Total Pageviews

Monday, May 2, 2022

John Sala on why SGI won't debate

The idea that SGI would actually engage in a debate is the most amusing part of this comment. I'm not sure that there are 5 or even 2 (or any) actual scholars in the SG organization (I mean scholars in Buddhism, people with expertise in studying sutras, ancient languages such as Sanskrit, Pali or ancient Chinese, etc.) The average SG member comes off as rather doltish when it comes to even the most rudimentary knowledge of Buddhism such as the life of Shakyamuni, let alone actually being able to tell you the first thing about the Lotus Sutra. After all, they have Dear Eternal Leader Sensay, and I have a feeling that the big man himself hasn't actually read the LS from cover to cover. Does Soka University even have a Buddhist studies department or a department that teaches the study of ancient languages used in Buddhist sutras? To be fair, there was a time when SGI could actually hold a debate, when members (under the tutelage of NST) actually studied some semblance of (heretical Fuji) teachings, but those days are long gone and it's all about new world orderism, club of Rome, get along to get along, let's all be friends (well, except with NST and to a lesser degree other sects of Nichiren Buddhism), SGI seems to feel they have more in common with followers of non-Buddhist religions than actual Nichiren Buddhists. Indeed, they despise true followers of Nichiren. Really, debating them is no more useful than debating a Scientologist about the merits of Shakyamuni and Nichiren's teachings, they aren't even a religion in practical terms (and by their own admission!), it's basically a business organization (in the culty, Amway sense of the term) focused on gaining members, making money and adulating their "eternal mentor".

No comments:

Post a Comment