Soka Gakkai cult trouble in Japan
"Ex-New Komeito [so-called "Clean Government Party"] chief lashes_out_at_Soka_Gakkai":
According to Yano, Soka Gakkai forced him to abandon his activities as a
political commentator, published libelous statements about him in the group's
Seikyo Shimbun newspaper, and has attempted to force him into selling his house
to make a ¥200 million to ¥300 million donation to the group over the last
several years.
Yano, who had been a member of Soka Gakkai for more than 50 years, also
said he and members of his family have been under surveillance and shadowed by
strangers on a daily basis.
Pretty much standard operating procedure for the "Value-creating_study_group".
I plan on visiting some mainstream Nichiren Buddhist temples while I'm in Japan this July and August to gather critical info on S.G.I. that I haven't been able to find in any Japanese bookstore abroad or in New York (I do own a copy of Japan's_militant_Buddhists, and would like to get a copy of I_Denounce_Soka_Gakkai, but I'm assuming that much more must be available in Japanese).
posted by Chris | 6/26/2008 11:12:00 AM
5 Comments:
Keep digging; find that dirt which you seek.
Well, it's not like it's not there, "ohgee", it's just that many people haven't quite caught on to Soka Gakkai the way they've caught on to the Hindu "(Hare) Krishna Conscientiousness" people or Christian televangelism.
Though I myself claim Mahayana Buddhism as my "religion", Buddhism in general, and SGI in particular, is screaming out for greater scrutiny- whether it's SGI, or just your run-of-the-mill left-wing, aged-hippy "Euro-Buddhism".
There are many traditional Nichiren sects in japan that have problems with the Soka Gakkai besides the Nichiren Shoshu. I belong to one, the Kempon Hokke. They publish lies and distortions about our sect, our faith, and our practice. They belittle our Objects of Worship, even though we have three original Nichiren Gohonzons and the SGI has none. They publish any perceived misfortunes of our believers. I am one of the foremost experts on the Soka Gakkai "religion" in the United States, having been a member and leader of the SGI for more than 25 years before joining the Kempon Hokke more than 10 years ago. Please see my blog:
http://www.fraughtwithperil.com/blogs/kemponhokke/
One day I hope you will visit our temple, Myomanji, in Kyoto.
Mark
I love the SGI group I belong too. I realize that it may not be everyones cup of tea,has had its problems like any large group of people, but it is sad to see so much hate directed at a group of people trying to bring happiness into this world. As for me I will chant for you to be happy and fufilled in all you do.
Livindesert,
Besides maybe a few minor "scandals" at Soka U, the SGI people here in the US do seem rather tame.
That said, we might not have such a healthy dose of skepticism of SGI if Ikeda's people in Japan weren't so darn vicious to its critics and apostates (e.g. the struggle sessions, the defamatory articles in your Seikyo Shimbun, and of course- the stalking).
Nothing against Nichiren Buddhism itself or the singular focus on the Lotus Sutra- to each his/her own. Just don't pretend you "love" us, or wish us any "happiness" or "fulfillment", OK? (...and we're not buying the newsletters or the cemetery plots in Hokkaido, dude)
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