School principal SGI member busted for leading 'hate chants'

Where is Riverdale?

It's in the Bronx. SGI New York has always been  bizarre. But I wouldn't jump to conclusions. It could be a case of some disgruntled parents, as some commenters said.

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by: Cultmember @ Fri Mar 27, 2009 at 18:20:27 PM CDT

Listen to the interview

An audio file of an interview with parents is on the newspaper website:
http://www.riverdalepress.com/...

It sounds as if they have issues with this principal's leadership ability unrelated to the chanting issue.

Having chanting tosos at the workplace is unforgivably unprofessional. Monte Joffe is another NY-area educator who has received much praise from Soka, and he is also one of the leaders of anti-Nichiren Shoshu activities in the New York area.

Soka has made an enormous investment in infiltrating schools and education, even forming charter schools called SOKA, which they claim stands for Spirit of Knowledge Academy.

Soka University of America was successfully sued by professor Linda Southwell for showing favoritism toward SGI members in hiring and compensation, and basing the curriculum on SGI-ism rather than normal academic standards, even though Soka U. advertises itself as nondenominational.

This New York principal is accused of similar. It shows either foolhardy disrespect for the public nature of public schools or is typical of a Gakkai zealot whose sense of boundaries and appropriateness is skewed by devotion to Ikeda.

I am just mentioning things off the top of my head, but perhaps someone can do a comprehensive post on SGI's attempts to impose its "religious" philosophy on schools and students. Mroaks, this is your beat, is it not?

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by: auntie @ Fri Mar 27, 2009 at 18:52:36 PM CDT

Temple Issue

I see this as more about a Gakker applying "Temple Issue" strategy more than an education issue. Chanting to defeat others is an officially sanctioned activity by SGI-USA. This point is the crux of it all.

In fact, SGI-USA is sponsoring a "round robin" daimoku campaign for April 24. The goal is to chant people away from Nichiren Shoshu. I kid you not. See an announcement here:

As this anniversary approaches [Apr. 24], the leaders of the Mid-Atlantic Zone have determined to encourage everyone to fight for Justice with a multi-faceted daimoku campaign to help as many temple members as possible leave the temple and rejoin the SGI.

I'm not sure I'd call it "hate chanting." Intolerant chanting, manipulative chanting, yes. Spiritual malpractice, dubious daimoku, yes.

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by: mroaks @ Sat Mar 28, 2009 at 16:38:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And they get it wrong again

As Buddhist does SGI even have a whit of the understanding of cause and effect? Understanding that everything you chant for manifests in your life, not others, is chanting for someone elses unhappiness consistent with cause and effect? No.
To be consistent with cause and effect you must chant for the happiness of even your enemies. In this way, those that may be your enemies move up and out of your life, while you have made no bad cause. Is that such a revolutionary idea?

Markp

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by: markp @ Fri Mar 27, 2009 at 19:58:42 PM CDT

Paranoid Buddhists

Even seeing people as your enemies is non-Buddhist, Mark. That's the revolutionary idea.

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by: Cultmember @ Fri Mar 27, 2009 at 22:13:04 PM CDT

I feel bad for this man

I see this poor guy as victim of Soka. He's just being a good soldier of Soka, doing exactly what SGI leaders and "guidances" endorse, namely seeing no separation between the workplace and the place of practice. Lots of members take this very literally.

Soka members are totally convinced that Makiguchi, Toda and Ikeda are the world's best educators ever, so chanting at school and giving members jobs is the recipe for the best school ever!

Maybe disgruntled parents are focusing on this guy because he's a Buddhist not a Christian. But I'm like, why make yourself a target by chanting at school and hiring a posse of SGI members? Duh.

The sokaspirit.org website -- officially published by SGI-USA!! -- tells you everything you need to know about the dark side of SGI. Confronting and defeating adversaries through chanting. Totally perverted, but lots of members take it very literally, and SGI promotes it as the only true way to "accomplish Nichiren's intent" of world peace.

I wish they would not hijack and cheapen Nichiren's intent like that. And I wish folk like this principal were more critical of the propaganda.

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by: brooke @ Sat Mar 28, 2009 at 15:16:07 PM CDT

re: Paranoid Buddhists

I agree. They should be seen as what they truly are. Actuators of your karma.

Markp

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by: markp @ Sat Mar 28, 2009 at 19:05:54 PM CDT