SGI members are like my mother. Let me explain. Today my son visited my mother. He is 17. He didn't shower for about a week or comb his hair. My mother let it be known to my wife and me that he should take more care in grooming. Then she went on how I always showered every day ("my son this and my son that). I was perhaps a bit too blunt but I told her when I was his age I would often go a week without showering. I was correct because I lived it but my mother had a a difficult time accepting it. She had an idealized picture of me and this is stronger than the reality of me. SGI members have an idealized picture of SGI that doesn't mesh with reality.
At the time of writing this commentary, I had a convert who had a Nittatsu Joju Gohonzon before converting. At one time, he was a payed functionary of the SGI and the YMD leader of half the country. He was kicked out of the SGI and till this day, he cannot enter into an SGI center. This was because he wouldn't tow the Ikeda line. He was teaching that the Ogasawara incident was wrong and more important than SGI meetings was one's connection to Myoho renge kyo and daily life. He was also prohibited from entering into a Nichiren Shoshu temple until 1991 but with his good sense he realized the Nichiren Shoshu priests are degenerate and he hadn't visited the temple despite his official welcome. He was at the Gohonzon Transfer Ceremony, saw the DaiGohonzion over 20 times, and he was President Ikeda's guest dozens of times. His son's middle names are George (for George Williams) and Nanjo (for Ikeda's middle name). The top leadership has changed little. They speak out of both the sides of their mouths. I too have witnessed their lies and deceit and I am still experiencing them. My former friends and members are told the most outlandish things about me and even though SGI leaders have called me and know my number, they will not give it to anyone seeking to contact me. The nicer ones just change the subject when someone attempts to locate me.
SGI leader Keith Robinson: "Look for example at yourself Dr. Mark. You are in people's face, you are intense, engaged. I think you even referred to Petry as being a devil recently"
A little devil?
"But I don't see you attack people personally."
Sometimes ["Priest double fire." -- Nichiren]
"I see you playing your hand: -Shakyamuni is the Eternal Buddha-- nothing in gosho says otherwise. -Nothing in gosho about the DaiGohonzon -Namu vs Nam..."
The SGi is a theocracy. The upper level leaders know the truth about the Nichikan Gohonzon (being an inferior object), Shakyamuni as the Eternal Buddha, the DaiGohonzon not being inscribed by Nichiren, the fallacy of the SGI Master/Disciple teachings, etc. but they perpetuate these myths anyway. Some of course do so out of the mistaken idea that they are being compassionate to not shake the faith of pioneer members, others have more sinister motives, and others are just plain cowards.
"Those are your issues (they aren't mine) and you fight on them."
They are every Nichiren Buddhist's issues whether you take cognizance of them or not. Thanks, I will fight on (with or without your approval and permission).
"You don't demean people or fabricate."
You might find one or two instances:-) However, demeaning someone may be done without calling them stupid or Bozo. SGI leaders and many SGI members are masters at subtly demeaning people in order to control them. "You should seek guidance", "you can't possibly understand that concept", "your faith is weak", ''you are complaining", "'But" negates your benefits", etc. When a member is wronged by a leader, it's "your" karma but when a leader is wronged by a member, the member "lacks faith", talking behind members' backs', revealing personal guidance, positional/situational ethics, the list goes on and on.
"See, I'll tell you my hidden agenda. I know arbn's a cesspool. I happen to believe the Devil of the Sixth Heaven loves confusion and doubt. So s/he doesn't care if s/he wins or loses any individual fight. Rather its the seeds of doubt which s/he loves to see sown."
The only thing of which there is no doubt is Myoho renge kyo. All other things should be doubted. Those who preach without the Sutra in hand should be doubted. It would be a lovely world in which all one had to do was tell someone about Namu Myoho renge kyo and the person would be on autopilot towards the destination of Supreme Enlightenment but this is Mappo. Doubt free faith only and I repeat only has to do with Namu myoho rengwe kyo, not about the SGI's finances the Kempon Hokke organizational structure, or SGI's and Nichiren Shoshu's warped Shingon derived doctrines. The SGI is not the center of the universe. Criticism is healthy. If you can't beat the heat get out of the kitchen. One of the biggest troubles with the SGi is that it doesn't do as it speaks. Also, they take what they like [about the Daishonin's Buddhism] and leave the rest. Ikeda says that through conflict we polish our life but the reality is that it is only OK if the conflict is initiated from above. Then, the members life is polished ("its ok, you will eventually understand") but when a member's ideas conflict with a leader's ideas and the leader is pressed, "that member is destroying the unity of itai doshin". Another example is Jim Celer's assertion that the SGI follows a literal interpretation of the Gosho without clarification by the priests. This is only true when the Gosho supports the teachings of the Gakkai. When it runs counter to their teachings, it is interpreted only by Ikeda and more loosely than those of my college professor of symbolic literature
"So I think if the Nichiren Shoshu methods can be exposed as flawed, their ideological emptiness will be exposed."
What I have seen too often is that if the person can be discredited then their arguments are worthless. Have you seen Terry lashing into Mike, refusing to dialogue but rather calling him a liar? Have you seen Terry run from Dave Cole's arguments, calling them "the arguments of a confused individual"? Dave, although we have battled and his arguments are fairly easily overturned, is a very learned and well read man and a deeply spiritual (if not mistaken) individual.
"In an unfair fight we lose. Even if we win every battle. In a fair fight we win."
Sounds like the worlds largest and richest Nichiren lay organization crying the blues. The odds were always stacked against Nichiren but he was never defeated. You are being defeated not because you are not in a fair fight but because your doctrines are mistaken.
"But if your point is "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" then fine, I'm willing to look at my own behavior with honest self reflection and aim higher."
Not possible in the Soka Gakkai.
"But Deja-news and the history will show one side in this complex group smearing, baiting, name-calling, witch hunting, guilting by association as a fundamental methodology rather than an occasional sinking in the heat of battle. Keith Robinson pan...@cal.cybersurf.net
Lacking a mirror, you can't see that it is your beloved SGI.
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