Soka Gakkai International - SGI Episode 29 Remastered
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- čas přidán 15. 12. 2023
- In this episode I sit down to chat with James, an ex-member the Soka Gakkai International. He tells me his candid story about becoming a part of, being wholly involved in and finally leaving SGI. This is the first episode covered on the show with plenty more available on the back catalogue of the podcast. For more information about SGI, please visit - Soka Gakkai (SGI) Whistleblowers (reddit.com)
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I’ve been a member of SGI for over 25 years.
We are a liberal free thinking organisation who respect all creeds and religions.
This is why our last president Mr Daisaku Ikeda was awarded hundreds of Honary Doctorates from Global universities.
Mr Daisaku Ikeda was also recently recognised by the European Parliament for his services to world peace.
You are not told how much Daimoku to chant and it is entirely up to each individual to decide how many and when to attend SGI activities.
James gave a great explanation of what the SGI-USA is like. I've been away from it for 20 years and apparently, nothing has changed. I joined as a young adult at a time when I would say I was very vulnerable. I stayed in the SGI for 18 years. By the time I left, I concluded that the SGI was stuck in the 1950s, and from my experience, the cult is indeed ageist, sexist, racist, and abusive. From my experience, the SGI leaders do talk about other leaders and members behind their backs and make judgments, spread rumors, and gossip. Although not illegal, that behavior is considered defamation and slander. The SGI does not practice the dogma of Nichiren's Buddhism but the made-up rules of the Daisaku Ikeda cult of personality. The SGI is a treacherous and dangerous organization and, in my opinion, their days are numbered in the United States. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. I try to warn as many people as I can.
Wonderful explanation. I was in NSA from 1973 till it turned into SGI around 1980. I left around 1990 leaving was one of the best decision of my life. I actually kind of enjoyed being in Nichiren Shoshu but when Ikeda started the SGI it really turned into a pile of you know what became very toxic. Leaving was hard in the sense that most my. social life revolved around group activities. I was lonely at first but it was such a breath of fresh air and real freedom.
back then in NS you really learn about Buddhism. but not now
Minute 4.48: James speaks about SGI "Buddhism" as a Mahayana school, and speaks about Mahayana school as "unrecognized". This is extremely incorrect. Traditional Tibetan Buddhism is Mahayana (and yes, is more recent than Theravada, also called Pali, which is originated in India). The Dalai Lama, which is today in charge of Buddhism school recognition, comes from a Mahayana school himself.
The reason why James appears to be so confused about it, is that SGI isn't a Buddhist school at all, they just use the name of Nichiren to appear more "legit" (yes, Nichiren had something to do with the begin of SGI, but not so directly). James has never been actually tought the real buddhism doctrine, but he has been given just a bunch of scattered and confused information (just like cults do).
It's particularly important to me to share this message because being Buddhism is one of the less known and understood religions, there are a plethora of pseudo-buddhist cults that keep feeding the misrepresentation.
90% of times when some western person says "I'm buddhist" is actually in new-age cult. So I think making actually buddhism knows, would help people to recognize it and stay away from cults.
Please spread awareness!
SGI is not Mahayana.
Mahayana is real Buddhism, the Dalai Lama Buddhism.
As a person who has been initiated by a lama in Tibetan Buddhism, I'm glad you made that distinction.
Ah, this makes sense. I’d started to read a book by Ikeda some time ago. As someone fairly familiar with the basics of Nichiren Buddhism I was struck by material that seemed rather inflected by a kind new age or occult thought.
I got out of this cult in 1990 leaving was one of the best decision of my life. I joined in 1973. I helped build a floating island in 1975. And was on a five story human pyramid 1988. I'm eternally great full I was able to get out at the time I left I was a district chief in the men's division. As the years go by I'm more and more glad I left. At first it's hard because you've become so isolated to those not in the group but I have zero regrets.
@@songmlf Life is full of twists and turns. We are carried along by the current, but every so often a door may open for just a moment. And sometimes we make a good decision. Or at least the unconscious operating system does. Cheers to your freedom!
The chanting is good in all fairness..
Bringing to mind The New Kadampa which appears to be growing… or at least I see a proliferation of flyers and pamphlets. Many offering meditation lessons for children.
What can one do…
For almost all meetings in the SGI, there are planning meetings to prepare for it. At the planning meetings, members are expected to give their personal suggestions as to how the actual meetings should be conducted. There is no agenda except for the overall purpose of the meeting, and the planning meeting consists solely of members' input. If your guest's suggestions did not meet with acceptance, they must have been weird ideas. I was a member of the SGI for 15 years, and I never witnessed anything that your guest attests to. And why do you call the SGI a cult? Is the Catholic church a cult? Is Islam a cult? There are 12 million members world-wide in the SGI. In what bizarre way are you defining the word "cult?" However, as you move up in the leadership of the SGI, it does become time-consuming. But those activities are totally voluntary, and if you want to devote less time to SGI activities, then you do so. No problem. It is hypocritical to complain of things that you have volunteered for.
it should be clarified that this person only has knowledge of nichiren buddhism through the lens of the sgi experience. to state that sgi is nichiren buddhism is a bit of a leap. nichiren buddhism in its traditional school recognises shakyamuni buddha as the buddha and nichiren as a bodhisattva.
It’s not nsa anymore
He is telling the truth. That's why many SGI members are NOT active in the organisation. They don't leave because they still want to keep their scroll and chant and keep getting their prayers answered.
Take a moment and dwell on it.
When someone says, "Taught by the Buddha himself" I have to wonder. None of us ever heard Shakyamuni's voice except as is written in the Lotus Sutra according to other translators; Kumarajiva comes to mind, along with Makiguchi, Toda, Ikeda, and others. The teachings are not set in stone and have always adapted to the times and circumstances.