Why do people leave the Soka Gakkai?

"I have been practicing in the SGI since before a toddler. I no longer have faith. Any thoughts?"

I have not a few thoughts on why your faith has weakened. I have been in contact with dozens and dozens of ex members, including so-called fortune babies (those born into the SGI) and near fortune babies. There are a multitude of reasons that Soka Gakkai members abandon the faith and practice of the Lotus Sutra. As you may know, in the United States, more than 600,000 NST/SGI Gohonzons were bestowed and from the number of World Tribune subscriptions of ~ 35,000, we can estimate that at least 550,000 people have abandoned the SGI faith. Fortunately, a large minority who abandoned the SGI either continue to have faith or have come to have faith in Nichiren Lotus Sutra Buddhism. They have faith in Namu Myoho renge kyo, the Gohonzon, the Lotus Sutra, Shakyamuni Buddha, and Nichiren Daishonin. Unfortunately, a large majority of former SGI members will never again in this lifetime chant the Daimoku because they have completely lost their faith. Some of those who quit the Soka Gakkai and have lost their faith will, after 1, 5, 10, 20 years or more years, again embrace the Daimoku. Very few of those who leave the Soka Gakkai will ever return to the Soka Gakkai. Most of those who continue to have faith in the Three Jewels and Three Great Secret Laws (or those who regain faith in them), either become independents, join the Nichiren Shoshu (a bad move) or join the more orthodox sects (a good or a bad move depending on a myriad of factors that I will not touch on here).

Most of the reasons people abandon the Lotus Sutra permanently are highlighted by Nichiren.

1). The behavior of top leaders/priests fails to match their talk (they talk the talk but fail to walk the walk).

2). Realization that one's object(s) of veneration is an incorrect object(s) of veneration (lack of benefit).

3). Having met an incorrect teacher or teachers.

4). Having encountered poor spiritual friends.

5). Realizing that the SGI doctrines are inconsistent and fail to match the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren

6). SGI lack of financial transparency

7). Some abandon the Soka Gakkai (or even the Nichiren Lotus Sutra faith) for more mundane reasons such as hatred, jealousy, arrogance, lack of forbearance, racism).

8). Another subset of people abandon the Soka Gakkai and especially the Lotus Sutra Buddhism of Nichiren because of the six difficult acts (Chapter 11 of the Lotus Sutra.)

9). Many leave the Soka Gakkai because of perceived Ikeda Worship and/or the heavy burden of banal activities:

10). Few leave the Soka Gakkai because of the Three Obstacles and Four Devils, because it is nigh impossible to encounter the Three Obstacles and Four Devils in the Soka Gakkai due to their interfaith practices. In the history of the Soka Gakkai they have but one martyr, Makiguchi. The Nichiren co-fraternities in the 16th century experienced many thousands of martyrs and the great reformers such as Nikkyo Shonen had his ears and nose cut off before a debate with the Nembutsu and everal of his young disciples were killed. Nisshin Shonin, the "pot-headed" monk, experienced a myriad of tortures before claiming victory.

11). Some leave the Soka Gakkai because their questions were never answered.

12). A few were excommunicated, like the Independent Reassessment Group, and the Malaysian leaders who questioned SGI's finances and the Chicago Six who also questioned where the money had gone.

13). Many were studied in the Human Revolution novel but failed to study the Lotus Sutra and major writings of Nichiren.

There are many other possible reasons why people abandon the Soka Gakkai.

Depending on the reason or reasons and the karma of the individual, one will be more or less likely to maintain one's faith and practice of the Law after leaving the Soka Gakkai. if the person is afflicted of slandering the Law, it will be difficult to continue or to again embrace the teachings. Likewise, if one were physically abused at the hands of a leader, it will be difficult for them to continue or to regain one's faith. And finally, if one can not solve the several Lotus Sutra Buddhist paradoxes, one will likely not continue faith or regain faith.

I encourage you to forget everything you learned in the Soka Gakkai and to begin to develop the same faith and practice as Nichiren. The difference is night and day.