Joe Bunik responds:
"I would second this motion!
Having had an opportunity to practice under both SGI/NSA/... I had been disappointed by the lack of opportunity to have a practice which helped me personally grow as an individual rather than being submerged by the overwhelming "personalities and campaigns" of these groups. This led me to several years of inconsistent practice. Over time, I began to encounter the advocates of the more orthodox forms of practice and immediately found an inner benefit unlike any before. After a lot of discussions regarding this more serious practice, I became a member of Hokke Kai and find an ever continuing source of community, group and personal support which, while more geographically separated than the typical NSA practice and number of members, provides something I never encountered before. I have found that rare combination of practice which is based upon the bedrock of truth from Nichiren himself and not the interpretaions of others. The freedom from having to continue to recruit members but rather letting people think, evaluate and choose an orthodox practice provides a very supportive community to discuss and grow both as individuals and as a samgha.
I don't think it necessarily matters if you choose Hokke Kai or another orthodox practice (although personally I can not conceive of another) but I would recommend serious consideration of the values of such a practice. At this time I can not get my lips to consider chanting other than the true words Namu Myho Renge Kyo. Any other phrase seems empty. The key words in my conversion were that you can be sincere and still slander the Lotus Sutra by incorrect practice. I was sincere but sincerely wrong. Sincerity is not enough - it is what you chant as well as how you chant; it is believing what is truly passed down from time immemorial rather than what you are told to believe."
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