Agreed Rothaus and well said. The problem with the SGI is that it can only teach so much, and even then it doesn't teach well. Remember how many times you were told you are chanting the wrong way? That you don't just chant the daimoku and expect things to fall into place? You have to chant with this certain mindset or that mindset or you have to word your "prayer" the right
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

@wayfarerfree Welcome to the board! Yes we can finally discuss and give our viewpoints without judgment. Even though you are from the UK, it's almost the same everywhere. In fact, I was also alienated because of my constant questioning and how I didn't over come all of my problems through chanting. So please write away . . . . you don't even have to sing Japanese pseudo-mili
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

To sushigrl: Well, you know the SGI center is in Shinjuku after all, the financial center and government center of Tokyo and Japan. You know what else is there in Shinjuku? It's northeast of the Shinjuku train station. Need a hint? It's Kabukicho! The part of Tokyo that makes Amsterdam's Red Light District and Las Vegas look like (Tokyo) Disneyland! I know, I've wa
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

And don't forget, whenever you criticize our friend Ikea, you would inevitably get the lecture, "How can you be so ungrateful to Sensei?? It is because of Sensei that this Buddhism can be bought to our country and made so many happy . . . ." Then, time willing, you have a resume of a bunch of awesome things he may or may not have done. Am I mistaken there? The thing is, it do
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hey all, I just contacted a Nichiren-Shu temple in New York city, so if you guys want to find out more let me know. I think Nichijew, you go there as well, right? I plan to make my way to the Sunday services after New Years when I have more time. I just got a new job and I need to get my cash flow regulated as well. Here is their website: And here is their contact info if you gu
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteThe Anticult Also, the reason Ikeda and his people told people not to take what he said literally, as it was so extreme, would be because there are different levels of SGI involvement. Ikeda sends his extreme message to the hard-core SGI shock-troops, he wants them to be miltant and extreme, those are those brown shirts of the movement, the lifers who sacrifice everything to SGI. But of co
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

And here is another 2 pesos . .. . Isn't it funny that out of all the topics in the former members/affect families page, this forum has the most pages and always the newest posts? What does your mentor say about this, sensei?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Well, since I am a recent ex-member, I want to give my two peso about the street shakubuku thing. I did receive my gohonzon in Ohio, and I am now living in CT. In both places we never were told to do street shakubuku. I was told about it from an older member when we were in the car together at one point, but now no one tells us to do it. That being said, we were more encouraged to shakubuku frien
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

By the way tsukimoto, great post as always. In fact I used to hang around with the Hare Krishnas, mostly for the vegetarian meals (I was a poor college student and too cheap to buy groceries) and the same thing struck me as well. Especially when they spontaneously dance singing the mantra. Sushigirl-- I definitely know what you are going through, especially since I am going through it as wel
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I am sorry to tell you all this, but . . . I love Forever Sensei. Every time we sang that song, I do nothing but giggle to myself like a schoolboy. That's because it sounds too much like the theme song for the Japanese animated show "Space Battleship Yamato". Exhibit A: I rest my case.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I'd like to add here that coming to this forum made me realize my suspicions as well about the SGI. This is especially true when most of the experiences I have read from other ex-members were almost similar, if not the same as mine. Here is a thought I'd like to throw out and see what is your opinion. I have noticed that while SGI is certainly lacking in academic study, they do ma
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Sorry I haven't been on lately, been busy with other things . . . Let me tsukimoto that Nichiren lived in the harsh, bitter conditions while in exile to Sado. In fact, if I were him, I would be tempted to crawl back and say, "No, I was wrong, you guys were right . . ." But Ikeda, on the other hand, lives in a nice mansion in Tokyo and (as I just found out five minutes ago in
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Rothaus, the funny thing is if you go on youtube and type Soka Gakkai (in Roman letters mind you), you will get so many videos of how Ikea is the greatest and how wonderful Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo is. Copy and paste the Japanese term for SGI (創価学会) and you get a lot more videos from a very different perspective, ie what kind of a manic that guy is. Antic
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi all, since I burst in the forum with my communist paranoia, I thought I'd introduce myself. There's a lot I can write about, so I did the best I can to keep it brief. Sorry if this introduction is too long. Since I am still weaning myself out, I unfortunately will have to keep myself as anonymous as possible. Still, give me a PM, and I can fill you in on the details if you'd lik
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

You're dead on this issue. Yes, it's lacks any academic study. For the most part, we are focusing less on the Gosho and the Lotus Sutra and more on Ikea's messages. Sure the do have study meetings where it's all questions and answers i.e. "What does Daishonin mean by Devil King of the Sixth Heaven?" ans. The Devil King of the Sixth Heaven represents our arrogance and
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Howdy everyone! Yeah China is strange even to me, and I go there all the time. You can practice almost (emphasize almost) any religion you want as long as you don't go against the party line, so that's why the Dalai Lama is evil since he wants a free Tibet, Falun Gong is evil since people revere Li Hongzhi as a god higher than Hu Jintao (current leader) and Mao, and the Catholic chur
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Well, buddy, thanks for yer advice. When I first joined Rick Ross, I wanted to post this on the SGI forum but didn't know what I was doing. This is why this is a topic that stands alone. Furthermore, as I posted in the SGI forum, I left it pretty quietly. I never declared to anyone of my decision, nor did I confided in anyone else. The last meeting I went to, I smiled, I acted like I still l
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hey sushigirl, I haven't left yet. As of now, I am tying up loose threads before I sneak my way out of there. I am figuring out a way to keep my friendships with a few (very good and very upright) people while doing my own thing. So far, it's so good, and its most likely I'll make it out by Xmas. Going back to the Communist analogy, I'm preparing everything before I cross t
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I'm no ex-member, but I have dabbled into it a bit. Frankly, I thought Falun Gong was fine until I read the Zhuan Falun and even listened to all of his lectures (it did help me sleep a few time, haha). It raised too many questions in my mind about the practice, first of all of many restrictions he has put on the practitioners (i.e. no taiji, physical exercises are too low-level, etc.), his r
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Please, tsukimoto, by all means! I actually thought I posted this on the SGI group, but somehow ended here.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hi, I’m a current SGI member and going to be leaving very soon. I do like the practice and do love reading the Lotus Sutra, but I also have issues with Ikea and his mentor-disciple rhetoric. In fact, after a recent Sunday meeting, I was searching for sites about the org and about the issues I had in mind. This is how I came across this group. I want to say, reading your posts have uplifted me.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families