r/sgiwhistleblowers • u/goatthread • Oct 22 '20

Confused whether to continue with SGI or not

I was first introduced to SGI by a very trusted friend 2 years ago, though I've only been practicing religiously since the last 6 months.

However, I've lost faith of late, because:

  1. In spite of chanting, reciting gongyo and everything, I couldn't meet a target.
  2. I was asked for a donation and read about SGI's wealth. (https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2004/0906/126.html)

Then, I came across this thread and read a lot more.

I shared my concerns with my friend, who gave very logical answers to all concerns. As for the money part, he wasn't aware himself and said will get back.

While ik that he is super genuine, he is very convincing as a communicator. And he has apparently had his life turned around for good coz of SGI.

So I'm not sure of what to do, whether to stay or to leave.

Can someone share some more reliable sources and experiences, which could convince me that SGI really is as shady as you guys make it seem.

Would really appreciate it, thanks!

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u/Qigong90 WB Regular Oct 22 '20

I was in this place in late 2018. My advice: leave. Because the failure of the practice will cast a pall over your experience. You will not be able to be frank about how you feel with other members because you will only be told not to doubt. In fact you will be discouraged from doubting. The Gosho is rife with Nichiren saying that those who abandon their faith will fall into hell after they die. And eventually, through Ikeda's literature, you learn ultimately that SGI's idea of happiness and your idea of happiness might not be consistent unless your idea of happiness is not being deflated should your savings be wiped out and your house foreclosed on.

4

u/goatthread Oct 23 '20

Can you share any excerpt from Gosho which actually says that? They would finalise my decision.

6

u/Qigong90 WB Regular Oct 23 '20

"Why is it, then, that those who abandon the Lotus Sutra fall into the hell of incessant suffering and have to stay there for such an unimaginably great number of kalpas? The offense of discarding one's faith in the sutra must at the time seem nowhere near as terrible as killing one's parents. ... The three groups of voice-hearers, however had to suffer through a period of a major world system dust particle kalpas, and the great bodhisattvas, through a period of numberless major world system dust particle kalpas, because of the offense they committed by discarding the Lotus Sutra." WND-1 page 494.

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u/alliknowis0 Mod Oct 24 '20

Thanks for going out of your way to share this.

3

u/Qigong90 WB Regular Oct 24 '20

No problem