"I'm not surprised on their lack of procedure. SGI will give guidance to members to chant diamoku, if you have issues with someone else, but they treat their own members and leaders differently. They say never give up on helping a member to grow and develop in spite of their negativity or their issues with you, but they don't follow their own guidance. SGI has become a religion of "do as I say and not as I do" policy. Whatever happened to Pres. Ikeda's "New Renaissance"? We've gone into the "Dark Ages" of religious authoritarianism. SGI accuses the High Priest of saying that members cannot attain enlightenment without his approval, yet SGI demands that members follow Pres. Ikeda's guidance no matter what. You won't get benefit, if you don't follow Pres. Ikeda's guidance. That sounds the same as "you won't attain enlightenment without obeying Pres. Ikeda's guidance". Sometimes you want to lead your own life, but you are forbidden. You have to be monitored periodically with home visits to get you back in line.
If you are a long term member, you no longer have a choice. Your are required to have leaders home visit you to "encourage" you to follow Pres. Ikeda or be labeled an outcast. I seriously think that SGI's issues with the Temple will never be resolved, because the Temple is a reflection of what SGI is doing. To be a good member, you have to be blind to that. Leaders want to pry into your life to know everything that you think and do. Do they keep a database on your life? Why do they get upset when you want to keep certain things private? If you're not asking for guidance, they want to pry into your life, so that they can force guidance on you. Everyone has faults and weaknesses and I don't like leaders talking about me behind my back and gossiping. Don't ever think you have privacy after you get guidance!!!! Whatever you reveal during guidance becomes your reputation.
SGI doesn't excomunicate, they just have the men's and young men's division follow you around, if you go to a large assembly to be sure that you stay in line. Their eyes are on you. They are like the "Gakkai Police Division" to discourage you from going to large activities. SGI wants the temple members to return to SGI, yet when you're participating sincerly in activities, some leaders will use you for their own purpose and say it's for kosenrufu. If you complain about mistreatment, those leaders are not replaced, they are promoted; because they "kiss ass" to their leaders, but jerk you around. Then you are told that its your own karma. Yes, faith equals daily life or its more like daily life equals faith. SGI has become a bureaucracy that is no different than the big corporations that have their own internal office politics. Rather than being an example to members of how to live a life of compassion, they take steps to protect their own asses.
Pres. Ikeda has written guidance in SGI publications that leaders should treat their members with respect. Yet I have heard many times that Pres. Ikeda has yelled and scolded his subordinate leaders in front of other leaders in the same room. He mistreats them for kosen rufu and not follow his example. Oh, but he is our example of the Buddha's behavior. Once in a large meeting, General Director Danny Nagashima told us of how Pres. Ikeda yelled at him at a special dinner for high level leaders. I've heard of Pres. Ikeda yelling at former General Director Mr. Williams questioning his loyalty of supporting him and then Mr. Williams was fired and now SGI slander's his name.
Don't count on SGI being an example of faith, because if you have problems with them they will say it's your karma. Keep chanting no matter what and you will get the life you create. Likewise, SGI will get the life that they are creating. I'm sure the remaining leaders are chanting to resolve all these issues too. SGI is not there yet; so you'll just have to put up with it until SGI is perfect. Who needs members to do Human Revolution, when you've got leaders that jerk you around?" -- Savantakashik
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"I cannot believe there is someone who has had the same experience (s) that I have had. I've often thought whats really the difference (priesthood VSSGI?) Why does everything have to impinge on a home visitation opposed to just getting guidance and even then many times a member in good standing will delegate another member who you may hardley even now or who has been less than cordial to you call you out of the blue and start their own pitch thus adding insult to injury. In my case Ive observed that when we finally got our own center It didnt take to long to notice a Private country club mentality take place. Members will often times be more than glad to get you to meetings that are right in you're neighborhood but it seems only a select few get to "go to mecca" and provisions are made for them but yet often times you get a startled look when you're seen by someone who acts surprised to see you there.In another case I've recently befriended a newer member with whom I share similar obstacles/demons but its been hard to connect because they fear of letting to much be known for the "database" you're referring to. That person lives close to me and its been like pulling teeth because were not encouraged to just get together outside of an activity and chant. Im glad that you are continuing to chant and encourage us to do so.I appreciate you're candor and that you're still chanting . Please keep expressing youre thoughts. -- CP
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Yes, I know exactly what you mean by "Private country club mentality". When they asked for Mens Division volunteers to do traffic control, I would readily volunteer. I did it many times as a Group Leader and as a District Leader and I was in good standing. I had asked many times of my leaders and the Youth Division leaders to give me or sell me one of the blue jackets that identify me as one of the volunteers, but they never gave me one. Near our Kaikan there was a small street and I was instructed not to let members park in front of the neighborhood houses and so I prevented many members coming to the meeting not from parking there. However, some close "buddies" of my MD Area Leader parked there and they treated me like I didn't know what I was talking about. My Area leader came out and told them that I was doing the traffic control, but he didn't support me and tell them to move their cars. Instead, he told me to go inside to the meeting and when I came out after the meeting, his ''buddies" still had their cars parked in the street that I had all the other members avoid. I think the word that best for this type of inside group is "clique". The type you hear of in high school. The type of exclusive group that you may never be apart of. My MD Area Leader has his own special support group of non-leaders that he socialized with and to whom he gave special organizational privileges . I wouldn't be supprised if this happens quite frequently in many parts of SGI. We are all supposed to be equals, but this is not the reality of the organization. -- S
"Authoritarian leadership, deception and destructive mind control are the main ingredients in a cult, and SGI fits the bill. That may strike some as an unkind or unfair assertion, but I plan to back it up with examples and explanation.
"SHOW YOUR EVIDENCE!"
Are you blind?
BACK IT UP WITH EVIDENCE NOT EMOTIONAL EXAMPLES AND EXPLANATIONS
Chanting, one day to the Nikken or Nittatsu Gohonzon and the next day [by authoritarian proclamation] exchanging these Gohonzons for the Nichikan Gohozon. Reciting the Sutra 5 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening and the next day [by authoritarian proclamation] everyone without a single exception, reciting the sutra once in the morning and once in the evening.
Similarly, changing the silent prayers at the President's pleasure.
There was no diialogue or discussions regarding these significant changes to the faith and practice... They were all changed by the authority vested in Daisaku Ikeda.
In 1966, the SGI by-laws [which remain in effect] were further changed so that:
- The president is also the “official representative” of the Gakkai.
- He is manager of all its affairs.
- He has the power to convoke the Leaders Meeting (of all 21 responsible officials).
- He appoints and dismisses all the other responsible officials.
- He appoints and dismisses all the vice-general directors, the directors and all “other necessary officials.”
- He holds office for life.
- He chooses his own successor.
RESULTS OF THE SPECIAL ZAIMU CAMPAIGN:
MEMO # CJT-69
DISTRIBUTE TO - TERR/HQ
INFORM TO - HQ CHIEFS
MEMORANDUM TO ALL TERRITORY AND HQ CHIEFS
FROM CHICAGO JOINT TERRITORY OFFICE
DATE: OCTOBER 9, 1989
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTION WEEKLY REPORT - AS OF 10-8-89
CHICAGO TERR 1 -------------$106,821.87
" " 2-------------$39,132.89
" " 3-------------$128,991.81
" " 4-------------$240,519.73
Heartland terr.--------------------$111,964.62
Tennessee Terr-------------------$51,102.06
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$678,514.98
We are at 1/3 of our goal at this point. This month, October is the originally scheduled month for the Special Contribution, and we have to do our VERY BEST! [sic] The most important point is "Promotion of Significance." There are so many members to reach and explain this historic campaign.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The Ikeda auditorium in Chicago was never built.
Chinberg responds: The new Chicago Culture Center was built instead, Craig.
Response:
AT A COST OF 1/5 OF THE 3.5 MILLION COLLECTED. What happened to the other 2.8 Million?
The members who dared ask the question "Where'd all the money go?" were sent personal letters of expulsion via certified mail. Six in all.
The list goes on and on. Son thoroughly trounced are you on this one point.
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