This sounds almost too weird to be true, but for those of us who are familiar with SGI's daimoku campaigns to defeat so-called enemies -- well, we saw it coming, neh? From Riverdale Press in Bronx, NY:
Parent leaders at PS 24 are calling for Principal Philip Scharper to be removed from his position or resign. This demand follows weeks of rumors that he crossed the line between church and state with Buddhist prayer meetings in his office and attempts to recruit school staff for a "prayer circle."...In addition to being accused of proselytizing in the school building, Mr. Scharper is alleged to have a "hate list," which he and fellow Buddhists "chant over," as well as handing out prayer cards.
The cherry on top of this crap is the statement from SGI's professional mouthpiece Bill Aiken:
"There are plenty of Buddhist compassion chants," said Bill Aiken, director of public affairs for the Buddhist organization to which Mr. Scharper belongs, Soka Gakkai International-USA. "There are no Buddhist hate chants that I'm aware of," he said, adding, "I think that allegation as a Buddhist strikes me as a bit suspect."
Come again? Nichiren Buddhist daimoku is not SUPPOSED to be a hate chant, but the SGI has been instrumental in turning it into one -- by sponsoring chant-a-thons to destroy Nichiren Shoshu and by urging members to chant to "defeat" all vague, perceived "devilish functions." Talk about perversion of the dharma.
Precious Metal also posted on this story, but did not call out SGI.
UPDATE: Barbara's Buddhism Blog also posted on this topic. She ascribes parents' complaints to "hysteria" because Buddhist chants are unfamiliar. She previously denied the cultishness of SGI.
7 comments
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.
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?
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?
Even seeing people as your enemies is non-Buddhist, Mark. That's the revolutionary idea.
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.
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:
I'm not sure I'd call it "hate chanting." Intolerant chanting, manipulative chanting, yes. Spiritual malpractice, dubious daimoku, yes.I agree. They should be seen as what they truly are. Actuators of your karma.