Cult Tactics Handbook: (3) The tactics SGI culties routinely use to ISOLATE people without their realizing that's what's happening
This is another installment in the Cult Tactics Handbook series.
It is essential that cults isolate their members - and as quickly as possible! - in order to indoctrinate them and to establish and maintain control over them so as to most effectively exploit them. Once they've managed to make that sale, the last thing the culties want is to see that new recruit heading for the exit!
Love bombing is a coordinated effort, usually under the direction of leadership, that involves long-term members' flooding recruits and newer members with flattery, verbal seduction, affectionate but usually nonsexual touching, and lots of attention to their every remark. Love bombing - or the offer of instant companionship - is a deceptive ploy accounting for many successful recruitment drives. Source
This term was coined by the Moonies, who used this intensive positive attention to manipulate lonely and isolated people via the promise of instant wonderful and positive community. Those who are *susceptible to this kind of manipulation will typically react like this:
"These people are so NICE! They really get me; they see me the way I've always wanted to be seen! They're the community of instant best friends I've always dreamed of!"
Those who are not susceptible find this approach false, unnerving, and suffocating. Being love-bombed makes them feel alarmed; they regard these efforts as creepy and fake (which they are). Love-bombing, BTW, has long been a tactic in fundagelical Christian circles to rope in any new people who happen by their groups.
The love-bombing never lasts, though. It requires too much effort and energy from the established cult members. It is nothing more than a temporary manipulative tactic to attain the goal of creating a dependence on the group in the new recruit. No genuine friendship can compare; love-bombing is so intense and so overwhelming that it's like crack to an addict or canceled plans for an introvert. And, of course, when that sweet, sweet love-bombing is withdrawn, the new recruit will typically (due to the factors that made them susceptible to the love-bombing in the first place) feel they must have done something wrong, and will then try to regain the perceived favor of their new community via involving themselves more intensively in the group's activities. Which leads us to the next tactic:
A great way to isolate people without their realizing that's what's happening is to invite them to a lot of activities. Your time is a zero-sum game; if you're spending time here, you no longer have that time to spend there. So cults typically have a LOT of activities going on for the new recruit to get involved in, like:
A self-isolating practice - while they're chanting, they're not interacting with anyone else. Even if they're chanting with other people! Ditto the morning/evening "gongyo" recitation/prayers ritual.
Discussion meetings - eats their entire evening once a month
Call to remind the new recruit about the upcoming activity; pull out the manipulation and "encourage-encourage" at the first hint of hesitation: "But so-and-so and such-and-such are SO looking forward to your being there! They were telling me just this weekend that they look forward to your comments and observations most of all - you always really impress them with your insights and perspective!" (Notice the love-bombing in that "encouragement"...)
"Invite" the new recruit to do something for the upcoming discussion meeting - this may well involve preparation time (reading some passage, rehearsing, etc.) that of course isolates them
"Invite" the new recruit to more activities - study meetings, planning meetings for the discussion meetings and study meetings, chanting parties (tosos), even home visits
Ask the new recruit if they would pick up so-and-so and bring them to the meeting - this pretty much guarantees they'll BOTH show up for the meeting and also develops in the new recruit the feeling of "being useful" to Das Org
Offer the new recruit the "opportunity" to take on a leadership position (even if there is no one for them to "lead") - they'll need to add leaders meetings to their calendars on top of all the other meetings and activities
If the new recruit expresses disappointment or skepticism about the promised effectiveness of "this practice", tell them there's something wrong with them, that it's all their OWN fault, and that they need to dedicate themselves to more chanting and more activities if they're ever to attain their goals and dreams and ultimate happiness! In other words, isolate themselves more within SGI!
All of this squeezes out the new recruit's existing relationships (friends and family). First of all, no real relationship can compare to the false façade of a love-bombing manipulation. Second, this wonderful new supportive community's many demands will be made to sound so urgent: "But this planning meeting is essential to the success of our District discussion meeting! We can't do it without YOU, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to build so much fortune for your life! Just send your mom a card for her birthday instead!" "We urgently need all hands on deck if this campaign is going to be a success - kosen-rufu depends on it and Sensei is counting on us! ALL of us!"
Immersed in SGI-USA, Mary neglected the rest of her life. She quit practicing the violin because she had no time for it. She rarely saw her parents and forgot their birthdays. Source
With no time left to spend with their former friends, those friends will gravitate toward other friends who have time for them.
And when time passes with no contact between friends, that friendship can evaporate. If you have not done anything or had a conversation with a certain friend in several months, it's likely that friendship is over. When people go significant periods of time without having any contact with each other, they are having various experiences that change who they are; their lives take different directions. If they're remaining in contact, they share these events, insights, and realizations with each other; that continues the shared experience of their friendship. But if you're out of touch for a significant time, when you do re-establish contact, it's as virtual strangers. All you have in common is in the past, and your commonality may consist only of remembering that shared past, which one person may not think is anywhere near as enjoyable as the other person does. If this new friendship opportunity involves frequent reminders of an unhappy past since transcended, since that other person has no awareness or understanding of one's new reality, where is the incentive for this person to accept the overtures to rekindle the friendship? It's simply not there any more.
This is a huge and largely unappreciated danger of SGI membership - if you are being persuaded to put your non-cult friendships on the back burner, you're likely to wake up one morning and realize they're gone. And they don't want to be involved with you any more. You can't blame them, though - it was YOU who prioritized your shiny new love-bombing cult "friends" (cult recruiters) over them, so now that's what you're left with, even though you can now see they aren't shiny, they're sad and tarnished, and they aren't making any effort to even be particularly nice or friendly to you - the love-bombing ended a long time ago. You've lost value through your involvement with SGI. You've damaged your life.
Every specialized group has its own specialized terminology that the members in the know use when they communicate with each other. It's all meaningful within the group; not so much outside of the group. Whether we're talking about mechanics, surgeons, sportsball fans, opera lovers, or cult members, they all speak their own unique "private language". Within the cult context, this "private language" is taught to the new recruits; there are some concepts within this context that don't translate directly, so the new recruits will need to know the proper terminology if they wish to understand and make themselves understood. Also, the new recruits learn really quickly that if they try to explain what these concepts mean to "outsiders", it sounds stupid and they get embarrassed. They can only discuss these private-language concepts in a sufficient atmosphere of gravitas WITHIN SGI, amongst fellow culties (isolating them by getting them to surround themselves with SGI). Additionally, fluency in the cult's "private language" is an essential factor in demonstrating that one is a full-fledged member of the group and not just some hanger-on or groupie; it's one of the factors that distinguishes the full-fledged members from the tourists and dabblers. The Ikeda Cult is SRS BZNSS - no fooling around! Which leads us to:
Within a hate-filled intolerant cult - like fundagelical Christianity, like SGI - there is no room for kidding around. Everything is deadly SERIOUS - the fate of the world depends on their activities and actions! Nothing in life can be achieved with a half-hearted or frivolous attitude!
Being halfhearted is such a waste. If we go around as if we’re half-asleep all the time, we can’t hope to savor a life that is free of regret. Enthusiasm and vigor are vital ingredients for a fulfilling life. Ikeda
Later, when the delegation learned that Shin'ichi had chanted while watching their takeoff, they began to reflect on their attitude.
They thought: "After participating in the scheduled events here, we behaved as if we were students on a school field trip, just having a good time without a care in the world. That's why we were so excited and even cheered when we heard that our plane was heading back to Honolulu. We had absolutely no awareness that we had come to Hawaii to work for kosen-rufu.
"Yet President Yamamoto chanted for our safe trip home. Without a doubt, he prayed wholeheartedly, thinking what a horrible tragedy it would be if we met with an accident. We should have been the ones who were praying for our safety. The devilish function of inattentiveness almost got the better of us."
They were all ashamed of their frivolous attitude. At the same time, through Shin'ichi's example, they were keenly reminded of their heavy responsibility as leaders of kosen-rufu never to be negligent for even a moment. Source
🤮 Remember, all these supposed individuals knew of "Shin'ichi's example" is what other people TOLD them. In reality, Ikeda was no doubt in the Presidential Lounge, knocking back a couple Long Island Iced Teas. This is how it goes within SGI - the SGI leaders inform the members about how weighty their mission, how Ikeda wants this or that for them, expects this or that from them, and how it is their duty, their VOW, to become whatever Ikeda wants them to become. And the SGI leaders will of course provide all the necessary details...
The key is to give your all to every moment and to work efficiently. Many people go about their days absentmindedly or working in a halfhearted manner. But it is better to live with the spirit that now may be the last moment of your life and consistently do your best to get things done as quickly as possible. The energy to live this way comes from chanting [Nam-myoho-renge-kyo] earnestly. Mornings are especially important. … It also helps to avoid watching television into the late hours of the night or keeping late hours generally. … Buddhism is reason. A Buddhist practitioner cultivates self-discipline. Ikeda's idealized avatar "Shin'ichi Yamamoto"
WHICH brings us to:
In the quote just above, Ikeda admonishes his followers to be serious, to take their lives seriously, and as one way to demonstrate their seriousness, "avoid watching television into the late hours of the night". WHY should they be watching "the idiot box", anyhow? They could be studying this month's installment of "The Newwwww Human Revoltation", or reading Ikeda Scamsei's "guidance", or chanting more, or calling other members to encourage them or even making home visits! Where's the "value creation" in vegging out in front of the tube??
You, on the other hand, are making noble efforts day and night to contribute to the welfare of others—spreading the teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, encouraging your fellow members and striving for the development of your communities. Sometimes you may think, “Wouldn’t it be nice to just stay home tonight and relax and watch TV?” But in joyfully taking action for the happiness of others and your fellow members, you are leading lives infinitely more fulfilling and worthwhile. Ikeda
All right, let's get to work again!-This is the spirit of people of genuine substance. Those who avoid hard work or neglect the things they have to do, who just while away their time, eating, sleeping, playing, watching television-such individuals will never experience true happiness, satisfaction or joy. Ikeda
Watching TV = destroying your chances at happiness, satisfaction, and joy! EEK!
However, it may be that is exactly when you find it the most difficult time to chant. You are on the brink of changing a part of your life that always stops you from progressing or being happy. It will probably feel like walking up a hill backwards. At such times obstacles and devils arise. You will probably be able to justify why it is more beneficial to watch TV than do gongyo or chant or tell a friend about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo or study some of Nichiren Daishonin`s writings. But this is exactly the time to do these things in order to break through and win over something that has always held you back. This is the time to muster a fighting spirit and to be courageous. SGI-UK
SEE??
It's COWARDLY to watch TV! Are YOU a coward??
Are you a lazy person of NO genuine SUBSTANCE?? Just look at all the things you could be doing instead of watching TV: doing gongyo, chanting, telling a friend about nam-myoho-renge-kyo, studying some of Nichiren Daishonin's Ikeda's SCAMSEI's writings...
If you're NOT watching TV, you're not going to be exposed to the ideas, perspectives, and reports that are being broadcast on that TV, are you? You're also not going to have the cultural currency that enables you to find topics in common to discuss in getting to know others (the first steps in making a new friendship) - you won't be able to compare/contrast perspectives on a popular TV series, which is one of the most common "icebreaker" topics when first meeting someone. THAT's the point, and your "good friends" in SGI will tell you absolutely anything to get you to "decide" to NOT watch TV. Same with non-SGI-assigned books and magazine articles! SGI will tell its members that it's exceedingly important to read "good" books - and what are the BEST books?? THOSE SOLD BY SGI!!
Today, television and the internet have made their way into the family, too, but it is impossible to stress too heavily the importance of reading. The decline of the culture of the printed word can be seen as leading ultimately to the destruction of humanity itself. A popular saying, sometimes attributed to Cicero, tells us that a “room without books is like a body without a soul.” Ikeda
TEH O NOES!!! Why, you better buy and read the latest whatever attributed to Ikeda Scamsei! That's what makes it the BEST!!
Through this novelized history of the Soka Gakkai—one of the most dynamic, diverse, and empowering movements in the world today—readers will discover the organization''s goals and achievements even as they find inspiring and practical Buddhist wisdom for living happily and compassionately in today''s world. The book recounts the stories of ordinary individuals who faced tremendous odds in transforming their lives through the practice of Nichiren Buddhism and in bringing Buddhism''s humanistic teachings to the world. This inspiring narrative provides readers with the principles with which they can positively transform their own lives for the better and realize enduring happiness for themselves and others. Source
What better reading material could possibly exist??
Why Is It So Important to Study The New Human Revolution? - World Tribune article
"Ask questions a little less ordinary than 'What do you do?'" Carlyle Jansen, author of Sex Yourself, tells Bustle. "Questions such as 'What is the craziest thing you have ever done?' or 'If you could fly anywhere tomorrow, where would you go and why?' or 'What is your latest favorite book, play, movie or TV show and why?'" will get the ball rolling. "These types of questions can lead to discussions revealing more about their interests, values and priorities," Jansen says. In the meantime, you get to have fun finding out more about someone new.
If ALL you are reading/seeing is SGI-produced content, you're effectively crippled, socially. And THAT is also the point. To isolate you by making it more difficult for you to interact with others. The attitude of superiority that SGI members exhibit is also off-putting - nobody wants that. Nobody is willing to regard them as the authority figures who must be obeyed (which is why they have to make up LIES about scenarios where that happened).
Q: How can I challenge myself to continually work on my own human revolution?
A. It is difficult to inspire oneself, especially in isolation. Therefore, we need to stay in close communication with our fellow members and continue to seek encouragement from Ikeda Sensei through our publications. Source
THERE it is. The whole idea is to enmesh each SGI member WITHIN the SGI, surrounded by SGI leaders and members, reading SGI's indoctrinational materials, ISOLATED within SGI.
See how subtle? "Oh, no - you're not 'isolated'! You're surrounded by your very best friends from the infinite past, marching forward together in your shared mission for kosen-rufu!"
They CAN'T be heavy-handed about it any more and just command the SGI members to only read SGI indoctrinational materials; way too risky. They need a way to get that same message across, only to do in such a way that the SGI members think it's their OWN idea!
In this new segment “The New Human Revolution & I”, we feature lionhearted SSA members on their personal journey studying the NHR and how it has encouraged them in their daily life. Source
In today's feature of "The New Human Revolution & I", we have SSA Vice Men Division Chief Soh Kim Beng who shares with us how The New Human Revolution became his valuable "textbook of faith" throughout the years.
In today's "The New Human Revolution & I", we feature SSA Woman Division Region leader Sherline Tay, who has been greatly inspired by the wide-ranging guidance given by President Ikeda narrated in the NHR. The NHR has been her main source of encouragement over the years and she is currently on her third English reading while concurrently reading its Chinese version to better appreciate the Buddhist terms and concepts! Kudos to Sherline's strong seeking spirit!
WHAT POSSIBLE READING MATERIAL COULD BE BETTER??
And if YOU can think up some creative way to read the NHR, why, they might run a segment about YOU, with "Kudos" for YOU! O.O
The more you isolate yourself (deliberately or not, makes no difference) within SGI, the more strange and unappealing you become. It will become even more difficult than usual for you to make friends, because the Ikeda cult has damaged your capacity for compassion, empathy, and open-minded interest in others and their beliefs. SGI members tend to become selfish, self-centered, anxious, and pushy - nobody wants to be around that.
So beware when a cult member comes onto you with effusive demonstrations of interest, affection, attention, flattery, and praise - this is their investment in ultimately acquiring YOUR LIFE to exploit for their cult.
Don't you give it to them!
NO SENSE OF HUMOR
And it stands to be said that just because people are laughing does not mean there is humor present. Having a sense of humor about something requires a level of detachment and objectivity, and a willingness to recognize its faults, which creates a mental space for spontaneous observation to occur.
Laugher minus humor is nothing more than a show of nervousness, and/or a habitual tool for conditioning the people around you by making them mirror your expressions.
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