"I am so very glad to be rid of SGI"

"I have been reading this thread for about the last 4 hours and it has made me sick to my stomach and close to tears." -- SGI member

"I'm glad you have spent four hours reading this thread. However, whilst it might feel safer to focus on things in the United States, these experiences are certainly not exclusive to the States. The worst extremes of SGI attitudes were, and still are most prevalent in Japan it seems. SGI is not quite so stupid to attempt acting so militantly elsewhere. I used to practice in the UK and the SGI here are no less insidious, having just changed their approach to the level our culture will allow. Barely. Even knowing that SGI used to, or are elsewhere using underhand and cult tactics to affect peoples lives, should be enough for anyone with integrity to distance themselves from such an organisation. Otherwise, I find it akin to locking oneself in a room with ones fingers in their ears whilst humming loudly, trying not to hear whats going on outside. It should be obvious that everyone here seems to have already attempted to "be the change you wish to see", and this approach has not worked. Therefore, this is why the thread is titled Former Cult Members and Affected Families. 

You could well be Robert Samuels. No offense intended, but your post certainly smacks of an "official, by the book, response". Of course, any and all are more than welcome to post here. But its not a forum for support of SGI and that should be blatantly obvious. I think you could better serve the voices here on this thread, by accepting and understanding them. If you wish to remain in a group that is unable, unwilling, and not even interested in reform, that is your decision. If you are happy in such a community, that is likewise your prerogative, but if you fly with the crows... 

I agree with the other responses, I don't particularly welcome your pity, however. I don't see how pity is befitting to people's experiences here. The word sounds a little inappropriate and somewhat insensitive to the people that have suffered within SGI. They did not suffer at random. The experiences related here bear common themes and are a result of the SGI mindset and structure. Just because you "are not aware" of similar events in SGI-UK, by no means does it mean they do not occur. A "pitying and sympathetic" post is not going to make all these events not exist. There are many more people who do not know where to turn. They have no-one to speak to regarding the discomfort and subtle mind control SGI exerts. Being in an SGI community is by its very nature a pressured way of life. These are my conclusions, and I am not alone. I am very glad to have followed all the "supportive steps and guidance" you have provided, in the past myself, and it had about as much effect as trying to slice a pool of water. Today I return, finally, once and for all my Gohonzon, to SGI-UK. I am so very glad to be rid of SGI's presence in my life - these strong emotions have come about after going through mental torture trying to consolidate my conscience with the nonsense I put up with as a member. I am glad to say my conscience, not SGI's alleged "value creating society", are what has endured, and it is once again guiding my life instead of Soka Spirit. Cult is not a dirty word. Christianity began as a minority cult. I too had many concerns about the cult of SGI, yet I found I could not live between the two worlds - my sense of right and wrong and what SGI was doing to me. The two were incompatible. -- Former SGI-UK member" 

Attention SGI youth

The SGI is not much different than totalitarian governments and our modern republics and democracies which also have become totalitarian. Since life isn't so great for a good many people who are burdened with heavy taxes [donations], engaged in wars, and their leaders lining their pockets [corruption], the governments attempt to keep the people entertained and uneducated, with endless sport programming, talent shows, reality shows, stupid "newsworthy" events, community activism for shallow causes, poor educational systems, etc. Likewise, the SGI doesn't want the youth to think and to really explore Buddhism, lest their free labor and donations stop, so it promotes mindless culture festivals like Rock the Era for Sensei while drumming into their heads that they are contributing to world peace and "human revolution" through these banal activities.

Be careful what you wish for

Throw out Trump and we get the thousand times worse Christian fanatic Mike Pence.

Hilarious

"From what I can gather, the Soka Gakkai is standing up against authoritarian religion. To accomplish that, they must place strict limits on their member's freedoms of speech, association, assembly, publishing, and so on." -- R. Beck

Irony and karma

The Wadas and Hojos are the Japanese Borgias and Medicis and Ikeda is the Japanese Pope. It is ironic and due to karma that SGI's center in Florence Italy is the most beautiful Villa the Medici's ever built. Ikeda and his dukes act contrary to the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha and Nichiren Daishonin who never advocated acquisitions. This is similar to the Medici's practices which ran counter to the teachings of Jesus and St. Francis.

My (Mark R. Rogow's) experience with the Soka Gakkai

I thought nothing about doing all sorts of non-Buddhist activities as a YMD member and leader. I wanted to attain Buddhahood and I was willing to do whatever my seniors said I needed to do: Stand from 2 - 4 am guarding a metal plaque of Toda in the middle of nowhere; directing traffic in freezing rain for hours even though there were so many signs a blind man could have found the parking lot; guarding a doorway for hours where not one person entered or left; cleaning community center toilets until they shined; endless marching; trying to memorize To My Young American Friends; meetings nearly every night and on the weekends for weeks and months on end; driving a large truck with manual transmission, all over Manhattan even though I had never driven a manual transmission; wearing white T-shirts and white pants and running around union square park every Saturday for nearly a year, sometimes with those white Japanese beanie hats and taking the subway there looking like an idiot; chanting to pictures of Daisaku Ikeda; doing street shakabuku in the worst neighborhoods in the South Bronx and making home visits to tenements; missing work and school for the sake of activities; strained family relations because they wouldn't chant or couldn't see how enlightened I was from doing all these activities or them criticizing Ikeda; trying to sleep in warehouses, either on the floor, a bench, or on a thin mat and with the lights on for many days on end; practically begging people to get the Gohonzon, paying for them to get one, shaming them into getting one, breaking off relationships because they wouldn't get one; giving my last dollar to attend retreats and having to eat spaghetti and butter and canned peas and ketchup for weeks and grubbing cigarettes because I had no money left; severe lack of sleep while doing strenuous labor, marching, and running for days on end. 

The problem was, I didn't study the Lotus Sutra and all the writings of Nichiren Daishonin. I followed persons rather than the Law. Nichiren taught that the only requirement for a lay practitioner is to chant Namu Myo ho renge kyo, support the priests who do shakabuku [forceful conversions] and tell other to chant Namu Myoho renge kyo according to one's strength. In other words, a simple straightforward faith and practice. SGI doesn't want you to study in depth because then, you would question almost everything about the Soka Gakkai faith and practice. That is why their study materials always are carefully structured into pre-prep lectures and the like, and they study the same things year after year. One would think that the entirety of Nichiren Daishonin's teachings is found in the Heritage of the Ultimate Law of Life and the "oneness of mentor and disciple." Every week for several years we studied this writing in the light of Ikeda's teaching on the oneness of mentor and disciple. They lie that you only need to learn one concept of the Gosho to understand all there is about Buddhism. They take the phrase from the writings, "To practice and ponder one phrase" which refers to Namu Myoho renge kyo and shoehorn it to mean that any phrase Ikeda picks out from the writings is enough to understand the entirety of Buddhism. Suffice it to say I am extremely joyful to have found an authentic sangha in which to practice with other like minded individuals who try and have the same faith and practice as Nichiren Daishonin.

SGI insults our intelligence

"I just came across an experience in the 10/23/09 issue of the World Tribune that is so ridiculous that I have to post about it. It's by a woman in California talking about how she and her daughter, named Destiny, overcame their problems through chanting and reading Ikeda's guidance. Towards the end of the article it reads:" 

"I wish that I could hug President Ikeda and thank him for the difficulties he endured so that people like me can transform their lives and find happiness amid darkness. Destiny, now 4, chants with me every morning and evening, and asks to attend meetings every day. She has me start out the morning by reading out loud her favorite piece of President Ikeda's guidance. She asked me to frame it and put it on the wall next to our altar, which I did. He writes: 'Prayer is the courage to persevere. It is the struggle to overcome our own weakness and lack of confidence in ourselves. It is the act of impressing in the very depths of our being the conviction that we can change the situation without fail. Prayer is the way to destroy all fear. It is the way to banish sorrow, the way to light a torch of hope. It is the revolution that rewrites the scenario of our destiny.'" 

Did you catch that her daughter is 4 years old? Four! Asking me to believe that your four-year-old wants to go to an SGI meeting every day is one thing, but asking me to believe that she even remotely understands that bit of guidance is insulting to my intelligence." -- SGBye

"Clothilde Hewlitt is on the SGI Board of Directors because of her Enlightenment and superior wisdom" - top SGI-USA senior leader

"Clothilde Hewlett is an Attorney and partner of Nossaman, LLP, with a focus on assisting private sector companies and tax-exempt organizations. She was previously a partner at Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Elllis, LLP. Prior to joining K&L/Gates, she served as the California undersecretary of state and consumer services agency and interim director of the department of general services."

SGI paranoia runs deep

"I have seen numerous examples of people discarding the path of mentor and disciple and instead taking the most deplorable course of betraying their mentor and fellow members. They have invariably wound up spiritually bankrupt and in pitiful circumstances." -- Daisaku Ikeda 

"This is the very kind of situation to which my mentor, second Soka Gakkai president Josei Toda, was referring when he said, "It may appear that our enemies are outside, but the most insidious enemies are within." Therefore, we must take a firm stand against those who seek to spread poison inside the organization. If left unchallenged, their noxious influence will pervade the entire organization and end up destroying everyone's pure faith. That is why it is imperative that we remain vigilant against those who would betray the teachings of our mentors." -- Daisaku Ikeda 

Daisaku Ikeda is confused about the teachings of the Lotus Sutra. Taking SGI's teachings to their logical conclusion, I can see why SGI leaders are so paranoid. They are wary of their own members and their non-Buddhist guidance system lacks privacy. With everyone spying and telling on each other, it is not unlike the practice of the Nazi youth corps. For example, "John Public has been teaching that one doesn't require Sensei for their mentor." or "Debbie Smith has a Shakyamuni Buddha statue on her altar." or "Timmy Lacosta has exchanged his Nichikan Gohonzon for a Nichiren Gohonzon but he is still leading Gongyo as the Chapter Chief." What a way to live! What a way to practice "Buddhism."

SGI doublespeak: "When you lose you actually win"

The following is a summary of the October 2013 SGI USA national leader's meeting: 

"When You Lose You Actually Win." 

"HOW FORTUNATE I AM TO HAVE A MENTOR LIKE THIS." 

[www.sgi-usa.org] 

Tariq Hassan: 

We just got back from Japan receiving guidance and meeting Sensei. Though it was a hard time with the loss of the LDP and Komeito, Sensei was in high spirits. He gave us tremendous guidance, "When you lose you actually win!". So very important, the unity of mentor and disciple as we walk along side our mentor. Sensei said to his Japanese leaders, "please learn from America the spirit of oneness of mentor and disciple". We met Hiromasa Ikeda and Vice President Hasagawa who said: "facing times of change, how much greater the mission of America. With ever deeper faith in the oneness of mentor and disciple we will protect sensei." Again, as disciples of President Ikeda let us joyfully advance. We make the mentor proud when we unite wholeheartedly with him. With the Mentor we will always win (does that mean lose? HA HA). Sensei's guidance was on the importance of statistics and statistics department. I am the head of the statistics department though I didn't volunteer for this job (joke). There will be monthly statistics meetings for the districts. New form to remove someone from the SGI statistics roll. I will be happy to assist the SGI in doing statistics. In Japan, it takes six months before someone is removed from statistical rolls, signature of district and chapter chief required. 

Linda Johnson: 

Chant to live up to the mentor. Learn from President Ikeda. He gets this Buddhism. He has never lost (then he has never won?? HA HA sorry to interrupt). Linda J. continues, To manifest your capacity...vital to study Sensei. Send out only Sensei's encouragment on the internet not your own. Lets learn from the best. Home visit every member. It is the time to teach them about Sensei and how to win (which is really losing???). "Bless her" (Kitty Shapiro who helped her when she was a new member) hallelujah. Chant to let me win. (shouldn't she have said, chant to let me lose which is actually to win?). Then she spoke about the attitude one should have when we chant. Maybe she mentioned the Gohonzon one or two times. Determine that your members will win today. Challenge ourselves to care about the members winning. Never leave a home visit without impressing on that person the oneness of mentor of disciple. This is the eternal formula we must get and teach. To insure through our care that every single member always tap unlimited potential and win we must practice with the spirit of mentor and disciple. Change our lives, the lives of our family, and this country. 

Next young mens's division leader Nathan (Abraham Lincoln) Gauer: 

Who will uphold Sensei's legacy? 50th anniversary of his visit to America in July. Culture festivals. Sensei determined to spend the remaining part of his life in America, the country he loves best. Culture Festival for Sensei. REALLY REALLY GREAT (Must be spending too much time with Danny Nagashima.) Real short speech. 

Vanissa Shaw national YWD leader, Crest toothpaste girl, actress, and Ikeda disciple extroadinaire: 

ARE YOU READY TO ROCK THE ERA. ROCK THE ERA MEETINGS AND FESTIVALS IN JULY. AMERICA CAPITAL OF MENTOR AND DISCIPLE. "Entire focus, the mentor". duh. As Sensei has said always sing a gakkai song during our Rock The Era meetings. Sensei we will create the capital of mentor disciple. 

Keith Beeber student division leader: National direction... shakabuku on college campuses. Since July, 15 universities 200 guests and 35 shakabuku. Carry on the spirit of the oneness of mentor and disciple based on the mentors guidance form student groups. Bring joy to Sensei by warmly embracing our leaders. 

Danny Nagashima shouting as usual: 

HELLO EVERYONE ARE YOU HAPPY? THANK YOU THANK YOU VERY MUCH. We did 1984 shakabuku in the month of august, the most in twenty years. We have been waiting for this moment for twenty years. (somewhat surprisingly, muted cheering and clapping). The time has come. We have to create AMERICA WITH YOUTH DIVISION. I'M THIRTY YEARS OLD. EVERYONE IS YOUTH DIVISION. AS LONG AS WE SEEK SENSEI WE CAN REMAIN YOUNG. THE KEY TO VICTORY IS STATISTICS. 70 % increase in membership (I have a bridge to sell you). As a disciple of Daisaku Ikeda,the oneness of mentor and disciple IS THE KEY. We will make exhibits of mentor and disciple. Fifty years since Sensie's first visit to United States. We are experiencing in America, the great character of Daisaku Ikeda, we are fusing with him. Something genuine is the oneness of mentor and disciple. What is the Genuine meaning of oneness of mentor and disciple? SEEKING SENSEI (Im getting a freaking migraine). Genuine disciple of sensei is never defeated. Ever victorious. Always winning. KANSAI NEVER LOST SINCE 1957. With your bond with sensei you will be ever victorius, EVER VICTORIOUS WITH SENSEI (flailing his arms and coming back to his chest), with sensei. SCREAMING AGAIN. YOU BODHISATTVAS TO CREATE EVER VICTORIOUS AMERICA. HOW MUCH CAN WE CREATE THIS KANSAI. KANSAI NEVER LOST SINCE 1957. Orlando Cepeda joke and then 7 points of victory for Kansai. Oneness of mentor and disciple, repeating it again several times. SHOUTING AGAIN: READING GOSHO AND SENSEI'S GUIDANCE; UNITY; FIGHT AGAINST INJUSTICE; LIGHTENING SPEED IN COMMUNICATIONS AND GUIDANCE; ACTION ACTION ACTION; ALWAYS WIN (which means lose?); Last one I didn't get(BECOME A LION?) BASED ON ONENESS OF MENTOR AND DISCIPLE. 

Platitudes upon platitudes. 

6 mentions of Nichiren Daishonin. > 100 mentions of Ikeda. No mention of Shakyamuni. One or, at most, two mentions of the Gohonzon, No mention of the Lotus Sutra. 

Are they winning? That must mean losing HA HA. 

Protect Sensei? The guy's already got dozens of body guards who will take a bullet for his old self but they want you to protect him all the way from New Jersey. 

On October 13, 1282, surrounded by his disciples and followers, and reciting with them the "Stanzas of Eternity" (Ji Ga Ge) from the 16th Chapter of the Lotus Sutra, Nichiren expired at the age of sixty one. The cherry trees bloomed out of season and the earth quaked. Our tears flow unceasingly. "When You Lose You Actually Win." or  HOW FORTUNATE I AM TO HAVE A MENTOR LIKE THIS. 

SGI is a medium small nation with the assets of a medum large country

It is hard to find accurate up to date information on the SGI cult because of their money, influence, and high level diplomacy. They, to a large extent, control the media, the sociologists, and to some extent, even entire governments. They succeed in deleting many videos and articles critical of SGI. SGI is a medium small country with the assets of a medium large country and they have a strong, dedicated, and efficient bureaucracy. I fear that we will remain in the dark until some high level Soka leaders come forward with the details, internal workings, discussions, and memos of the organization. Mr. Yano, hopefully, will soon publish his personal notes that were ordered returned to him by the Japanese courts. Possibly too, we will gain some insight when they throw out another safe containing internal memos.* The things they can't keep under wraps is the reality of their religious doctrines, religious activities, and their worship of Ikeda.

* http://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/20/world/japan-finds-latest-scandal-in-a-dump.html

The Scientology and Soka Gakkai cults

"Davis (current spokesman for Scientology) was quickly returned to the fold and sent to the church’s offices in Clearwater, Florida, where he was required to clean toilets with a toothbrush for a week." 

As Gajokai (Toban), we were required to clean the toilets in the community centers and it was a great honor to be able to clean the toilet in Ikeda's personal apartment, even though he never stayed there. The Gakkai is much more enlightened than the Scientologists. The Gakkai lets you use toilet brushes and not tooth brushes. It really wasn't so bad cleaning Ikeda's toilet, nobody ever used it. Maybe that is why it was such an honor. It was such a relief that we didn't have to clean the public toilets [usually]. Thank you Sensei.

Horrible experiences

"One girl I knew, who was a good person, got lured into SGI, and was really into it. She ended up getting sick, and refused a lot of early medical treatment, as she thought she could get healed by Chanting. Didn't work, she got worse and worse. Then she finally got into medical treatments, too late, and literally had hundreds of people Chanting for her to heal. She died, and left behind her kids. They don't tell those anecdotes, those who have hundreds of SGI followers Chanting for them, and die a pretty horrible death in a few months." 

Well that has been the way of things for years! - and when things go wrong and people lose out, lose their lives, livelihoods, homes and even their sanity that ain't going to get reported cos anything that might make it appear that SGI bubble of faith and Daimoku to gain anything, to have any prayer answered, and to have all earthly desires fulfilled... might burst, well that might have people thinking and questioning and leaving in droves. I recall Dick Causton saying that folks should remember that all prayers will be answered and that the answer will sometimes be NO! It's funny how common sense goes out the window when folks are told to chant and seem to end up in the world of rapture and can't see anything other than Fluffy Bunny Buddhism, forgetting that In Rapture the bubble bursts ever so quickly and can drop you on your ass! 

I have seen exactly this pattern of denial of ill health and subsequent death with loads of folks chanting for a miracle many times! It's like the SGI Italy members setting up Gohonzons next to TV sets so that they could chant and watch the soccer world cup final in 1994 and chant for Roberto Baggio to score the winning goal for Italy and QED prove that Nichiren Buddhism had some form on Mystical Power over the result. Some may recall that the final went to a penalty shoot out and Italy Lost with Baggio missing his penalty and loosing Italy the world Cup! In Italy I also saw Benefit Junkies organizing Daimoku Tozos to chant to have a miracle when some one was found to be in end stage cancer after they had refused to consult doctors and just sat home chanting. The mass search for Benefits was staggering with literally tens of thousands of folks in concerted tozos all demanding proof from someone who had already set up their own death.... and after they died many being very callous and stating that they died because they lacked faith and in any case all that daimoku was going to be of great benefit and they were just waiting for their personal payout in the shares and from their investment in Daimoku Inc! 

It's sad that supposed leaders (in reality folks who have been told that they are "Leaders" with no quality control and then make it up as they go along ) go about telling folks that they just need to chant whilst their leg is half cut off and they are bleeding to death. Some will find such actions and ideas impossible to accept as occurring within SGI but to those who have seen them they are unforgettable. Even leaders have not been immune from such aberrant attitudes and behaviors and as a result have died - with some referring to it as Suicide by Daimoku! 

I recall one set of events where some leaders (who I repeatedly referred to as "Persons With A Responsibility - Formally referred to as Leaders") went well beyond the limits and caused havoc for a number of people. A New Member showed Up who was quite a wealthy Business Woman - She had a number of businesses some of which she wanted to sell. This Woman started to hawk these businesses about to SGI members and the local leadership first allowed it and then encouraged it. Certain members who were having major personal problems with everything from marriage to debt were encouraged to buy businesses from her, which some foolishly did. Anyone who spoke out about this was immediately labelled as a breaker of unity and totally against Nichiren and the SGI. 

Folks went out and borrowed money, put their houses up as collateral and bought into the Leaders ongoing views that all that had to be done was chant more and more and evidently as this woman was selling businesses to SGI members whilst she herself was becoming a member the whole thing was perfect and universally ordained. 

One family asked me for advice about buying a Food Outlet - It appeared to me a gold mine as it was within about 100 metres of a new shopping complex that was under construction. The Only Down side was it was on the wrong side of the road, a very busy road and there were vacant shop units better placed to provide the service on the other side of the road. The family was advised to get a commercial lawyer to draft a full contract including clauses that prevented the woman from starting a similar business within 1000 meters of the original business for 5 years, that full disclosure of accounts were to be made and that specific contracts as to the building, it's contents, and maintenance would also be made as the woman was selling the business but retaining ownership of the building. All of the advice was ignored and they just went ahead and bought the business, lease on the building, and started to sell food as hard as possible. When they were asked why they had not undertaken the most basic of actions and set up the most basic of protections for a commercial venture they explained that when they had raised these issues with leaders they had been told that such actions would simply show that they lacked faith and they were better off chanting and having faith than consulting a lawyer or spending time and money on legally enforceable contracts. 

A few weeks after they were tied in with their house on the line the woman opened a new food outlet across the road and the customer numbers dropped to virtually Zero. They objected and were told there was nothing they could do.. and then they went bankrupt and lost the business, their home and just about everything they had. Throughout, the leaders were 100% supporting this woman in disposing of business to SGI members and of the members buying these businesses and yet these leaders had zero knowledge or experience in commercial trading, contracts and business management. When this was raised as an issue that should bar them from being involved in any way with anyone who was entering into a business situation they responded that they did not need anything other than Daimoku and Faith. They were also a little pissed off when they were asked to explain why they had not taken up one of these business opportunities if all that was required was Daimoku and Faith and they were unable to answer. 

I also recall working on an exhibition in Italy between SGI and The Italian Committee for Refugees. The Exhibition dealt with Yugoslavia and the breakup and Genocide. I had been asked to design and build the exhibition so that it could tour Italy. The First place on the tour was Venice and the transport co-ordinator could not understand that we were obliged to hire a boat to transport the exhibition from mainland Italy to then venue in the heart of Venice. Their view was that all of the parts of the exhibition, some over two metres long and very heavy would be carried on foot across a causeway and through Venice and this was great opportunity for members to be involved in activities. When it was pointed out that first it was illegal to do this, second dangerous to have literally hundreds of people handling unfamiliar equipment and that it was also highly likely that the exhibition itself would be damaged - well that was met with incredulity at the idea that hundreds of SGI members chanting and holding Tozos for the exhibition would not protect it and even not be needed or welcome. It was odd that they just could not get it that legally it was not possible and that it had to be done in line with the law of the land. Oddly when the leader of this aberration was questioned as to whether they had car insurance or if they just chanted to not need it they were shocked and stated of course I have car insurance - That's the law! It would seem that when folks decide that they are to do something so that they can get their quota of benefits they hate having it pointed out to them that they can't just ignore reality and hope for the best! 

That so much odd behavior makes it appear that SGI is a Cult - or at best filled with individuals who seem programmed to exhibit cult Like behavior - one has to wonder why SGI in all it's forms does not advise against such aberration and even protect people from it internally! 

For some they will simply invent Nichiren Buddhism in their own image, to service their own needs and to fill massive gaps that exist in their own minds and lives. What I have seen when this occurs is evil. Having reported the situations and what is occurring to national leaders/employees of SGI, I was not too surprised that the aberrations verging on mental instability are supported Anyone questioning one with the title of leader is seen as evil and shunned! It would seem that SGI is an organization that is programmed to self destruct under the mental aberrations of its employees and top leaders. It would also seem that their dogma will eventually be run over by their karma and one has to wonder how they will react when this happens - will they seek first aid and medical attention or simply lie on their backs and chant as they discorporate." -- Robert

Avici Hell is populated by SGI and Nichiren Shoshu, leaders, priests, and members

Hitler, for example, was a master at giving the people what they wanted and then leaving them prostrate on the ground. He gave them the Autobahn, parades, camaraderie, hope for the future, and then hell. There are eight Great Hells in Buddhism. The worst is the Avici Hell which is reserved for those who slander the Law.

Where goes your donations

                   
            SGI Gajokai ["Teeth of the Castle"]

The bathroom fixtures in Ikeda's personal community center apartment, in the old New York Community Center, were golden, very shiny like his life condition. The carpets were incredibly plush like the floor of Nichiren Daishonin's hut, two inches thick. Of course, the furniture was the finest most comfortable money could buy and nobody used them. This is where your donation money goes. Certainly it doesn't go to the non-salaried Gajokai.

The golden instruction of Shakyamuni Buddha

"To speak slanderously of the sutras preached in the past, the present, and the future, and to praise one sutra, the Lotus, is the golden instruction of Shakyamuni Buddha, and is what all the other Buddhas have expressed in agreement." - Nichiren

Thanks to Prime Minister Renzi's embrace of Soka Gakkai, calamities in Italy abound

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2017/09/13/floods-are-only-the-latest-in-italys-horrible-year/amp/

How did you predict the South Carolina "once in a millenium disaster"

"The host said: Though I may be a person of little ability, I have reverently given myself to the study of the Mahayana. A blue fly, if it clings to the tail of a thoroughbred horse, can travel ten thousand miles, and the green ivy that twines around the tall pine can grow to a thousand feet. I was born as the son of the one Buddha, Shakyamuni, and I serve the king of scriptures, the Lotus Sutra. How could I observe the decline of the Buddhist Law and not be filled with emotions of pity and distress?" -- Nichiren's On Establishing the Correct Teaching for the Peace of the Land

Why there is no Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment in the Soka Gakkai

The SGI cult manufactures its history to suit its own narrative and it's narrative, doctrines, and practice has changed several times. The truth is always spun in the SGI cult. They fail to believe in the Lotus Sutra which teaches the principle of thusness [or suchness]. It is useless to rely on the teachings of such people for benefit, let alone for Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment. The Lotus Sutra document has not changed for 2000 years. The theoretical foundation of the Lotus Sutra has not changed for 1500 years thanks to Tientai the Great; and the practice of the Lotus Sutra has not changed for more than 750 years thanks to Nichiren. But in one fell swoop, the Soka Gakkai changed the very doctrines and practice of the Lotus Sutra.The ruined the perfect recipe for Supreme and Perfect Enlightenment.

Seriously

Would Nichiren Daishonin be asked to speak at the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue?