Notice that THIS ^ is all happening on SGI's watch. As soon as Ikeda created the Komeito Party, the Soka Gakkai started meddling in politics. Because the Soka Gakkai is as organized and mobilized as the Religious Right here in the USA, the SG has been able to dominate Japan's politics. From this vantage point, we should be able to see the true nature of the Soka Gakkai. Is it prom
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Here's another - this and the post above (Fukushima) I posted over at reddit, on the sgiwhistleblowers subreddit: The political party created by one Daisaku Ikeda, first "Komeito" (meaning, in a triumph of irony, "clean government") and now "New Komeito", is mostly supported by Soka Gakkai members and fields political candidates who are Soka Gakkai members. T
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Spartacus brought this to my attention - I have collected a bit more information on the situation. For your reading pleasure - Fukushima: TEPCO is the corporation that owns the disabled Fukushima nuclear plant that went all meltdown-disaster during and after the tsunami in 2011, just over 3 years ago. Did you realize that the President of TEPCO was included in the Soka Gakkai's 2012 Exe
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" It made me realize that I had met very few outsiders since I started practicing whom I didn't eye up as shakubuku prospects." Welcome to intolerant religions. With Christians, it's "souls to be saved." But don't expect anything other than the most conditional acceptance - unless you sign on (whatever that means for each group), they will only waste so
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

One time, for flying, I used a sedative on my cat - NEVER AGAIN! It didn't put him "out" and he was terribly upset at not feeling well! If you're going to be in a car, maybe you can let Kitty roam around inside - he'll settle down pretty quick, I suspect.
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heh heh heh Lost in translation...yet again. "I think that's a very fundamental fear. They insist that the betrayee "should have known," because they like to think that they would spot that deception in a tick. Bad liars are the ones that get caught quickly; the skilled ones usually don't unless a mistake happens." This ^ caught my eye, because it goes deeper
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"Here is an article from the New York Times about betrayal. The person who wrote it notes how very little support the larger culture gives to persons who have been betrayed. A betrayal that disrupts our narrative, our sense of place, hits us especially hard. " Thanks for that article, corboy. My sponsor into the SGcult was my boyfriend for about 2 years, on and off. He cheated on m
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

On the subject of how those who escape from cults often feel and express quite a bit of anger: "A cult will reflect your *valid* anger away from itself and your anger will go back to you (shame for feeling anger at group or guru, shame for having boundaries that feel violated, shame for feeling tired when overworked) anger toward skeptical outsiders, and in some cases anger toward those w
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

On the subject of PTSD and lingering "unfinished business" with the cult, I'd like to share the following quote. It's by Karl Menninger, a mental health pioneer: "When a trout rising to a fly gets hooked on a line and finds himself unable to swim about freely, he begins with a fight which results in struggles and splashes and sometimes an escape. Often, of course, the
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

AA is most definitely a cult. It was founded with the explicitly stated purpose of converting vulnerable people to Christianity. The fact that they backpedaled and substituted "Higher Power" for "God" is a transparent artifice - the verbiage remains clearly Christian, all about "helplessness" and needing supernatural assistance. "Those of us who have spent
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"Even the nice person who shows you round the Waldorf school may not know the full details of Anthroposophy. " My nutty sister-in-law, whom I met in the SGI (which was still called NSA at the time - she'd joined shortly before I did) and through whom I met my dear husband, runs a Waldorf school with her good friend from high school/college. I can GUARANTEE YOU that she has
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Nichijew, do you have any way of contacting Hitch? I miss him...
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Once, the scary woman who would later be murdered by her husband was saying how she often gave "guidance" to her husband (who was quite passive and lumpy, as I've noted before). Well, I'd heard for *years* that women's division members must *NEVER* give guidance to their husbands! But then I realized that we never heard that men's division members must never give
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"Sharing secrets with highly indoctrinated members to prompt feelings of specialness/priviledge/superiority" As I've mentioned, I rapidly rose through the cult ranks to become a Young Women's Division Headquarters Leader, the highest local leadership level at that time. At each promotion, it was emphasized to us that we must always keep the members' confidences sacred
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But don't you remember, Nichijew? President Ikeda is looking a thousand years into the future - that's how forward thinking and superblendent he is! THAT's why he's the only real option for your mentor in life, if you can truly appreciate what a big commitment this whole "disciple" bit will be for you. It's all Ikeda, 24/7 - and that's what you should de
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"Today’s cult leaders are artful manipulators in persuasion and indoctrination. As Isser and Oguntz note, “Leaders live in luxury while their members are given the most menial and demanding work, forced to live at poverty level. " No charity is provided through the SGI-USA - there's no "poor box" or any sort of fund for emergency assistance. In fact, helping each othe
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Hey, wakatta1! Just copy the OP and make it into a post on the SGI thread: forum.culteducation.com/read.php?5,87661,page=315 forum.culteducation.com/read.php?5,87661,page=351 ^ It's up to page 351 now - that second link ought to take you straight to it.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Spart, I would go for the first time to the new "Buddhist Center" to have a look-see. Since I've never been there. The old "Community Center" is no more - the former strip-mall office space sits empty now. I had been to the Community Center quite a lot, but I've never been to the new "Buddhist Center", which is why I'd want to go. I suspect one
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I find myself in a bit of a quandary. As some of you know, I officially resigned from the SGI-USA last year, almost a year ago, and demanded that they remove from their records all my personal information and that pertaining to my children. Since a few months after my request, I have been blissfully non-bothered. But SGI-USA did not send me the confirmation letter I demanded, which is my rig
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

It's a manifestation of Sensei's unimaginable compassion and his vision for 1,000 years into the future! Now let's all sing a rousing off-key chorus of "Forever Sensei" and see which YMD can punch the air the most vigorously! A-A-O!!!
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Hi, tsuki! Nice to see you again. Yeah, I figured out Ikeda wasn't writing his own stuff decades ago. I miss the Buddhajones site, though - it had a lot of good stuff on it. I wonder if she's made a new site under a pseudonym - I wish she would!! Besides, how could Daisucky possibly write any book that's in Engrish? He doesn't speak a word of it. And, yeah, someone ta
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hate to interrupt your witty (weedy?) repartee, but I stumbled upon this site, by a "Rev. Greg." The short article up top is interesting, but the discussion down below is even MORE interesting - it deals with Lisa Jones, of Buddhajones (in)fame. Her website was taken down under pressure from SGI, I understand. The "Rev Greg" certainly takes an uncharitable view of her, refe
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

When the US military invaded Iraq, the SGI-USA refused to condemn or even criticize this imperialist offense against humanity, this international crime. On the basis that it was more important to "support" the SGI-USA members who were members of the military and who were being sent over there to kill and destroy. 'Nuff said.
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"I know YOU are, but what am *I*???"
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Nichijew! You naughty boy! Where have you been?? Thought we'd lost you :'( Say, do you happen to know where to find that video Hitch shared privately, of that leaders meeting with Ikeda back in the 1990s, where Fred Zaitsu was reading his address as newly installed SGI-USA national leader (while deposed/disgraced Mr. Williams sat slumped nearby), and Ikeda was randomly banging on
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Holy frijoles, Spartacus! And I thought *I* had presented damning quotes! Wow - if those were to be posted over on reddit, I can think of one ikeda fanboy who would wet himself! Hmmm...(gets a thought) Shocking, absolutely shocking. Say, do you remember that Japanese term from back in the day that meant "government based on (Nichiren) Buddhism"? What everyone should keep in mi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

See, Spartacus, YOU and your magical chant should have been in the Garden of Eden that time. Just sayin'... - Daisaku Ikeda
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QuoteI'll never forget a former friend telling me about another person who had just started chanting and, of course, had been told that you can "make the impossible possible." The newbie decided she would really challenge that; she'd been in a car accident, and lost most of her teeth. You guessed it, she chanted to have them grow back. She didn't seriously think it was go
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QuoteI think we've all been straying from freeyourmind's original question: - mehHey! Speak for yourself! I answered with a thoughtful and in-depth response; YOU're the one who detoured us toward Soka U! >:(
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Oh, no question about the logic, meh - your rationale makes perfect sense! I'm just saying that THIS generation, the Millennials, are notoriously NOT organized religion friendly. You're right - the on-campus environment is heavily SGI-centric. And the campus is pretty isolated, so if you don't have a car, there you are. But this group in particular, the largest cohort in US
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families