The behavior of SGI members is hardly that of Buddhas

Is this the behavior of Buddhas:

https://markrogow.blogspot.com/2019/10/i-agree.html

How about this?

"I am a member of Soka Gakkai and I am writing to you after reading your article ... it is disconcerting for me to determine the amount of crap that is collected on your page "

"... I suggest you delete all the crap you write against the Soka Gakkai, otherwise I'll do it for you."

"... All you do is attack. For a true Buddhist it is a shame but since YOU'RE NOT a true Buddhist, I understand why you act that way.... "

"I have nothing to add except that I shall undertake to fully investigate the purpose of your website and whether it violates articles of all Buddhas, including the ancient Buddha Many Treasures, followers of Shakyamuni Buddha?

Actual SGI slanders towards me...

"He is a misogynist", 'He seethes with hatred," "You are a hater", "foaming-at-the- mouth, exclusivist, seemingly hate-filled", "You are a serious hatemonger and it is shameful that you would ever consider yourself a "buddhist.", "I'm not sure if he is a hater." "I will respond to hate-speech, the posting of burning Gohonzons. the generalizations, racism, and distortions by Mark Rogow.", "You are embittered and hate filled", "You are a hateful Buddhist.", "If you need a straight male priest to tell you what to do, that's fine, be ok with it and end the slander of that which you hate (in your own heart). There is no corruption outside of you, only in your heart.", "What a sad life condition", "This isn't "free speech", "moderators, this is hate speech.", "You are filled with hate.". "The most dangerous thing to a bigot is to know the object of his hate and fear.", "With your ever present hate, you slander the good SGI members", "Your hate rants are tiresome", "You are a racist", "You are a fascist", "asshole", "jackass", "You really suck you ungrateful pig", "You are still a lying sack of s--t", "your holier than though, self serving BS", "Bulls--t, this is a place for Mark Rogow to slander people", "brain dead", "slandering idiot", "KEMPON HOKKE IS NOTHING BUT A PILE OF S--T AND ALL YOU F--KING PIGS ARE JUST S--T EATERS, GO F--K YOUR GOD DAMNED MOTHERS STUPID F--KING BITCHES THEY ALL ARE!* *LEAVE YOU TO YOUR DEVICES? F--K YOU ASSHOLES. i’LL KICK THE F--KING S--T OUT OF YOU. GO F--K YOUR DEVICE JUST LIKE YOU F--K YOUR MOTHER! PIECES OF F--KING S--T!*, "He calls for violence against the SGI", "bitter", psychotic", " He must be "drinking", "smoking","cowardly", "ignorant", "doing drugs", "scumbag cu-t filled with s--t", "s--t stinking", "The f--king assholes in Kempon Hokke can not be described, how evil they are is beyond words. I hope to meet some of you some day. I will make you sorry you were ever born.", "fool", "foolish", "deluded", "devil", "evil", "hateful lying prick", "counterfeit Buddhist", "conceited", "egotistical", "xenophobic", "pathetic fascist, asshole", "perpetrator of medicare fraud", "offensive", "no knowledge", "no wisdom", "lacking faith", "nutty", "f--king moron", "Bodhisattva F--kyou."

Is the prime point of the Lotus Sutra, the mentor disciple relationship. Has the Lotus Sutra lost its power in Mappo. Could you please tell me where anywhere in the universe "Buddhas" seek guidance from Buddhas? Are there SGI Buddhas and SGI BUDDHAS. Since when is an intermediary necessary in Buddhism? Are all Nichiren priests evil? How about Nichiren Daishonin?

There is, at least one SGI mass murderer and two Japanese SGI serial killers that I know of. One stabbed eight children to death at the Ikeda Elementary School and the two serial killers are a couple who killed elderly people after conning them into taking out life insurance policies in their name. There is the top Ireland Woman's Division Leader who was stabbed to death by her SGI husband.

Soka Gakkai members and leaders lie so effortlessly:

"Meanwhile here's a fact: In it's 67 year history, not one Soka Gakkai member has been indicted or charged, let alone convicted of any act of violence against all those who claim to be its victims. Not one. Take what you need and leave the rest." -- SGI spinning dervish

Jean Gilbert, SGI Ireland’s Womens Division Leader was brutally murdered in front of her three children by her SGI "Buddhist" husband.

Earthly Desires Equal Enlightenment in the Soka Gakkai is taught from the perspective of a common mortal rather from the perspective of the Buddha.

The members are taught by their leaders that any desire or goal the member has, as long as they chant Namu Myoho renge kyo, is equal to Enlightenment. They are encouraged to chant for cars, boyfriends, houses, fame, even drugs and sex and that is equal to Enlightenment at the moment the desire is fulfilled.

The Wish Granting Jewel to these base depraved men and women of the Soka Gakkai is not the Great Wish for attaining Buddhahood that is bound to the Pure and Perfect Consciousness hidden in the core of being [Amala] but rather those common shallow wishes bound to the Five [Sense] Desires [Touch, Taste, Smell, Hearing and Vision]

Since this matter is of utmost importance, I will give an example of a Soka Gakkai leader who believed faithfully in this perverted doctrine of the Soka Gakkai. She was the top senior leader of a country who lived and breathed the Soka Gakkai and every doctrine and principle taught therein. She was a physically beautiful women of forty five years old with golden blond hair, bright green eyes and a near boundless determination to spread the twisted teachings of the Soka Gakkai, such as the primacy of the Oneness of Mentor and Disciple and Enlightenment Equals Earthly Desires. Married for fifteen years, she had three beautiful children, five, seven and eight years old, and a husband who worshipped the ground she walked on. He was absolutely supportive of her practice which kept her away from home for long periods, doing those insipid slanderous Gakkai activities. The husband, though having a business of his own, split the duties of taking care of the children with a nanny and he was content because he loved his wife and children and was willing to sacrifice whatever it took to make his wife and children happy and to promote the Gakkai’s vision of “Spreading the True Teachings” [Kosen Rufu].

During one of these activities, ten years earlier, she met another top senior leader in the Men’s Division and they immediately hit it off, having so many things in common: Their love and admiration for Sensei; endless activities for “Kosen Rufu”; and spouses and families who chant and support them. Her feelings for this man however, far surpassed those of a mere comrade in faith. Every day for ten years, morning and evening, when she did Gongyo and Daimoku, she always included in her prayers the wish to be with this man. Out of the blue he contacted her revealing his very same desire to be with her. They began an affair and then they both determined in front of the Soka Gakkai no-honzon that they would leave their spouses and be together thus realizing in their very bodies the Gakkai teaching of Earthly Desires are Equal to Enlightenment. They chanted and planned, planned and chanted for everything to go the way that it “must’ since their desires are equal to Enlightenment.

This was the day. This was the day she would tell her husband that she found her true soulmate and she had chanted long and hard about it and it would be. Not 10 seconds after she had told him, he ran to the kitchen, picked up a kitchen knife, and in front of their three children he stabbed her four times in the back. She lingered in agony for several hours.

This is the result of the perverted teachings of the Soka Gakkai that makes common mortals out of Buddhas.

https://markrogow.blogspot.com/2015/03/ ... -from.html

15. Claim of Kechi-myaku (True Inheritors) by T. Hirano

For the obvious reason, Soka Gakkai did not favor the idea of going independent. It maintains that the Nichiren Shoshu must be reformed under Ikeda's leadership and calls for High Priest Nikken to resign. To Soka Gakkai, Nichiren Shoshu becomes Nikken Shu (Nikken Sect) and Nikken, once regarded as Soka Gakkai's High Priest, is being condemned as Tenma (Demon from the Sky). To suit the occasion, Soka Gakkai also revised its books and study materials on the Nichiren Shoshu's doctrines, especially on the point of Kechi-myaku (true inheritors) of Nichiren and Nikko.

For example, Ikeda, in his book, 'Buddhism in Action', said that 'Presently, as you know, the 67th High Priest, Nikken, has inherited the Law. Now he is the master of 'True' Buddhism....'; that 'The Gohonzon, which we are allowed to receive so that we can pray in our own home, can be inscribed only by one of the successive high priests who inherit the true lineage of Nichiren Shoshu ....'; and that 'Though [other Nichiren sects] may seem the same as ours, they lack the single, unbroken heritage of the Law received directly from Nichiren. If one's faith is not based on this line of inheritance, it is worthless to embrace any Gohonzon, for no benefit will be forthcoming ....'

Now, Soka Gakkai charges that Nikken is a heretic because he expelled Ikeda and excommunicated Soka Gakkai, and that his loose life-style disqualified Nikken from receiving Nichiren and Nikko's heritage, claiming every prerogative concerning the Gohonzon should rest with Soka Gakkai. It also claims that it is now 'directly connected' to Nichiren and Nikko because Soka Gakkai has converted millions of people to the 'True' Buddhism. Ikeda declares (1992), 'Without our organisation, the True Law would be utterly lost. There would be no way to save humanity. This is why supporting and defending Soka Gakkai is the same as defending and advancing Nichiren Buddhism ....' Here, Ikeda was referring to the incident during WW2, when the Militarist Government wanted Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai to pay respect to the State Shinto God. At that time, Nichiren Shoshu obliged but Soka Gakkai objected. Nichiren Shoshu explains that it is easy to say and to misunderstand all this now but if one put it in historical perspective it is not so unreasonable, especially when they did not want to see the DaiGohonzon and the Tai-seki Temple being destroyed during that difficult period.

Soka Gakkai has since intensified its focus on Ikeda's Guidance. To members, it is not so much that Ikeda is a Buddha incarnated from Nichiren, but that his 'Human Revolution' (and lately, the 'New Human Revolution') and Daily Guidance are the modern Gosho (Nichiren's Major Writings). In a US Soka Gakkai publication, World Tribune (16 November 92), it was stated that 'one way [of making 'sincerity' real in our lives] is to constantly renew our determination to live with sincerity by putting Ikeda's Guidance into action everyday.... It is important to study Nichiren's Writings and the Guidance of Ikeda, but unless we put all these words into action, they are meaningless.' As far as members of Soka Gakkai are concerned, they believe that Ikeda is protecting Nichiren Shoshu's doctrine, and see no necessity in debating nor deliberating the issue, despite inconsistencies in before and after quotes from Ikeda that give Soka Gakkai a completely new doctrine.

16. Seattle 'Scandal'

Soka Gakkai is determined to win the war this time. It claims that it wants to modernise Nichiren Shoshu to get it out of the 'dark ages' of 'authoritarianism' in this 'new age of democracy'. Soon after the excommunication, Soka Gakkai changed the contents of the Gongyo (Silent Prayers) Book to include the names of its past two presidents as Kechi-myaku of Nichiren and Nikko. It also announced that members' weddings were not to be held in a temple, but instead at local Soka Gakkai kaikan and officiated by a Soka Gakkai leader. It also promotes yujin-so (Funeral Ceremony by Soka Gakkai's Officials and Members) telling members that their funerals do not require a priest to chant for them anymore. Soka Gakkai hopes that these measures would cause financial hardships to local temples thereby forcing them to denounce the Head Temple and bend to Soka Gakkai instead. Its members also initiated more than 100 civil suits against 'defiant' temples for misplacing their ancestors' urns.

Members are also asked to attend regular Daimoku campaigns held at Soka Gakkai's kaikans around the world to pray for the downfall and break-up of 'Nikken Sect'; while in 1991, a California State Attorney responsible of religious body matters, Ms Linda Johnson, a Soka Gakkai (USA) leader, was found to have had participated in meetings aiming to disband Nichiren Shoshu (USA) in her 'private' capacity. To the Japanese, this scenario is not totally unfamiliar as it is quite similar to a 1970 case, where Kanzaki, a senior leader of Soka Gakkai and a district attorney in Japan then, was involved in the illegal wire-tap on the residence of the chairman of the Japan Communist Party.

As to the position of the wooden Dai-Gohonzon, Soka Gakkai's position is still not clear although its present stance is that the wooden Dai-Gohonzon is now under the 'hostage' of Tai-sekiji Temple. But as from 1993, Soka Gakkai decided to confer its own paper Gohonzon to its members. The paper Gohonzon that Soka Gakkai confers is a reproduction of another paper Gohonzon inscribed by the 26th High Priest, Nichikan. Soka Gakkai says that if one prays with faith to Soka Gakkai's Gohonzon, one would by-pass the priesthood's kechimyaku and connect to Nichiren and Nikko through Soka Gakkai.

Nichiren Shoshu terms these paper Gohonzon as counterfeits and counter-claims that this has put Soka Gakkai as heretical as other Nichiren sects that Soka Gakkai once condemned. Nichiren Shoshu claims that 'good gods would return to heaven' if Gongyo was not recited correctly, in reference to the Soka Gakkai version. Without the power of wooden Dai-Gohonzon, the paper Gohonzon would be powerless let alone Soka Gakkai's 'imitation in form without any substance' and anyone praying to it will not attain enlightenment. It also claims that Ikeda, by 'selfishly' and 'unethically' promoting his own doctrine, has in fact led his faithful and unsuspecting members to fall into the hell of incessant suffering with him together.

Nothing is more sensational than the so-called 'Seattle Scandal'. A few months after Soka Gakkai was excommunicated in 1991, a Japanese-American women named Hiroe Clow, a Soka Gakkai member for more than 40 years, came out to say that she was witness to Nikken's involvement in a prostitution scandal and arrest in the USA when Nikken visited Seattle some 30 years ago (1963). Soka Gakkai published the story and also two photographs of Nikken proving that he was flirting with geishas. Although the FBI has since announced that they could not trace any records in FBI's computer network to the incident, and Nikken was able to show that the two photos had been doctored, Soka Gakkai maintains that they are true and contests the libel action petitioned by Nikken who is claiming US$ 10 million in damages. However, the case is now complicated by the sudden death of Hiroe Clow in her home in California on 23 Mar 96, two weeks before she was to give evidence in the libel suit.

Physical assaults and harassment against priesthood and members sympathetic to them were allegedly carried out by members of Soka Gakkai in certain areas (Time Magazine, 20 November 1995). Soka Gakkai's newspapers and publications also carry stories and comics almost everyday aiming to destroy the credibility of the priesthood. The war has escalated to such an extent that those visions propagated by Soka Gakkai as humanistic Buddhists who claim to respect an individual's happiness, human rights, religious freedom and world peace are now very much doubted by the Japanese people.

17. Demolition of the Sho-hon-do

In December 1995, Nichiren Shoshu tore down the Sho-hon-do (Grand Main Hall) at Tai-seki Temple. With this demolition, Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai are determined that they will never look back again.

The Sho-hon-do project was conceived in May, 1964 when Ikeda decided to build a hall of worship to accommodate the Dai-Gohonzonand 5,000 followers. Members were asked to save for a year and donated the money in a 4-day fund-raising drive scheduled in October 1965. The original target for the fund-raising was US$ 10 million, but the actual collection was more than US$ 100 million from 8 million members.

Sho-hon-do was completed and dedicated to Nichiren Shoshu in 1972. This building was regarded as the Kaidan Nichiren had hoped to build : in Nichiren Buddhism, the Kaidan is the ultimate place where the entire world can congregate to worship Nichiren teachings. To symbolise the goal of Kosen-rufu (propagation of the Nichiren Buddhism throughout the world), the foundation was laid with pebbles and stones from all over the world. Although according to Nichiren's own words, the Kaidan should only be built upon the completion of Kosen-rufu, but Ikeda insisted that 'we build the Sho-hon-do first and then get people to come to worship in it. We get the container first and the contents later, as it were.

When the Sho-hon-do was completed, there was a dispute between Soka Gakkai and Nichiren Shoshu with regard to who was entitled to the surplus fund; Soka Gakkai was said to have sent several auditors to check the building accounts. Under the usual circumstances, and in the interest of all members, both parties should have voluntarily published an audited accounts in respect of the building fund to clarify the doubt, but it has never been done so as it was not required under the law. With the advantage of hindsight, this incident could be interpreted as the start of a serious rift between Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai.

With its huge resources, Soka Gakkai obviously has the upper hand, putting Nichiren Shoshu on the defensive so far. Although most members still stick to Soka Gakkai, the greatest test has yet to come : under the Revised Religious Corporations Bill, Soka Gakkai has to apply for registration again by September 96, and it is unlikely that Tai-sekiji Temple will issue the Certificate of Recognition to Soka Gakkai this time. If it cannot win the war with its Head Temple by then, Soka Gakkai must change its doctrines and the object of worship. Soka Gakkai therefore has to convince its members that its new doctrine is the true Nichiren doctrine and not that of Tai-seki Temple.

18. Ordinary Members

In contrast with traditional Buddhism or Shinto, Soka Gakkai stresses worldly values rather than afterlife ones, emphasising the achievement of health, prosperity, self-improvement, and happiness through faith in Nichiren. During Toda's era, the wooden Dai-Gohonzon was described as the 'Happiness-Generating Machine', and instant benefit could be derived from it if one reveres to it. It therefore has a special appeal to housewives because of chauvinism typical of male Japanese. This is especially so when they enter the climacteric period of menopause and they see the organisation as a source of community and spiritual comfort as they can find every answer in it. Some 65% of Soka Gakkai members in Japan are female. Members are told that they have a higher purpose.

Although many of them do not know much about Nichiren and his teachings, they fanatically believe that their faith is 'the truest religion with the only correct object of worship in the world'. They are also proud of their religion because they think that their religion is a 'non-superficial' one. This conviction leads them to believe that they have the 'right' and 'duty' to shaku-buku other people, and they would be upset, or would even turn to violence, if people told them that their religion or behaviour was objectionable. Otherwise, members are generally well disciplined and respectworthy, and are certainly useful and positive citizens if Soka Gakkai's issues were not involved.

Members are grateful to Ikeda for bringing the 'true' religion to them and, especially among the female members, dutifully pray for Ikeda's good health and safe return to Japan whenever Ikeda is on an overseas trip. They also believe that Ikeda Sensei (Learned Teacher) is a crusader who fights the oppressive establishment, and many are prepared to die for him.

Members usually get their news from Seikyo Shimbun in which one can find countless pictures and articles about Ikeda, who expounds on a wide range of topics from world peace to the prevention of flu, from philosophy to the arts, as if he were the only person in the world who was knowledgeable in these areas of life.

Another important channel through which members get their 'news' is from their leaders at zadankai (Monthly Discussion Meetings). For example, in the 1995 Great Hanshin (Kobe) Earthquake, members were told that there had been no mention made by major newspapers on the help extended by Soka Gakkai to the earthquake's victims.

The reason given was that the media was 'unfair and biased against Soka Gakkai', and that 'Ms so and so just got back from Kobe and she says that she saw TV cameramen telling victims at a Soka Gakkai relief centre that if they expressed gratitude to Soka Gakkai, the interview would not be telecast' and so on.

And because of numerous study, cultural and other activities, their social lives are webbed into Soka Gakkai's circle, and have not much time for outside materials. This is why whenever there is an adverse report on Soka Gakkai's 'secular' matters and not 'religious' matters, they still believe that Soka Gakkai and Ikeda are subject to constant 'persecution' and 'jealousy.' And in order to fight 'persecution' and 'jealousy' in election time, they always get the 'hint' and most will campaign and vote for Komeito. It can be said that members have a fixed mindset, refusing to accept views other than that of their leaders.

As far as international members are concerned, they can be described as an asset to Soka Gakkai. Many of them were initially drawn to the organisation with an admiration for, and an interest in Japan and Japanese. However, because of the language barrier, their understanding of Soka Gakkai in respect to the Japanese society is mainly from their own internal publications, whose accounts are necessarily incomplete, vary in comprehension and detail, and to some extent, speculative. Generally speaking, they are just as sincere and diligent as ordinary Japanese members; and their genuine religious faiths have also been translated by their leaders in Japan to the extent that Soka Gakkai's agenda, including political ones, have the support of the international communities.

19. Conclusion

As far as the doctrine is concerned, Nichiren Shoshu and Soka Gakkai both claim the Line of Transmission of the 'True Law', as if the rest of the human race have to go to either one of them for salvation. Some FAQ (Frequently-Asked-Questions) are : Does Nichiren, claim to be the only 'True' Buddha, outdoing Shakyamuni or is Nichiren Buddhism qa mirror reflecting the light shed by Shakyamuni Buddha? Is the Dai-Gohonzon genuine or not? Is reciting only 2 Chapters of the Lotus Sutra without really studying them, sufficient to understand the wisdom of Buddha (Shakyamuni or Nichiren, it's doesn't matter here)? And by rejecting the centrality of Shakyamuni, can one still be called a 'Buddhist'?

People may no longer look at the religion as a misfortune-preventing or supernatural system anymore and just believe "encouraging"stories at face value, having no criteria to evaluate its truth. They may also want to practice the religion in daily life rather than only chant for wealth or personal benefits, as this might not have been Buddha's (Shakyamuni or Nichiren, again, it doesn't matter) original ideas. Some even believe that a true prayer is an inward examination of self-conscience and an outward well-wishing to others, attaching not much importance on praying for selfish favour. They may also prefer to perform meritorious deeds through generosity, good moral conduct, etc. The exclusive devotion to a single personality (living or dead) whose authority is final would gradually give way to beliefs using 'common sense'. In short, they may want to 'investigate' and 'know' instead of being made o 'listen' and 'believe.'

Buddhists, unlike Nichirenists, generally discard sectarian bias too. Nowadays, Mahayana Buddhists are free to visit Hinayana Temples (like those in Thailand) and pay respect to different deities enshrined in the temples. To them, all sutras are Shakyamuni's teachings but represent different vehicle, and paying respect because they all belong to Shakyamuni's family.

Japanese culture in fact is a mixture of Shinto, Zen Buddhism and Confucian Thoughts, but not Nichiren Buddhism. Nichiren Buddhism was never central to Japanese civilization although it has existed for more than 700 years. This could be due to all Nichiren sects taking a narrow view on Nichiren teachings. Even in the Soka Gakkai's Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, none of their collections are related to Nichiren Buddhism, except at the Reception Hall where Ikeda's photography is displayed, and yet again has nothing to do with Nichiren Buddhism. If we take lessons from history, Japanese civilisation might be destroyed one day if everything were to follow the present narrow interpretation of Nichiren teachings, just like in China's

Cultural Revolution.

A Buddhist is also supposed to be compassionate and tolerant, but the general view on Soka Gakkai is that it lacks either of them, not to mention mutual respect. Other social and religious organisations in Japan thus always throw prejudice towards its 'conciliatory' attitude.

For example, in January 1996, Soka Gakkai International (SGI), the international arm of Soka Gakkai, unveiled its new Charter where Clause 7 reads : 'SGI shall, based on the Buddhist spirit of tolerance, respect other religions, engage in dialogue and work together with them towards the resolution of fundamental issues concerning humanity.' They see Soka Gakkai generalising the term 'Buddhism' again as meaning only Nichiren Buddhism; and its intentions as politically motivated, with the general elections coming up within a year.

In fact, Soka Gakkai's greatest vulnerability is its dark side: it is suspected of using religion as a means of gaining political power.

To most people, political issues are ideally dealt with by consensus in a pragmatic way, beyond narrow ideology and blind passion. Although many social ills can be dealt with by using wisdom gained from a religion, religious wisdom is reflected through the actions of individuals and not through religious bodies. A religious believer must therefore be free to support and engage in any social or political causes they deem worthy. Thus it is common that people do not always agree on political or social issues even if they have the same religious belief.

If religions interfered with politics, the consequences could be disastrous. Externally, whenever there is a wrongdoing, a religious body could shield itself in the sanctuary of religious freedom and lament any criticism as religious persecution and anti-religious, so as to arouse its members' emotion. This would hinder a normal democratic process. Internally, a religious organisation has always divided itself into factions, some fundamental and some moderate. When leaders of different doctrinal factions are involved in power plays, a bloodshed-prone struggle would intensify. Vast energies and resources would be wasted on arguing about these issues which leads to no end.

Furthermore, most religious leaders believe in absolute power, which make them prone to abusing their positions rather than fulfilling their responsibilities. Some religious leaders may at certain time show 'good' character and conduct, but again, there is no guarantee that they, and as a matter of fact, their successors, will be able to retain the high social and political morals in response to increasing power. It could be said that these leaders show no signs of heeding the old adage that power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. As an example, Mao Zedong, a person so trusted and respected in his early days of struggle for his ideology, turned out to be a monster who nearly destroyed 5,000 years of civilization in China during his 10-year Cultural Revolution.

Since there is also no mechanism for checking and balancing the powers of religious leaders, and since cons have always outweighed pros, it could be argued that it is irresponsible, even sinister, for a religious body to make use of its members for its political cause because these people are so intensively inculcated with their religious teachings that they totally believe and trust their leaders. And no matter how 'sacred' the political mission is, religious leaders, who are supposed to be more learned than ordinary people and thus know the consequences, can only be seen as having their own ulterior motives.

Soka Gakkai argues that Buddhism and democracy can co-exist because Buddhism is supposed to be compassionate and tolerant. This is quite a departure from the universal understanding of a democratic system: democracy, if entangled with religious confrontation, with no room for compromise, will not be able to function. People in Japan also do not generally hold this contention because mixing politics with religion have caused immeasurable human tragedies through the ages, as evident from the bloodshed in Northern Ireland and Bosnia. This could also be illustrated as Ikeda's repeated avoidment to appear in the Parliament under the sanctuary of religious freedom : is he above the law or is he defending Japan's democratic system ?

Dr. Bryan Wilson, Professor Emeritus at the Oxford University, in a speech on 10 April 1996 delivered at the Soka Gakkai-affiliated Boston Research Centre, highlighted 10 appealing features of Soka Gakkai to prove that it was a 'world affirming' religious body. This makes Soka Gakkai appear nearer to the definition of a self-help group, in which a variety of social and religious institutions already exist today, having similar features but without political equivalents.

Whether the next century will be the 'Century of Big Victory', as claimed by Soka Gakkai, remains to be seen. -- T.Hirano

The reality of Japan today, zero good fortune because of slander of Nichiren.

There are countless examples in the SGI and Nichiren Shoshu of their members receiving punishment. Nichiu developed white leprosy. Nikkyo burned up in a conflagration while his entrails remained. President Ikeda's first born son died of a bleeding ulcer. In this day and age that is nearly unheard of! Mr. Kasahara's first born son died from a massive brain injury. George Williams children are sociopaths. A top SGI senior leader was killed in the early eighties when a snow plow ran over his car. Another, in Detroit, died when a heavy metal stage hook took off the top of his skull. A men's division bagpiper was killed and mutilated by the Manson family on the way back from bagpipe practice. NST members Bill Vogel and Brad Nixon are other examples."

INTERFAITH is betraying the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren.

I have other examples. If you don't get it now, you will never get it. Nichiren fought Mikkyo, Shingon, Nembutsu and Zen. Today, they are hardly the catalysts for the destruction of Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism. It is the worms born of the Buddha, The SGI, The Nichiren Shoshu, the Nichiren Shu, the Honmon Butsuryu Sho, the Shoshinkai, the Rissho Kosekei, who are the worms in the Buddha's body.

Lastly,

The "sparkle test" doesn't pass the smell test or how to recognize a true votary of the Lotus Sutra.

According to Nichiren Daishonin the "sparkle test" doesn't pass the smell test. Someone mentioned that he met some members of another Nichiren school and their eyes didn't sparkle like Kathy and Terry Ruby's of the Soka Gakkai. Well, according to Nichiren Daishonin, one thing can be ascertained, Kathy and Terry are sometimes in the World of Rapture. Nichiren writes:

"When we look from time to time at a person's face, we find him sometimes joyful, sometimes enraged, and sometimes calm. At times greed appears in the person's face, at times foolishness, and at times perversity. Rage is the world of Hell, greed is that of Hunger, foolishness is that of Animality, perversity is that of Anger, joy is that of Rapture, and calmness is that of Humanity. These worlds, the six paths, are present in the physical appearance of the person's face. The remaining four noble worlds are hidden and dormant and do not appear in the face, but if we search carefully, we can tell that they are there." -- The True Object of Worship

Question How then can we tell that the Four Noble Worlds are present?

Answer: Through the noble human behaviors of honesty, kindness, compassion, mercy, justice, forbearance, magnanimity, and protecting the teachings we can tell that the Noble Worlds are manifest.

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SGI leaders, on the other hand, are great liars who destroy the noble teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Daishonin and function tirelessly to bring their fellow SGI members into the Lower Worlds.