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Alright, so, I have heard about this SGI Buddhist group before - they're pretty big here in my area. I don't really know anything about them, other than they all seem REALLY friendly, and REALLY into their religion. I met a pretty cute half-Asian girl who practices SGI, we went on a date and hit it off... a couple more dates since, and we have plans later in the week, one of which involves me attending an SGI-hosted event with her (though it's not a religious ceremony).
I'm agnostic but have always appreciated Buddhist philosophy, and am obviously receptive to the notion of dating a Buddhist. Hell, I'm even receptive to the notion of learning more about whatever sect of Buddhism my SO is in and possibly participating.
However, I've read a couple things online where people have been somewhat critical of SGI's charismatic social practices, and started to worry... does SGI do anything where they encourage their members to go and date for the primary purpose of getting people to convert? A friend of mine who dabbled in SGI mentioned that they get "points" for "introducing" people to SGI, so now I'm somewhat paranoid that MAYBE she's only dating me to get me to convert. Does anyone know if they're encouraged to do things like this? It's kinda freaking me out.
Alright, so, I have heard about this SGI Buddhist group before - they're pretty big here in my area. I don't really know anything about them, other than they all seem REALLY friendly, and REALLY into their religion. I met a pretty cute half-Asian girl who practices SGI, we went on a date and hit it off... a couple more dates since, and we have plans later in the week, one of which involves me attending an SGI-hosted event with her (though it's not a religious ceremony).
I'm agnostic but have always appreciated Buddhist philosophy, and am obviously receptive to the notion of dating a Buddhist. Hell, I'm even receptive to the notion of learning more about whatever sect of Buddhism my SO is in and possibly participating.
However, I've read a couple things online where people have been somewhat critical of SGI's charismatic social practices, and started to worry... does SGI do anything where they encourage their members to go and date for the primary purpose of getting people to convert? A friend of mine who dabbled in SGI mentioned that they get "points" for "introducing" people to SGI, so now I'm somewhat paranoid that MAYBE she's only dating me to get me to convert. Does anyone know if they're encouraged to do things like this? It's kinda freaking me out.
Sorry, what does SGI stand for?
As far as I am concerned there had never ever been in the history of Buddhism where someone was enticed into the religion through sex; that may not include Tantric, which is not pure Buddhism.
Sōka Gakkai International (SGI) was founded in 1975, with Daisaku Ikeda as its president. SGI characterizes its organization as both a support network for practitioners of Nichiren Buddhism and as a global Buddhist movement for peace, education, and cultural exchange.
...
The fundamental practice of Sōka Gakkai and SGI members is derived from of Nichiren Shōshū Buddhism.[24] However, due to a number of ongoing issues and doctrinal disputes between the priesthood and the leadership of Sōka Gakkai, Nichiren Shōshū withdrew Sōka Gakkai's and SGI's statuses as lay organizations in November 1991.[25] SGI President Daisaku Ikeda was excommunicated in 1992. Until 1991, Sōka Gakkai had been a lay organization closely affiliated with Nichiren Shōshū, and members retained their temple membership as individuals. On November 30, 1997, these Sōka Gakkai and SGI members lost their standing as temple members unless they renounced their affiliation with Sōka Gakkai and SGI, as per a change to the Nichiren Shōshū bylaws decided two months earlier.[26]
History of the relationships between the Sōka Gakkai and the Priesthood’s administration shows a sequence of conflicts, which led to such incidents as the founding of the Shōshinkai and most seriously to the resignation of the third president of Sōka Gakkai in 1979 [27], and finally to the excommunication of the whole organization in 1991. The causes of the split between the two are the following:
The doctrine of Heritage of the Law: attributed by the Priesthood to “one person” of the High Priest,[28] while attributed by the Sōka Gakkai to ordinary people [29]
The Priesthood’s demand for “Absolute faith in and Strict Obedience to the High Priest”, [30] a demand which SGI members do not follow based on Nikkō Shōnin's Twenty-six Admonitions: "Do not follow even the high priest if he goes against the Buddha's Law and propounds his own views."[31]
The doctrine of the Three Treasures, in which the Treasure of the Priest is taught by the Sōka Gakkai as the Sangha or “Community of Believers”, while it is restricted solely to the Priesthood, by Nichiren Shōshū administration.[32]
These and other issues caused a complete disassociation between the two sides after the Priesthood excommunicated the Sōka Gakkai in 1991.
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As far as I am concerned there had never ever been in the history of Buddhism where someone was enticed into the religion through sex; that may not include Tantric, which is not pure Buddhism.
I definitely concur. It seems to go against the principles of Buddhism and enlightenment, as I understand them. However, between my friend's statement about "points," and reading things like this:
"Cult" or Buddhism?
The SGI is a Destructive Cult. - The Lotus Sutra Revealing The Original Buddha (http://fraughtwithperil.com/markrogow/2010/08/10/sgi-fits-the-definition-of-destructive-cult/ - broken link)
It's caused me to put my guard up a bit.
I'd still prefer to hold judgement on the group itself before learning more about it frm their side, and I'm also not assuming that she is only dating me for some nefarious purpose, but... yeah.
I definitely concur. It seems to go against the principles of Buddhism and enlightenment, as I understand them. However, between my friend's statement about "points," and reading things like this:
"Cult" or Buddhism?
The SGI is a Destructive Cult. - The Lotus Sutra Revealing The Original Buddha (http://fraughtwithperil.com/markrogow/2010/08/10/sgi-fits-the-definition-of-destructive-cult/ - broken link)
It's caused me to put my guard up a bit.
I'd still prefer to hold judgement on the group itself before learning more about it frm their side, and I'm also not assuming that she is only dating me for some nefarious purpose, but... yeah.
It sounded like SGI is not a Theravada practice; more of Zen or Shinto I suppose. A cult in Mahayana practice known as Tantric Buddhism may involve sex as part of the practice for gaining enlightenment, which is getting popular in the West.
It sounded like SGI is not a Theravada practice; more of Zen or Shinto I suppose. A cult in Mahayana practice known as Tantric Buddhism may involve sex as part of the practice for gaining enlightenment, which is getting popular in the West.
As I understand it, it is indeed derived from Mahayana practice, though I don't see any direct link between SGI and Tantric Buddhism.
Used to be a member. Here's why I am not anymore...it started to feel way too much like any other organized religion, none of which I am fond of, to say the least. Any organization that preaches, "If you don't do this,then you won't be happy/saved/enlightened/ etc." just turns me off. I started to feel a bit like I was in a cult in that yes, they are VERY into the religion, they are VERY dedicated to the 'president', and they are VERY convinced that chanting is the be all end all of life. Decided it was no better than being Catholic. Just my experience.
June is some what familiar with the practice due to the fact that a friend of hers is into it pretty deeply. The practice is basically centered around chanting (nom yo ho renge kyo) which is done in front of a scroll that hangs from a home made alter. Both the mantra and the scroll are believed to be ways in which the individual can tap into the universe while chanting in front of this scroll. The practice struck June as being something of a mediocre way of enabling it's congregants to believe that chanting was the primary way of changing their lives when other options and choices were clearly available. The alter upon which the scroll hangs also struck June as a "wish box" that the member chanted to in hopes that whatever wish or life situation they wanted changed would only come about via their chanting to the scroll.
June's friend has been chanting all her life, as her mother is a Buddhist and taught the practice to her daughter. June's friend attempted to get June to practice at one point, but being an atheist June could not adapt herself to the practice and found many "loop holes" to the overall practice.
I went to one Sunday meeting in college. They explained their Japanese Buddhist-protestant (my word) roots and detailed a lot of their Mahayana-like believes. They seemed very conservative, so I highly doubt the girl is using sex to intice you... more likely its the other way around, if you believe in Frued. They reminded me too much about evangelicals (actually, now im not too sure if they were a splinter group of SGI). Too Dogmatic, and some of the members seemed rather ignorant of what they wanted to do with their lifes. One rule was that they couldnt do business with eachother, i suppose because they believed business was an inherently corrupt process, but they were allowed to do business with non-followers. I didnt like that. One follower asked the group leader if she could use facebook! he said says but said to be careful with sites pretending to be sgi because some of them didnt follow the rule about business and tried to sell you things.
Yeah, for me Buddhism is a personal path more so than any other religion, and so it throws us some red-flags for it being so apparently organized.
But I have no experience with it. I'd say keep an open mind and go, if the girl is leading you on or you feel uncomfortable then leave. If you can't leave then that means its a cult. Good luck.
Also I've been to Soka University in Aliso Viejo for an unrelated event. If you get a chance to go it's beautiful. Or at least the surrounding hills are.
Thanks for the input, everyone. I've given it more thought, talked to her a bit, and think I was really just worrying too much. Looking forward to our next dinner
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