tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post7190356910360361093..comments2024-03-24T20:41:19.447-05:00Comments on Eagle Peak Blog: Nichiren Was a Complicated Guy -- A brief history of Nichiren by Mathew Presseau [QQ or Queequeg]Mark Rogowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05176132114346404556noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-4637939829877546992016-04-05T21:29:03.832-05:002016-04-05T21:29:03.832-05:00Absolutely.
“I met a woman once who had recently...Absolutely. <br /><br />“I met a woman once who had recently quit her fairly-new Nichiren [SGI] practice. When I asked her why, she told me that when she related her expressed desire to penetrate and actualize the Gohonzon, it had been met with suggestions that she would be better off chanting for a television set or a car.”– From newbuddhist.com under search NichirenMark Rogowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05176132114346404556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-3233515936553810022016-04-05T18:46:47.481-05:002016-04-05T18:46:47.481-05:00"One other thing about Nichiren and his ideas..."One other thing about Nichiren and his ideas before moving on - and this is critical - the entire dynamic of propagation and persecution lies at the heart of Nichiren's teachings on attaining enlightenment."<br /><br />I would like to add that I have only witnessed persecution BY the SGI, toward any member/leader who is not compliant with their rigid,authoritarian prescription for Human Revolution. Incurring punishment (shunning, defamatory gossip, exclusion and excommunication) simply for professing the supremacy of the teachings Nichiren over their rules regulations, by laws, codes of behavior is the norm.<br /><br />Which SGI leader is suffering punishment for their propagation activities? <br />I don't think it counts as persecution to be excommunicated by NST. Actually that would be more in accord with receiving praise from fools. It is hardly a bump in the road compared to the intentional character aspersions, and fractured relationships dissenting members endure-- from SGI's penal code. <br /><br />It might also be worthwhile to notice that at the heart of the idol worship displayed for Daisaku Ikeda, there is a huge void where the achievements of members engaged in their communities, society or addressing any one of the scourges of social injustice and violations of human rights that abound on a global scale; a big zero chalked up for the mentor's loyal disciples. What has been noted by friends who reluctantly attended SGI Boston activities at my invitation, is that the members seem to make a connection between praising the mentor and receiving material benefit and personal gain. A few of these individuals read just enough of the mentor's specific guidance to his American Friends to notice that there was little if any evidence of adherence to his strict guidance-- or even imitation of his worldly example. <br /><br />This comment covers the "Moonies" reference in another post.<br /><br />Sad to see the SGI held up as an example of revolutionary, engaged Buddhism by this author, who claims to be one of Nichiren's spiritual heirs. <br /><br />~KatieKatie Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05688676386085212349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070186063250309253.post-14822585852411765532016-04-05T02:09:11.404-05:002016-04-05T02:09:11.404-05:00"Chalk up some of the antagonism to some of t..."Chalk up some of the antagonism to some of the stuff brought up already - the Non-Nichiren Buddhist community tend to be white, new-agey, crunchy, relatively educated and affluent?, and the baggage that crowd carries from their high church backgrounds is going to lead to a little arrogance against a movement that is fairly colorful and proletariat."<br /><br />I disagree. Most of the criticism of SGI's agenda and propagation activities that I have heard from the Non-Nichiren Buddhist community was very specific references to non-Buddhist attitudes and behaviors that for anyone BUT SGI, are as plain as a dead bird on a windshield. <br /><br />~Katie Katie Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05688676386085212349noreply@blogger.com