"Then came that day. I was bringing my spouse home from the hospital when the above mentioned senile hag called to berate me for asking too many questions at meetings, telling me that had I chanted harder and questioned less, my husband would not have gotten cancer. That was the final serving of bullshit. I put my gohonzon in a plastic bag, wrote a letter of resignation to the national headquarters, and dropped it off at a district leader's house."
It's not always big leaders, but I have had the same experience with several SGI leaders as well as members. More than a handful, in my case. I seem to have had problems all along, quite frankly.
ReplyDeleteA higher leader was one of the main thugs, although SGI men's division leaders did not escape making the main thug list, as well.
An SGI high up leader told one of the nicest and helpful people I know, in the IRG, to follow SGI high leadership or else. Then, that person told another person, that they "Never did anything for anyone." Yet, the person she wronged saved several leaders from difficult situations. So, it's sad that people judge others without understanding the whole situation. It's also sad how SGI has become so unconcerned about their American members over the years.
I am sorry you guys went through so much. It's become even worse, fairly recently. They have driven out many of their chapter and district leaders. So, I am not sorry I left.
I see your continuing to chant, in some way, and so is your wife. So, you both must believe.
I wish the best for you and all of your family and friends. It's been a very long road for everyone.
Anonymous
the SGI never taught real buddhism or followed the leader for the latter day. i have been chanting for over 50 years, joined in '67. still chanting. resigned in late '87 because i knew they were not following nichiren and real buddhism. the sad news is that many many people could not separate real buddhism from SGI/NST. SO - WHAT DID THEY REALLY HAVE FAITH IN? it is way too bad that the parasites inside the lions bowels have destroyed the medicine for the latter day and only made the people sicker. however, NAMU MYOHO RENGE KYO IS STILL THE BUDDHAS DHARMA.
Deletein the clear mirror the parasites have done the same thing to the republican party = insane. buddhism , or any religion is worthless if it does not shine a bright light on the present conditions and reveal its cause. thanks for the share anonymous.
Thanks for the update. This experience wasn't mine but rather from an anonymous poster. I never stopped chanting for 42 years and my wife still chants. We have had our own epiphanies in the SGI and my wife would have been dead if we remained in the Soka Gakkai:
ReplyDeleteMy wife had many medical and psychiatric problems that began or worsened after having joined the SGI in 1990. She had cirrhosis, asthma, diabetes, cardiomyopathy, CHF, hep C, hypertension, blackouts, depression, and five herniated discs from all the falls. She was drinking more than a quart and a half of vodka and 12-24 buds a day plus [whatever she could get her hands on]. She was smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. We had a running joke that she would be the prettiest corpse in the funeral home. Of course, she only appeared normal until right before we left the SGI when she couldn't even get out of bed and had to be fed by my 10 year old daughter.
The more we chanted to the SGI No-honzon, the more SGI activities we did, and the more guidances we received from the very top leaders [who shared the "confidential" details of her illness with others], the worse she got. We still believed in the Lotus Sutra and when I came upon the internet and the truth about the SGI "religion" [cult], we began to embrace the same faith and practice as Nichiren Daishonin. She hasn't had a drink for 21 years, her cirrhosis and heart failure resolved, she stopped smoking recently and no longer wheezes, her diabetes is well controlled, and her pain is very manageable. Nancy is an investor in rare Buddha heads and 17th century silver objects, our house is immaculate, she cooks up a storm almost daily, and takes care of me and our many animals. Our grown children are very proud of her and they rely on her for her sage advice. Had we remained in SGI, she certainly would have been dead.