As Nichijew has pointed out the translation of the Gosho by SGI are valuable in the sense that they are the most complete in English. On the other hand they do have some flaws. For anyone interested the "Writings of Nichiren Shonin" by Nichiren Shu published by University of Hawaii might serve as an interesting alternative when comparing translations. To my taste they at least seem more
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@ wayfarerfree Please keep us posted on what the reaction was. Legaly (I guess it is the same in the UK) you have never ever been a member of SGI (SGI-UK) anyway. Just a mere follower or supporter. In a legal sense the term member is NOT being used in a correct manner in most SGI national orgs. I myself had emails comming in years later - politely then asking to be removed of their addressboo
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hey they are watching us ... videos seem to have been removed same in utube - how truly and utterly sad of you guys. hey listen you should prohibit any audio and video recordings now thats truly democratic --- you guys (SGI-guys) are so sad must say. It must come as a surprise to you that outside of SGI your events raise eyebrows. I wonder if they already tried to close this forum down ... wonde
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The main enemy they have to fight right now is the apathy of their members. Otherwise all the rhetoric that sensei has used is useless! Got have something to struggle against.Quotesushigirl Well ist been a few years since I left. Does that mean that in your opinion there is a growing number of people being more chritical? I noticed that a lot of people with academic background leave and those
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@ sushigirl True. But is it not strange how obsessed they are with that even in the West? Like if they are longing for it. Even the world war II episode was not a persecution due to their belief but for not supporting the "war effort".
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QuoteanticultWhat is up with that website by Terry Ruby and Kathy Ruby. Is it supposed to be a satire, or is she serious? It not satire - sad as it is. I remember that finacial disclosure was a top subject in the SGI yahoo group. I gues thats the best that they could come up with. One thing it does show though is that SGI is aware of the discussions in the internet going on and that the re
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@ Anticult This was actually a good reminder. It is clear that some of us still practise Nichiren Buddhism - outside of SGI. If belonging or associated to other schools by now (in my case seeking closer ties to Nichiren Shu), we should be aware not to make our belief universal as THE way to interpret what Nichiren taught. All I can say is to those that have left SGI is, that SGI is not the o
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well Nichijew that makes it sound as if Nichiren priest shall always remonstrate with other faiths and the government. Nichiren Shu engages quite great deal in religious dialogue. Certainly there are aspects were they will have different opinions. But the nature of a religious dialogue is to find common grounds, thats were the lotos sutra is extremly inspirational as it puts the respect for the i
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Hi wayfarerfree, I practised in the UK for a number of years. I think its important to point out that Nichirens main focus was not to overcome problems, he himself pointed out that they are a fact of life (look what the guy went through himself). Having said that I do not believe that what the SGI practises has much to do with buddhism anyway. I find it normal that you do not want to have
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Actually its quite pathetic what SGI (unofficially) says about Poly Toynbee. She was associated with the BCC and the Guardian being one of the most important journalists and political comentators in the UK. Its all so typical for SGI, as soon as somebody says something chritical they start bitching. Where there is sun there is shadow and if one negates the fact that there is shadow has a seriou
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@evergreen well if I were to guess the brown shirts would refer to the nazis in the 1920s ans 1930s the one that did the propaganda and beating up. Reading what seesm to be common in Japan the term seems to fit - only in those days you were to read 'Mein Kampf' by Adolf Hitler. I think the comparison is not even that far fetched in terms of method and organisational structure.
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Dear Sushigril no, you are not alone. I felt like that too, but as a Nichiren Shu priest told be its the phases of detox in a way. In this forum it does not matter if you want to have a fresh look at Nichiren or not – that is entirely up to you. Looking at all the messages the money SGI accumulates I thought of my first time round as a Keibi in the European “training grounds” in Trets in th
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good god the lyrics are ever so rediculous ---- sorry have to say that never heard much of that in europe. but the start theses bi meetings here too.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

no need to thank sushi comming out of a cult is like detox. it helps to share --- looking at the forums of other cults I come to think that SGI realy IS underestimated at least rick ross offers a forum.
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I think its important to mention that the relationship between a master and a disciple is important in buddhism. Although normaly this relationship is a personal one. The sutdent asks questions the teacher answers, Sometimes this relationship may come to an end the student moves on to another teacher. On the other side the teacher may reject a student. But its a personal relationship 1 to 1. W
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Guys I just have one BIG problem - what are we going to DO about it though? Simply Copy & Paste the infromation won't do the trick in the long run. I too was unaware of the whole financial aspects and yes by all means we should get the information out. At the moment its like "oh look what I just read, look what I just found". I can just imaginge how SGI officials read this
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@ Nichijew I meant that in regard to children of young age, I suspect that in such a case that brainwashing is done by the parents, as in my experience young children were always showed into a back room with some YMD/YWD doing the baby sitting, Sorry if I came accross wrong. Brain washing on adults? No doubts yes. I joined as a teenager not as I child - so thats waht I want to learn more abo
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Calm down Anticult - outside Japan SGI is adiffernt thing - not less dangerous but still different. would like to hear other peoples expreience on that issue.
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well I would not really supect a systematic brain washing plan behind it. In due fairness I most say that the SGI childrens groups did kid stuff. Okay the odd tales by Ikeda - now semingly also a childrens book author ... kanta and the deer ans all that stuff. I would call the above metioned story that of a fanatic member brain washing her child - no need for SGI to do that as it seems. May
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Well okay, even in my active days in SGI, if would have heard that story on a meeting I would have thought to myself "poor child her mum is a bit a fruitcake". But then even going out an publishing it? Are they all out of touch with the real world now? Has it become that bad? If "Ikeda Sensei" would say lets all jump over the cliff ... there would be a drastic shortage of mem
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This story is actually quite sad – me thinks. I wonder what our “fortune babies” have to say about that. Was it not you Evergreen, you had to donate money as a child for the Shohondo? Reading this I actually question the mothers capabilities as a parent. If the child would say I want to got the beach every day, to the playground, to the park, to cover herself every day with mud from head to toe
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QuoteNichijew Are all members of the board practicing SGI members? well if they are on the sgi-board of directors they would certainly be practising members.
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We had this over here too. At what used to be called shakubuku meeting (now guest meeting) one would count the number of "members" present according to the divisons and the number of guests being there. I know that in some countries the number of subsriptions for the various publication plunged - it was then when suddenly ALL monthly study material was part of the publictaions - having
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Quotequiet oneSGI is very sneaky! well is that not reason why we come together here? to just disclose that? hope some of those just reading the mesages would stpep forward. in this information age at least no one should say that they did not know.
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Quotequiet oneI'm not sure what a "legal member" is. What constitutes a legal member vs. a regular member? well its the board of directors that are the legal members. we were told once that this was for our protection - as a matter of fact though this sort of construct keeps them clear from legal claims. for example when some SGI youth have nothing better to do than to apply su
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@ quiet one they may be counted as members inactive or active. fact is that for example the german legal memebership counts little more than 11. Guess it will be roughly the same in the US.
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@SGBye Why disjoin if you legaly have never been a member?
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Hi Evergreen, Hi Tsuki I think Tsuki is right take your time. I did a lot of research on Nichiren Buddhism and Buddhism in general afterwards. What I learned mad me angry at times as I realised information was withheld from me (or did I not want to see it). A Nichiren Shu priest once said that former SGI members have to go through a kind of detoxing - some may carry on with the practise some
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As Tsukimoto I am not surprised that one can donate via credit card on the other hand was there not always a big fus being made that one should combine the donation with determination (?!) i.e. be convinced to give with a "sincere" heart? Or is my recolletion just playing a trick on me ??
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Hi Evergreen, Good to see you back – was wondering what had happened to you. I think the trick is to click on the box below one own messages saying that replies to your message should be sent to your mail address. "Send replies to this thread to me via email ". If you happen to pass a book store you might want to look at “The writings of Nichiren Shonin” published by the University
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