Behold the real SGi from the inside

SGI-USA San Francisco Regions 1 and 2 newsletters, January 28, 1999

"If you haven't already gotten your DAIMOKU CARD IN THE SHAPE OF THE UNITED STATES it isn't too late. This is an idea of the youth division, to have individuals chant 52 hours of daimoku for justice and victory by Nov. 18, 1999 so that 10 billion daimoku total is chanted so that all Danto temples will shut down. The sheer power of such daimoku had that effect in New York. Get them at SFCC or from YD leaders."[emphasis in the original]

SGI Vice General Director, Guy McCloskey had this to say about the campaign to use prayers to close temples:

Subject: Temple related Mtgs Report

Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 22:48:27 -0700

From: kyosh...@sgi-usa.org (Kay Yoshikawa)

During the recent training course in Japan, the representatives of the various SGI organizations renewed their determination to not allow one other member to be affected (or infected) by the Nikken sect. At the June 1999 meeting of the SGI-USA Central Executive Committee, the members agreed to focus on faith, practice and study as the keys to victory. We will pray to the Gohonzon that the US temples will close and that the priests will return to Japan; that no one among our current members will be deceived by the priesthood; and that those who have gone to the temple will arouse doubts to understand the correct practice of the Daishonin's Buddhism and withdraw from the temple...

>From the Official SGI "Ichinet" message board:

> Actually, Paul, you can ask Mr. Zaitsu... I resigned my position in

> official protest against the current campaign to chant to close all the

> temples.

"Tell me, why should we have such sympathy for those seeking to destroy the Law? The only mistake I think SGI's making is not chanting 2 Billion daimoku, instead of one. There were also people who needed a visit from Fred Zaitsu far worse than you. The only difference is that they aren't grandstanding for attention. " Paul Wersant, SGI-USA leader

On that same board:

Mon, 09 Aug 1999 13:07:08 -0700 thomas ultican writes:

"Every morning with Gongyo, I pray for the perverted Buddhist doctrines of Nikken Abe to be totally discredited and defeated. I pray for the demise of the Nikken Sect and that the Nichiren Shoshu temple in the bay area be closed because of lack of support. I feel these are positive things. I am not praying for bad things to happen to people. I am praying for evil philosophy to be eliminated." -- Tom Ultican, SGI-USA member

"It is time to stand up with the hearts of lions and chase these heretical priests from our land. I do not want any more Americans to fall into the spiritual death traps set by the temple." Terry Ruby, SGI-USA member

"I'll chant for the temples to close and for the sad people like your self to find wisdom to cure your blindness." Public statement by Joe Stevens, "Jinzai-net" [SGI-USA Internet propaganda organization] security official (from the SGI Discussion board)

Subject: Re: Origins of NSS "Gojukai"

Date: Sat, 19 June 1999 02:34 PM EDT

"We learn to guide our lives to happiness and good fortune by practicing the Mystic Law, and sometimes our actions also involve protecting the Law. This is one of those cases... And since you, a Nichiren Shu member object to it as well, it seems the daimoku campaign is having an effect. I will therefore redouble my own efforts to chant for the temples to close, and I invite everybody to join me!" Wiley, SGI-USA member (AOL Buddhism bulletin board)

"Yes, some members have mentioned using the campaign to close temples. I PERSONALLY support that idea.... Those SGI-USA members who are chanting for the temples to close are chanting just for that -- for the temples in the US to close." -- Public statement by Kathy Ruby SGI-USA

True nature of the Daimoku campaign

Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 16:08:29 GMT

From: Kath...@yahoo.com

All that you have proved is that some in the SF Region regard the campaign to be a "close-the-temples" campaign. It is not represented that way in the WT or any official national publication, as you well know. Of course, I have no problem personally with chanting for the Nikken Sect temple in my neighborhood to close --another Public statement by SGI member Kathy Ruby)

"We all know people going through a bad divorce, or with evil parents, who chanted for them to die. They never did, there is no easy way to get rid of evil ex-spouses, parents, or evil High Priests...I might have chanted for Nikken to die if I had thought it would do any good." -- Public statement by Chris Holte SGI-USA

"Based on the amount of needless hostility that has arisen between the Gakkai and the Temple over some clearly self serving dogmas that needed to be jettisoned by both organizations, I can understand that members should just chant that he would "die or something". I still wish I could lock Nikken on Sado in a temple in a graveyard for about one year, while Nembutsu believers wait in ambush and the snow comes in through the walls." -- Public statement by Chris Holte

"All I've ever heard about is SGI members CHANTING for temples to close- not the outlawing of a religion." -- Public statement by Jim Celer, SGI-USA

Re: Inter- or Intra-Faith Dialogue with SGI

Date: 24 Mar 1999 20:09:45 GMT

From: jimc...@aol.com (Jim Celer)

Why do you think it's a misfortune for "Nichiren" Shoshu if its temples close? --Public statement by Jim Celer, SGI "Living Buddhism" magazine midwest Bureau Chief)

"We are merely chanting for the sources of the confusion to close, so the Daishonin's Buddhism can spread more freely. Pretty good karma, I would say." Public statement by Jim Celer, (SGI "Living Buddhism" magazine midwest Bureau Chief )

Subject: RE: [Fwd: Here I am finally. (From July 1998)]

Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 17:31:59 -0700

From: Craig Ellis [SGI member]

Regarding chanting to close temples: I regret that this campaign was given such a poor shortcut to what we really need to chant about. Since I do view that the SGI is correct and generally doing okay in its approach to Buddhism, I want to see it continue to grow. I don't need to tell you that the Daishonin always debated and was not subtle in his attacks against religious organizations that he felt were leading people to unhappiness. Well, SGI feels this way about Nichiren Shoshu... -- >From your perspective, you should be overjoyed that we have the 10 billion campaign to close the temples. Chanting Daimoku works. If Nichiren Shoshu is indeed correct in it's study and interpretation of Buddhism, then we will receive the negative consequences of our campaign. It really is putting everything on the line, isn't it?--Email from Craig Ellis, SGI-USA member)

>From the public AOL Buddhist newsgroup:

> Has anyone heard about the latest chanting goal for SGI members?

> Goal: Chant one billion Daimoku to close all NSTemples

"Perhaps most disturbing of all is how the SGI members don't even try to hide their hate and intolerance, blatantly disregarding basic Human Rights and even their own SGI Charter -- Craig:

"I just recently heard about how the New York members did a special daimoku [Buddhist Prayer] campain [sic] to close the temple annex that was near the Cultural Center. Great work! Now the youth division of San Francisco region will be starting a daimoku [Buddhist Prayer] campaign [sic] to close all the temples in the U.S.A. Maybe it will have an effect on the temple in Spain." -- Public statement by Michael, SGI member, Stockton (posted on the SGI's public bulletin board 1-10-99)

From: Ten_Ren (34/F/San Mateo, CA) (SGI member)

Jan 11 1999 1:33PM EST

"I finally got to go to the Culture Center again. It was such fun. They had a little play called Spiritually Incorrect. They gave us a good laugh about the situation as kind of a kick off to ask for 1 billion daimoku to close all the temples. Everyone was excited by it. I plan on filling up several cards of chant time. (ibid)

Subject: Re: 10 Billion Daimoku.

Date: 1/28/99 11:33 AM Pacific Standard Time

Message-id: 19990128143338...@ng12.aol.com

<<SGI has set a daimoku goal to close NST Temples?<<

[Marc Strumpf, before he left Honmon Butsuryu Shu in favour of Christianity]. If it works..can we have them?

Marc, Please join in. I think it's a great idea to use daimoku for problems, and the Nikken sect is such a negative force that I can't see what's wrong with chanting to close their temples down.I certainly don't want a Nikken temple in my area. I have no problem with people who practice with other Nichiren sects, the only problem I have is when they single out situations they may have had with individuals and blame it on the whole organization, or when they spread tabloid stories around about President Ikeda that aren't true... The less Nikken temples the less opportunities for people to support Devadatta. Is it true the followers of Devadatta had a small sect that lasted about 500 years after the Buddha's passing? Hopefully, with daimoku, the Nikken sect won't last that long. (Public statement by Maureen, SGI-USA)

Re: The Prophecies of the World Tribune

Author: mbh mbho...@nospamzimailbox.com

Date:1999/01/21

Closing all the temples is not a positive thing? I don't see anything negative about it. You are not unlike the hoards of sterile bugs they breed to destroy a species, after they think they have mated and stop looking to mate, they find out that they were fooled, and have nothing in side, they just die empty. Of course it is a result of our communal actions from the past that we have to suffer the likes of you and the Nikken Shu. I don't think the most of us want to repeat those causes and for you to go away and stop causing misery and confusion means that we would have to change our negative karma first. So chanting to close the temples is a good thing and the result will be that we finally overcome the negative destiny we have to suffer y'all and then y'all will have some other mission to fullfill cause one hand clapping doesn't make much sound, like you gotta make the cause to get the effect. At a more profound level, you actually are no different than the despots and dictators you complain about. You just haven't been give the power to enact your will to that degree. They have just kept you tethered in. Even when you get loose for a moment, you still stay put. Like the guy in front of the fire making boogeyman shadows and the fools who believe in those shadows. Chanting to close the temples is a good thing. Chanting for your happiness ridiculous. Oh please Mr Bill can't you just make the cancer happy? (Public statement by Bruce H. Miller SGI member, San Francisco)

"What right does any religion have to persecute individuals, temples, churches, etc. in this country? They have no right and it is strictly forbidden by our laws. Yet an army has been formed to fight a religious war in the USA that started and belongs in japan. Many people chanted for the high priest to die before chanting to close the temples. While most people in SGI-USA find this disgusting, and have not participated, there are those who do." (From an SGI message board)