"What I object to is how SGI is constantly glorifying this workaholic, go-go-go overscheduled lifestyle. Linda Johnson, for example, gave a speech about how she has this very busy job as a prosecutor, going to court herself and supervising other lawyers -- and then she also has two demanding positions in SGI. If that's what she wants to do, fine, that's her choice. What I dislike is that this is held up as an example to the rest of us -- we should be doing the same. Well, I don't want to! I would like to have a personal life, time for hobbies and friends, time to stop and smell the roses! When I tried to explain this to my leaders, their attitude was that I was being selfish and lazy, content with a narrow little life.
Nonsense! I work quite hard at my job and at home -- but I also consider it important to have balance in my life. I have seen many SGI leaders who are miserable, exhausted, and overstressed -- and their families suffer too from their overinvolvement with SGI. Even if I loved SGI, that's not for me. It's not a healthy way to live." -- Tsukimoto
Nichiren too realized this:
"But for your person as a householder the essence is for you to chant 'Namu Myoho renge kyo' with no other thought and also make offerings to the monks. And also, if it is in accord with the sutra text, one should also 'expound it according to one's strength,' shouldn't one?" [Reply to Lord Matsuno]
The key here, I think, is "according to one's strength". It doesn't read, "according to the strength of another". SGI changes Nichiren's teachings for their self serving ends. They are not "Nichiren Buddhists", least of all "The One True Nichiren Sect". Shameful. SGI is a bizarre parody of Buddhism.
"When I tried to explain this to my leaders, their attitude was that I was being selfish and lazy, content with a narrow little life."
ReplyDeleteI experienced almost the exact same thing. After what turned out to be my last discussion meeting (going in, I didn't realize it would be the last), I was sitting around outside with a coupla old Japanese ladies and the MD district leader and maybe one or two other people, and I said, "I'm not getting my social needs met through SGI and neither are my children." My MD district leader, a lout missing most of his teeth, who probably doesn't even have a high school education, told me, "You shouldn't be so selfish. You should be thinking about how you can use your knowledge of the Gosho and your youth division training to help others."
Well, the thing is, no one was *interested* in my knowledge of the Gosho OR my youth division training! I already KNEW that! I'd finally had enough with the superficiality of SGI "friendships", which are basically "work friendships" - you're at the same places at the same time, so that makes you "friends" O_O
Notice how he simply ignored my concerns for my children. How typical. And he's calling ME "selfish"??
I never went back. And I'm glad. Being rid of the SGI has been nothing but relief. And all my SGI "friends"? Not a single one called me to see why I wasn't coming to activities any more. Not ONE. Some "friends".