Provides the down-side of being an SG/SGI member; information for those thinking about either joining or leaving the organization; a support group for former SGI members/SGI members considering leaving SGI. This is a "consumer reports"-type site for SGI, with people's reactions and perspectives about their SGI experience *independent of* the SGI's propaganda and advertising/marketing materials. No preaching, no promoting religion of any kind here, and no SGIsplaining or Nichirensplaining!
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What Gaslighting Looks Like
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#4. One time I suggested not chanting for more than one minute at an introductory meeting since it can freak people out and turn people away. They said that was crazy and laughed at me. But a few years later, it turns out the introductory meetings were actually bringing in more shakubuku than the actual districts themselves.
#5, Left Column. Geez, the amount of times I've had discussions with "leaders" about how I view things and how I think the organization should function and be turned down with my ideas is insane. Merely focusing on anything outside of what the current campaign is is a huge no-no. Asking what we can do in the long-term, AFTER our big rah-rah events is looked down upon since we have to "focus on the present right now" or some shit like that. But if SGI actually planned shit for the long-term and not just for one-time events, ahem 50K ahem, then maybe this would be a different story.
#6. I used to be so scared of missing morning gongyo and daimoku. Missing the morning prayers was hyped up to set us up for failure, actually, and I would be disappointed in myself for missing it. Lo and behold, missing morning and evening gongyo doesn't affect your life negatively. But it sure was painted that way.
#7. The last year of my practice, I really didn't give a fuck. I stopped going to team meetings consistently, I bullshit my way though giving "reports" to my "leaders" since I know they would guilt-trip me because I wasn't doing enough, and I just stopped caring all together.
But oh look! The moment I want to step away, they want me to keep my leadership position even though I haven't done anything productive for several months! I purposely didn't do shit because I wanted them to tell me to step down. I don't understand why they want someone who under performs to stay when I obviously am extremely negligent when it comes to doing their tasks for the week, whether it was making phone calls, confirming attendance, or whatever the shit.
They guilt-trip me for not doing enough despite the fact that it's a volunteer organization, then when I try to leave, they try to get me to stay so... I can continue to slack off? I'm confused as fuck.
#8. I made a post a while back about how former National "Leader" David Witkowski says that if we let little thing "bog us down", we shouldn't be leaders. Any negative emotion associated with a setback, no matter how little, should be grounds for us to step down and should be the standard we put upon ourselves to keep our "leadership" position. Like if we lose our job and feel sad about it, we shouldn't be a leader anymore.
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SO many questions:
(4.) One time I suggested not chanting for more than one minute at an introductory meeting since it can freak people out and turn people away. They said that was crazy and laughed at me. But a few years later, it turns out the introductory meetings were actually bringing in more shakubuku than the actual districts themselves.
Okay - did they take your advice to just briefly chant? SGI is notoriously bad about taking good advice.
Were the introductory meetings more free-form than the now-scripted district discussion meetings, which even then, I'm guessing, followed a more regimented schedule format?
Geez, the amount of times I've had discussions with "leaders" about how I view things and how I think the organization should function and be turned down with my ideas is insane.
Rejecting sound advice is a tradition within the Society for Glorifying Ikeda. I'm sure they've been advised to "Just get rid of Ikeda entirely!" hundreds of times...
But if SGI actually planned shit for the long-term and not just for one-time events, ahem 50K ahem, then maybe this would be a different story.
I find myself wondering if "50K" was a pretense for a reset of sorts. A way of shutting down the various initiatives (hello, LGBTQIA activities) that had developed (zuiho bini!) but that the Japanese Soka Gakkai masters did not approve of. A way of killing popular programs (like these) that weren't Ikeda-centric enough and that could only be expected to raise expectations of more providing value to the community (at SGI expense) without any guarantee of increased membership or revenue flow. Better to offer the members of the community NOTHING AT ALL than to allow them to think SGI was there to serve THEM, eh?
it sure was painted that way.
It was indeed. Doing a "vigorous" gongyo with daimoku "like a galloping horse" was supposed to rev you up for a Successful! and VICTORIOUS! day!
But - oddly - my days went better when I missed gongyo. I chalked that up to "devilish functions" because I was going through my dumbass-cult-member phase.
I don't understand why they want someone who under performs to stay when I obviously am extremely negligent when it comes to doing their tasks for the week, whether it was making phone calls, confirming attendance, or whatever the shit.
A bird in the hand...
They guilt-trip me for not doing enough despite the fact that it's a volunteer organization, then when I try to leave, they try to get me to stay so... I can continue to slack off? I'm confused as fuck.
Oh, no, you're not confused. You're noting exactly what's going on. The SGI is a huge clusterfuck; your only "error" was expecting it to make sense from any rational perspective. But It's. A. CULT!! So of course it's going to be a shitshow. It just doesn't have to be YOUR shitshow...
Any negative emotion associated with a setback, no matter how little, should be grounds for us to step down and should be the standard we put upon ourselves to keep our "leadership" position. Like if we lose our job and feel sad about it, we shouldn't be a leader anymore.
Easy out, right? I'd be surprised if more than a handful of other YOUFF leaders heard this kind of "guidance", which basically amounts to a "Get out of SGI leadership free" card.
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Sorry for members in America jees you guys really get it in the neck In UK its so laid back its horizontal No zone leaders for one
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They guilt-trip me for not doing enough despite the fact that it's a volunteer organization, then when I try to leave, they try to get me to stay so... I can continue to slack off? I'm confused as fuck.
I'm assuming you were considered YMD. I can tell you from experience that first ANY Youth Division counted in a District is considered valuable no matter what. And, if they have ever managed to talk you into taking the title of a leadership position, you're actually much more valuable even if you do NOTHING, as the position implies that 1) You'll stay, and 2) The district is given higher standing in the org overall.
That's right! Simply having Youth on the books constitutes more cred for the District Leaders, whether you do anything or even show up more than once a year or not. Same goes for pretty much any Male, both Youth and Adult. Hey! Gotta have 4-D ironclad unity!
I saw MD "District Leaders" (Not to mention Vice District, Group, and even Chapter "Leaders") who were simply carried along listed as "leaders" while doing nothing but breathe. One guy left town and was still kept in his position! (His job took him away, but he came back on weekends to spend time with his wife at their home.) He was completely radio silent with the whole org for a couple of years while still listed as a leader until he finally insulted a Chapter MD Leader and got replaced.
That's not to say that there weren't men who were active. There were! I knew some lovely men who interacted with members, trying to actually do what SGI says it wants to do. One or two of them put themselves into potentially dangerous situations protecting others. But right now I'm not talking about people who would be good people no matter what, despite the org, as it were.
I'm talking about the fact that members, especially MALE members/"leaders" and Youth were essentially commodities within SGI that brought STATUS to a District, and hence that district's "leaders." Remember "Champion" Districts, "Lion" Districts, etc.? THOSE mostly existed on PAPER. If some WD had a son or daughter who could be talked into letting the District use their name as a "leader," it didn't MATTER whether or not they did anything. They didn't even have to show up to accept the position, except on paper. The reward to the District was the same. In fact, those home-grown YMD and YWD were very likely the ONLY Youth in the District. Also, the Youth were less trouble if they were inactive yet silent then if they were active and vocal. SGI-USA wants their Youff to follow their script, hence as previously mentioned, David Witkowksi. They will punish any Youff who don't fit the mold and follow the fold.
So, Yes! As Blanche put it:
Oh, no, you're not confused. You're noting exactly what's going on. The SGI is a huge clusterfuck; your only "error" was expecting it to make sense from any rational perspective. But It's. A. CULT!! So of course it's going to be a shitshow. It just doesn't have to be YOUR shitshow...
Exactly!
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SGI has kicked Buddha in the nuts. SGI is not Buddhism There is no daily practice, SGI brainwashes everyone into believing they must attain something. Gohonzon are xerox with no, none, zero power except turning you into an idiot staring at a Japanese Menu. Kosen Rufu is a made up term, World peace is not the goal of Buddhism. Buddha hood is the only goal. Kosen Rufu is Christianity Worship is Christianity SGI is a Parasite imho
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