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Destructive cults? (Soka Gakkai)


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Far from questioning anyone's faith, is anyone here a member of Soka Gakkai or know anyone who is?

 

Me and my fiancé are agnostic since before we met, but we both shared our respect and curiosity for Buddhism as well.

 

We met a really nice couple about one year ago that praticed Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism, and they always invited us to go to their meetings to see what that was all about. We often refused because at that time we weren't really looking foward for any religion involvement.

 

Anyway, about 3 months ago we decided to give it a chance. We really enjoyed practicing the teachings of Nichiren Daishonin and we loved the philosophy behind Buddhism. It felt really good and we actually tought about becoming buddhists ourselves.

 

Now the weird part is about Soka Gakkai itself. The members seem to think of their president (Daisaku Ikeda) as some kind of god. They devote themselves to him, there are a lot of people saying stuff like "I'm lucky to be in the hands of Ikeda Sensei!" or "I owe my life to Ikeda Sensei!".

 

Other thing is the pressure in members to do the 'Shakubuku', that is inviting people over and over again to join their organization. And after they give it a shot, start convincing them that the only way to achieve happiness is inside the organization. That was when we decided to stop going to the meetings and distance ourselves from Soka Gakkai.

 

This, for me, is a destructive cult. Showing people spirituality then after they enjoy it, convince them that following the organization is the only way to achieve happiness.

 

Does anyone know any other form of destructive cult or know anyone who "escaped" from Soka Gakkai?

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TaraMaiden2

I'm Buddhist.

I've been practising for nearly 25 years and to be honest, I would also steer clear.

If it smells fishy, and you have any misgivings - about anything - then really, it's extremely wise to be cautious.

 

I belong to a Buddhist forum (I moderate) and there have been a couple of 'escapees'.

 

Don't hold it against them.everyone finds a way of practice, and if it doesn't sit well with you, then don't follow it.

I adhere mainly to Theravada with some fond leanings towards Tibetan buddhism, but very superficial leanings, I might add.

 

For many years though, I made my own way without adhering to either a tradition or a place of gathering (temple or otherwise) and the latter, simply because I had no means of travelling (scant transport services, lack of funds, no car!)

 

Just study online resources, and read some good books...

 

Buddhanet is good, suttacentral is another.

 

AccesstoInsight is a massively informative website discussing the Suttas in Theravada.

 

Pema Chodron is marvellous, as is lama Surya Das.

 

Make your own way, until you feel a little more confident...

 

It's not vital, or even a requirement to HAVE to join anything, or anyone.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Much metta.

TM

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I'm Buddhist.

I've been practising for nearly 25 years and to be honest, I would also steer clear.

If it smells fishy, and you have any misgivings - about anything - then really, it's extremely wise to be cautious.

 

I belong to a Buddhist forum (I moderate) and there have been a couple of 'escapees'.

 

Don't hold it against them.everyone finds a way of practice, and if it doesn't sit well with you, then don't follow it.

I adhere mainly to Theravada with some fond leanings towards Tibetan buddhism, but very superficial leanings, I might add.

 

For many years though, I made my own way without adhering to either a tradition or a place of gathering (temple or otherwise) and the latter, simply because I had no means of travelling (scant transport services, lack of funds, no car!)

 

Just study online resources, and read some good books...

 

Buddhanet is good, suttacentral is another.

 

AccesstoInsight is a massively informative website discussing the Suttas in Theravada.

 

Pema Chodron is marvellous, as is lama Surya Das.

 

Make your own way, until you feel a little more confident...

 

It's not vital, or even a requirement to HAVE to join anything, or anyone.

 

Hope that helps.

 

Much metta.

TM

 

Yeah it smelled really fishy, everything was going great until the part that everyone was worshiping Daisaku Ikeda and telling that the only way to achieve the enlightenment is through the "master-disciple" and inside Soka Gakkai.

 

Me and my fiancé are still practicing, we didn't abandon. It feels good and the Nichiren Daishonin teachings make really sense to us. It was the Soka Gakkai part that felt weird and really not buddhist at all...

 

We are just worried about the mentioned couple, because they are really nice people and now it seems they only want to talk about president Ikeda and how he's a great man, how he's changed the world and how we need to convince people to join Soka Gakkai. It is all very weird.

 

We don't even try to mention it for them because one time I said "Wow you guys seem to really admire this Ikeda guy huh?", and one of them said: "Ikeda is our master and our guide to achieve happiness! He's not just 'a guy', he is our leader!!" - made me terrified...

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TaraMaiden2

In the Dhammapada, (which in essence, is the entire range of the Buddha's teachings in small morsels!) it is advised to not consort with 'Fools'. (V & VI)

 

Now: How you wish to interpret 'fools' is clearly, your own business.

However, evaluate a person's behaviour using the EightFold path and the 5 precepts.

Consider how, using these markers, you would define their behaviour.

 

use your discernment with what you already know for yourself.

 

If these people seem to fall into any doubtful category, then do not consort with them....

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I am not a buddhist, but I've also heard about Soka Gakkai members being weird people who worship their organization leader to no end and often trying to convince others to join them, because they are the only way to achieve happiness.

 

The good part is you noticed it, so back out from Soka Gakkai and practice your faith alone with your fiancé.

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This, for me, is a destructive cult. Showing people spirituality then after they enjoy it, convince them that following the organization is the only way to achieve happiness.

 

Does anyone know any other form of destructive cult...

 

I guess it really depends on your definition of "destructive" and "cult", and what context it's all in.

 

I think it's hard to define what exactly a cult is. Wiki mentions that it's a "a religious or social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs", and goes on to say that it's hard to say at what point something is actually novel/deviant.

 

At one point, Christianity was probably considered cult-like, because following Christ totally went against the norm. And Christianity was definitely destructive, but primarily destructive to the religiously powerful at the time (Pharisees). So that wasn't necessarily a bad thing!

 

Sorry, I know this is nitpicky!! Just thought it was an interesting question. Why did you ask if anyone knew of any other destructive cults?

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I guess it really depends on your definition of "destructive" and "cult", and what context it's all in.

 

I think it's hard to define what exactly a cult is. Wiki mentions that it's a "a religious or social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs", and goes on to say that it's hard to say at what point something is actually novel/deviant.

 

At one point, Christianity was probably considered cult-like, because following Christ totally went against the norm. And Christianity was definitely destructive, but primarily destructive to the religiously powerful at the time (Pharisees). So that wasn't necessarily a bad thing!

 

Sorry, I know this is nitpicky!! Just thought it was an interesting question. Why did you ask if anyone knew of any other destructive cults?

 

I think SG is a destructive cult by definition, as they say they offer the only truth and thy are the only way to achieve happiness. Of course christianity does the same thing, but in the 'big league' christian churches we don't see many brainwashed people as in SG. It's hard to explain, they devote themselves to this Daisaku Ikeda guy, it's VERY weird.

 

I ask if anyone knew any other destructive cult just for the sake of curiosity...I would never have tought there would be a buddhist group like this.

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TaraMaiden2
I think SG is a destructive cult by definition, as they say they offer the only truth and thy are the only way to achieve happiness. Of course christianity does the same thing, but in the 'big league' christian churches we don't see many brainwashed people as in SG. It's hard to explain, they devote themselves to this Daisaku Ikeda guy, it's VERY weird.

 

I ask if anyone knew any other destructive cult just for the sake of curiosity...I would never have tought there would be a buddhist group like this.

 

It's sad to think that a Religion that offers 'Peace at every Step' (Thich Nhat Hahn) should be implicated in Violence (Myanmar) amd Mysoginy (Thailand).

 

But there you are.

As with all religiously-based disruptions, it's not necessarily the religion that comes into question and under scrutiny.

it is those who purport to represent its views and teachings.

 

The Buddha advised strongly against accepting words, simply because they appear to be spoken by a 'reliable and respectable' source.

 

The emission and transmission of all teachings MUST be weighed up and considered carefully, before one follows them, rejects them or lays them aside for future consideration.

And the Buddha included his own teachings in that instruction.

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