On a typical Saturday night we would party after the discussion meeting till the wee hours of the morning, then be out the door at 8:30 in the morning to make it to the 10:00 city-wide meeting at the community center. It's amazing that any of us who were in high school ever graduated.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

In Chicago, the extracurricular activities were definitely more fun than the official NSA activities. Partying was a way to recruit people, who thought we were fun to be around. This was another reason it was hard to leave, your social life would disappear too.
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Spartacus, how did the "leaders" find out about the "illicit" sexual activities between YMD and YWD?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hitch, remember the nautical theme for the Seattle convention? The uniform thing was really awful, especially if you were a non-standard size.
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Spartacus/Hitch, I don't know what the YMD were taught in Chicago, because I was a YWD. But I can tell you that YMD and YWD were having sex. Maybe the guys confessed to their "leaders" afterward, but it didn't stop them from doing what came naturally. There was little moral compass in Chicago, folks did not join NSA to be subject to the same old rules that were at church. Bei
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Now, I think there is a distinct possibilty that Ikea exported SGI to the US with the intent to, at some point, exact revenge for WWII. At the very least, he has laughed all the way to the bank at foolish Americans, so unrealistically idealistic that they give their time and money to something they barely know anything about!
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I did not consider "practicing" after I taitened, it would have been the fruit of the poisonous tree.
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I just finshed reading SHO-HONDO by Mark Graber. In his preface, he states "The readers will notice some glaring flaws in the 1973 NSA organization,: militarism, male chavinism, aggrandizement of leaders, repression of sexual relations, arrogance toward other religions, and certain Japanese customs and superstitions being mistaken for the teachings of Nichiren. These defects have long since
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

QuoteHitchQuoteFreeheartandmindQuoteHitchAnybody read these books by Mark Gaber? 1. Sho Hondo 2. Rijicho "Officially" labelled as "fiction" (for legal reasons), but definitely not. I've read them both and was constantly shaking my head, nodding "Yup!" all the way through them. Fascinating reads and recommended. Sho hondo looks like interesting rea
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QuoteHitchAnybody read these books by Mark Gaber? 1. Sho Hondo 2. Rijicho "Officially" labelled as "fiction" (for legal reasons), but definitely not. I've read them both and was constantly shaking my head, nodding "Yup!" all the way through them. Fascinating reads and recommended. Sho hondo looks like interesting reading, especially since I wa
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I do regret that I was so org focused and self focused during my NSA years that I all but abandoned my family, who was facing many challenges. I feel that I escaped into the org rather than deal with the situation. My brothers are deceased now, but I wish I had been more involved in their lives during that time. This forum is wonderful. I have had no NSA scenes infringing on my unconsious m
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I was fortunate that I went away to college and it became difficult to practice in my tiny dorm room with a roommate. Also, the "friends" I had in the org never called me even though I was in the Chicago area. So, I drifted away and nothing bad happened at all! I had a great time in college and got a degree to boot! I was FREE! If this major change had not happened early in my memb
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Hitch, your "congratuations" comment had me LMAO. We did not see ththe logic break in observing suffering among practicing members, when only those who leave are supposed to suffer. Here in Chicago you never read much about SGI endorsing candidates or anything like that. I do not recall NSA being active politically active back in the seventies. That's why I thought perhaps politi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Why do you think NSA/SGI has never got involved in politics in the US?
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Looking back, I can't think of one cult "leader" whom I can say is worthy of being looked up to and emulating. Not a single one (and believe me, I've honestly tried, very hard, to recall any). Hitch, ditto. In Chicago, leadership was a popularity and beauty contest. And being Japanese, in whole or in part, didn't hurt. I was as dedicated as they come, never missed a
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"I was marching around parking lots, like one of the kids being led around by The Pied Piper of Hamelin, off to have my life almost taken away by the cult." Hitch, here in Chicago we marched around the big scary North Avenue National Guard armory, where I had to exit at a desolate CTA train station to get there. I was a Kotekitai, as it was called I believe, I played a mean piccolo!
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"Few come to realize compassion and wisdom." Well stated, Nichijew. It is because we experienced no compassion that we were (are?) damaged from this org. Any "religious" or spiritual practice that does not result in the growth of compassion and wisdom is hardly worth bothering with, you would think these things would be key objectives. When it really sinks in that a group t
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"I am old..." Lynne, you are NOT old. We only become "old" when we stop growing, changing, and learning. You are doing all of these things! So don't be so hard on yourself. You are so right, this org is much worse than I though and has been for decades. It it not you and was not you, it is the org that is fundamentally dark!
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I think seeing the violent former group leader at my workplace triggered dreams about the org, people who don't understand how insidious cults are once they get inside your mind really should understand the dangerous power of cult indoctrination. It is almost like PTSD...you don't think about it for years, and then BOOM, you are having an emotional reaction to something that happened de
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Here's why in 2005 I decided to check the internet and see what happened to NSA. I had starting working a new job in downtown Chicago, and not long after who do I see in the lobby of the building but the same violent group leader I wrote about in one of my earlier posts! I kid you not, this is true and I was shocked. I have yet to say a word to the man, because if you can't say somethin
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Spartacus, keep on writing, want more of your blog!
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

We were crowded in like sardines during Sunday morning meetings at the community center, I'm sure fire regulations were regularly violated due to over occupancy. They really didn't care about us. After the meeting, the Japanes WD would sell ramen for 50 cents a bowl. 50 cents! Remember, I'm talking about 40 years ago. You can make a profit selling ramen for 50 cents a bowl now! Al
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"Freeheartandmind, thanks for sharing a little bit of your experience! I started in the 80's, when G.M. Williams was in his prime. Did not realize that it was so manic back in the 70's. Thanks to you and Wakatta1 telling how it all went. Looking forward to more from you!" Shavoy, I remember when George Williams name change was announced. We were told he selected the most g
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Thanks for the welcome. Yes, those uniforms were the finest polyester money could buy. Blue blazers with white trim, complete with NSA patch. There was nowhere to hang clothes in our accomodations on the temple site, so it helped that polyester didn't wrinkle. We did not have beds, or privacy either. We slept in a huge room on mats and had cubbies for our belongings. Bathroom and shower fa
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Chicago, 1971: A sixteen year old high school student receives the gohonzon from a priest and officially becomes a member of Nichiren Shoshu of America (NSA) Chicago Suburbs, 1975: A twenty year old college student mails the gohonzon to the community center on Foster Avenue, discards all other paraphanalia, and officially resigns as a member of NSA 30+ years later: A contented middle aged
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families