experiences - to offer a source of information to those who a.) are in SGI b.) thinking of joining SGI c.) who know people (loved ones) i
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Hi Nichijew, In your eyes this may be so and who knows even in mine at times. But to base ones argument on religious grounds is in my opinion a slippery road. I have witnessed this use of somewhat medieval vocabulary far too often when SGI was beating the drums against NST. I may not agrre with Nichiren Shoshu but I can base my arguments on a philosophical level but also on one without referring
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QuoteNichijewWe look upon Daisaku Ikeda as the Devedatta of the modern age and the third of the Three Powerful Enemies described in the Exhortation to Hold Firm Chapter [13] of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren Daishonin teaches in the Opening of the Eyes, one of his two most important writings: I think I would have to agree with wakatta1 here. As much as you, Nichijew, may believe that your path chos
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I am not to sure on japanese culture only that some things are very different once you get a closer look at it. What I do know is that there are japanese members, at least here in Europe, who leave for same sort of reasons we all here did. Between the lines of the World Tribune quote I read that its about the enemies of SGI, those who talk 'bad' about SGI, those who publish unfavoura
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Good grief reading that quote in SGbye's comment made me shiver: QuoteSGByeGenuine disciples give their all to protect their mentor from malicious attacks, even if they come under fire themselves. They have the spirit to take on persecution to shield their mentor from harm. In contrast, ungrateful individuals who trample on the profound debt they owe their mentor are certain to receive st
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteevergreenI notice that when I tell people that I have left and why they don't seem to get it Sure they won't get it, they see the world in a different way as they are unable to respond to any situation without checking it with the SGI-Filter-System. Also running into somebody who has left may run against what they were told what would happen with such a person.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

There is one thing I realy must say. A big thank you to all of you who joined this forum. Your experiences are of so much help to many out there who are having second thoughts on SGI. And as far as I can see no much moderation seems to be needed either. The exchanges we engage here are extremely civil !!!! Its not about convincing anyone to stay on a certain path or not. Some of us still practi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

First of all thanks to all those who submitted their post-SGI experiences and thoughts. In my case I would say that I had to get used to a new sort of inner freedom. The dogmatic cloud of SGI bigotry was lifted and I opened myself up to the world in general. To be honest I never did shakubuku as I always felt (even since the beginning of my practice) ashamed of the SGI, its intolerant ways, eve
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QuoteNichijewSure I was angry but my decision was not only an emotional one but a reasoned one based on study and reflection a decission that is based on leaving cult like structures and an environemnt of dogmatic bigotry is in my mind still one based on reflection and study. Its the consequences that I talked about. Bigotry is something which in my mind sympthomatic for many nichiren follower
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QuotelthomasFor your gohonzan it's 30 dollars and you get a year subscription of the world tribune with it. I began to protest but she told me if I did not get it now then I never would. I got it anyway even though the decision was never mine, because I was clinically depressed then This was actually quite disrespectful of your "sponsor". I believe the prime objective for anyon
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

was the title "towards a new century of ikedaism" ? :-) by the way I now and again check what is talked about in the yahoo group (you know that officialy unofficial one), its interesting that with a certain time gap some of the issues raised here a being talked about over there.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuotetsukimotoLinda Johnson, a high-ranking SGI leader prosecutes death penalty cases in California. President Ikeda compares himself to Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. However, both Gandhi and King spoke out many times against the death penalty...Ikeda has said nothing about this, despite Japan's frequent use of the death penalty. Could you elaborate on Linda Johnsons role in that? This
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuotetsukimotoMy experience with long-term SGI loyalists is that they're absolutely baffled when someone brings these issues up. It's as if they have no idea what you're talking about. It seems as if they can't even think that SGI is not all it says that it is. It's like trying to describe colors to a blind person! You are right Tsukimoto! On the other hand I sometimes
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I think one should give DavidM the benfit of the doubt that he got the phrasing wrong the first time around. He sent me private messages too. For most of us here it took a while to to be able to look behind the scence. Some of the mechanism we were exposed to just became more evident to us after some time had gone buy. In retrospective I used ti defend SGI myself - even though I had doubts.
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QuoteNichijewYou are a worm in the body of a lion. With all due respect Nichijew in my books those sort of analogies are a no go. Its also those kind of comparisons that drove me away of SGI.
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Hi evergreen The reassesment movement was a sort of grass roots movement to look at the structure of the SGI-UK. As a result I know of at least one district that declared itself indenepent from the usual structure i.e. chain of leadership. The members were actually quite dedicated buddhists, open minded but dedicated to the practice and chritical of the top down structure. I think there were
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QuotesushigrlWhat about Snowka Spirit in Europe? Just curious The way I look at it wht may be called "Soka Spirit" in the US its the basic party line in Europe - there is simply no need for a seperate movement even though Soka Spirit may be quoted.
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@ DavidM First of all welcome to this space here DavidM. I am a resident in Europe and even though the odd experience might be specific to organisational structures in the US the overall SGI-system is the same all over the world. I've started my practise in North America and had experiences in Germany, France, Italy and in the UK. The core of SGI is the same all over. Sure SGI seems to
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I have to agree with wayfarerfree. I too have family members in SGI (not my partents though). What used to be a close family relationship became somewhat distanced. It hurts incerdibly to come to realise that, but on the other hand I had to admit that the sorrow over loosing that closeness was holding on to something that was not the close bound that I thought it was to begin with. Just as it was
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi evergreen oh dear sounds that you told your parents then ... how does your partner feel about it. i still wonder if rumours are true and the number of members leaving is growing ...
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QuotesushigrlI sincerely hope that someone will do a book review on the titles put out by this SGI Fortune Baby Press. Gads!!! I'm sincerely hoping that a discerning public will see through the candy sweetness and ask, who is this schmuck Daisaku Ikeda anyway? I wonder if they publish all of his fake degrees on the book jacket.... well its possible to do that on amazon is it not? thats if
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteThe AnticultThere need to be some books explaining the inner workings of SGI-Ikeda, from those who were on the inside and near Ikeda. THe problem is though for a book you would need some interest by the public. I believe that many of the celebrities have distanced themselves form SGI. I somewhere heard that Thina Turner is not with SGI anymore - no idea if that is true though. Just a fe
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families