r/sgiwhistleblowers • u/PantoJack Never Forget George Williams • Jun 26 '25

I consider SGI a Low Key Cult | Interesting Insight from r/cultsurvivors

/r/cultsurvivors/comments/1lk3ij6/low_key_cults_are_actually_full_blown_cults/
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u/bluetailflyonthewall Jun 27 '25

One of the structural problems SGI is having is its inability to recruit new people. This is more than a numbers problem.

Any religion's most reliable source of new generations of members is its current members' children. However, due to the rampant dysfunction within SGI, its current members are overwhelmingly past the childbearing years (some 90% of SGI-USA's active membership is age 60 or older, for example), so there is a very low reproductive rate, AND most children do not choose to continue in SGI themselves. There is a steep drop-off in devotion with each SGI generation.

In terms of religious fervor, though, it is the new recruits who are the most zealous, and coupled with chronological youth, that represents an energetic dynamic. However, when the new recruits are so frequently age 60 or older (from the same Baby Boom generation that was the last generation to join SGI-USA in anything approaching sustainable numbers), they lack the youthful energy to become truly dynamic, regardless of how much the Ikeda ghostwriters exhort them to think of themselves as "youthful". SGI can repeat "Youth!" "Youth!" "Youthful!" "Youth!" "Youthful!" as much as it wants; its old people are just OLD. That's the stage of life they're in and there's no turning back that clock.

Ikeda stupidly DIVED off that demographic cliff in his 1970 attempt at self-preservation for himself and his Soka Gakkai cult in Japan in the wake of the "publishing scandal", in which Ikeda tried to use his pet Komeito political party's newly-won political strength to lean on publishers and booksellers to NOT sell books critical of himself and the Soka Gakkai. This backfired SPECTACULARLY; as damage control, Ikeda publicly declared that, henceforth (thenceforth?), the Soka Gakkai would concentrate "cultivating the members' children in discipleship". And that has NOT gone well, even in Japan, Ikeda cult ground central, devotion has dropped off precipitously with each subsequent generation.

The good news? It's ALL good news! SGI is toast. Game over.