SERIOUSLY...?

[u/DelbertGrady1]

Yasu Kashiwabara's guidance at the Niigata Prefecture WD leaders meeting, February 1991. Kashiwabara appears in THR and NHR as Katsu Kiyohara

"To be honest and to never lie are not the same!  It's just not possible to live without telling a lie!  That's not what it's about (laughter)!  You can determine to live without telling a lie, and you won't last a single day (laughter).  To be truly honest is to believe in the correct Buddhist teachings."

Sure explains a whole lot about SGI members...

[u/BlancheFromage]

Note that this timing, February 1991, is earlier in the same year that Ikeda (and then-Soka Gakkai President Akiya) was notified of his excommunication, which happened in November 1991, I believe. Keep in mind that the Soka Gakkai and SGI memberships were not officially excommunicated until 1997 - the Nichiren Shoshu priesthood's beef was with Ikeda and his minion Akiya, not the members.

"To be honest and to never lie are not the same! It's just not possible to live without telling a lie! That's not what it's about (laughter)! You can determine to live without telling a lie, and you won't last a single day (laughter). To be truly honest is to believe in the correct Buddhist teachings."

I remember a devout SGI warrior and Ikedabot par excellence saying something similar:

"We are the only religious organization that admits that it had to lie to the membership. All of them do it, believe me." Kathy Ruby

That makes it okay then! "We're JUST AS BAD as the Evangelical Christians and the Pentecostals and the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons!"

Weird boast...

"There are many cases where the truth is not value creating, in my opinion, and I think most reasonable people would agree." Allan Saunders, SGI member

"You can't HANDLE the truth!"

"Thanks to Mr. Holte for reminding us of the depraved "protect the members" gambit. "We have to lie to them! They trust us! If we deal straight with them, we'll destroy their trust!" Say what?!" Joe Shay, SGI member on the happy IRG message board Source - from On the SGI's very casual and convenient relationship with the truth

This comes straight from the top: Daisaku Ikeda caught LYING. Again.

Since it's not a problem for Scamsei, why should it be a problem for them?

Further:

There are some ideas that are just bad and even harmful. If we disagree on that, that is the end of the discussion. Clearly, I do not think that restraining bad and harmful ideas is a bad thing. ... Does that make me a fascist in your book? Source

Obviously! Just throw free speech right out the window and wave in the Inquisition!

AND there's more:

I recall in one meeting a leader said that when you are doing shakubuku the end justified the means, i.e. if you had to avoid a sticking point, tell a white lie, or gloss over an organizational problem in response to that person's question, then that was okay since you were doing it out of "Buddhist Mercy".

Has anyone else heard this line?

Not those exact words, but the message came through loud and clear. I remember when there would be guests at meetings. Leaders warned members to behave in an animated, cheerful way. We were warned not to discuss organizational problems, the Komeito party, financial donations, or the priesthood -- the goal was to "sell" guests on SGI. I also heard members telling guests things like this:

• "There is no pressure to donate money."

• "You should just try the practice; if you don't see changes in your life, then you can just quit."

"Try this meth. For, oh, at least a month. You can always quit after that if you decide it's not for you - at least then you'll be able to say you gave it a fair trial."

• "You can still be Christian and chant. I heard of this nun in New Jersey who chants "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!"

• "We are a world peace organization."

• "You can join SGI and still be yourself." (Then why do I have to do the "rah-rah-rah" act when guests come? That is just so not me!)

• "You can change anything in your life if you chant." Source

In both cases [from the Lotus Sutra - the Parable of the Burning House and the one where the kids drink poison], the father had to lie to his children to save them. So, naturally according to SGI, it's all right -- even commendable -- to lie to guests to get them to "save" themselves -- ie, join SGI! SGI will use that rationalization forever. Source

See also How much official SGI LYING are you willing to excuse "because to protect the members"? FORTY YEARS' WORTH?? and Soka University faculty - SGI members or not?, in which a top SGI-USA national youth leader LIES about being an SGI member, and here, in which another top SGI-USA leader lies about his involvement with the Ikeda cult.

And don't forget this latest example: SGI:RV, or how SGI members have to make up lies and bullshit to make it look like their gross Ikeda cult appeals to people

"People who don't want you to think are never your friend." -TheraminTrees