I continue to support my former district by chanting giving up my Mondays. We chant every Monday. Something is going to happen in this district. For the last district meeting, the district leader planned to read an article from the World Tribune, The Bodhisattva Vow, and then she would talk about her trip to FNCC. The afternoon of the meeting she called to tell me her car broke down in another city and she would not make it to the meeting. I couldn't talk about her trip to FNCC, so I decided to do a little study at the end. Several members attended and the two area leaders. Area is one step up from chapter. After gongyo, the very new vice-district leader read the article in her very heavy Japanese accent. The article was about... all together now... mentor and disciple. But near the end, it quotes Pres. Ikeda as saying the organization need members who think for themselves - think for yourself. When she was done I wanted to talk about what that means, to think for yourself. I said I wonder how that would work if someone disagreed with Pres. Ikeda. The area leaders jumped in and one of them read from her notes, Pres. Ikeda does not want dupes. Holy crap, Batman! Now this is a discussion topic! But, no it was not a discussion topic, it was just left there. Every time I tried to start something, the "leaders" were there to set it straight, Pres. Ikeda does not want dupes. Don't think about it, just trust me, Pres. Ikeda does not want upes.
Now, I think this needs to be discussed. What does that statement mean? How would you go about disagreeing with a "leader" in SGI?
At another meeting, we watched a video of a teleconference from earlier this month. A top MD leader was talking about his trip to Japan. Apparently, the Kometo Party lost big in the recent election. Many Japanese members worked very hard to get their members elected, but I guess the Japanese people did what we do sometimes -- they voted for a change. The Japanese members were very upset that they had lost. Pres. Ikeda told them, "When you lose, you win!" Wait, what? There must have been more to this. I must have spaced out after he said that. The the MD told of blocking Pres. Ikeda as he walked across the dais and telling him some jargon filled crap in language no one would ever use. You have all heard it before, so just fill in your own jargon. Why do we need to talk like that? I have been working on a list, The 5 Words Used in Every Christian Song. I can't listen to it, so I can't get all 5. Here is what I have so far, Glory, Rejoice, Worship, Praise. You can help me with the last one.
But we have our own jargon. Greg and I used to sarcastically say "Golden Memories" all the time. It was so over used. Now we have "Mentor-Disciple Relationship." It must be used more than any other phrase. It has to be at the top of the Billboard Top SGI-USA phrases. Our new region was named by PI. It is Ever Victorious Region. Not bad, but now that "Ever Victorious" phrase is going to be everywhere. How can we expect to grow as an organization if we continue to use jargon? That leads me to the last part of my original story.
Towards the end of that district meeting, I wanted to talk about "The Devil of the Sixth Heaven." What is this? What does it mean to us? I was talking to my friend who never learned any of these terms. I was telling her that all these terms used to be in Japanese and now they are in English and I get confused. I don't remember what I did, but I used an incorrect Japanese term. I think I used sansho shima. One of the Japanese women corrected me. I acknowledged her, but that was not where I was going with this. Then the area leader cut in and went off on a 10 minute speech about The Devil King. He was not prepared, made a few mistakes, and just kept talking and talking. Then he tries to hand it back to me. No way I was going to step into this... and I told him that. There was no discussion of the Devil King, what it means to our lives. Then, one of my favorite meeting topics, karma, came up. A returning member, he moved away and then back, asked the leader about expiating karma. The leader said if you get in a car accident and wreck your car, that's better than getting hit by a train. You have eradicated your karma. I couldn't stand for this! I said you can't tell what your karma is and you certainly can not know exactly what karma you have eradicated. Of course, the leader was not going to accept this and tried again to make his point. It was late and the other leader read that statement again, "Pres. Ikeda does not want dupes." But this whole meeting was about dupes!!!!
Dear nancy:
Ever Victorious Region:
"Several times during the meeting Sensei led a “shout of victory,” encouraging us to maintain an “undefeated spirit” no matter what happens, so that we can make this year of great victory." -- Danny Nagashima
Then:
"A splendid departure for the “Year of Advancement and Victory”!" -- Area Leader
"Winning is Cheerful" -- Area Leader
“Let us make this year one of victory after victory!” -- Area Leader
"As the participants raised their “shout of victory,” the curtain of the “Year of Advancement and victory was raised." -- Area Leader
Then
“I feel that the society is seeking SGI’s philosophy. I myself will further my human revolution and advance always with Ikeda Sensei!” -- Mr. Kawamoto Vice National YMD Chief
"At the Headquarters Leaders Meeting, President Ikeda celebrated the brilliant opening of the “Year of Advancement and Victory.” -- Mr. Sum Dup (Korean Leader).
"Winning is bright and cheerful. The smiles of winners are beautiful. On the contrary, being defeated is dark and brings suffering. Therefore, we must absolutely win." -- DI
“religious revolution” equals “human revolution.” -- DI
“I have created a global organization of SGI since my youthful days. I alone, protected my mentor with the spirit of the oneness of mentor and disciple.” -- DI
"He (DI) expressed his expectations for them (The Nurse Division) to be vigorous, wise, and lively as “great actresses.” -- Sum Dup
FOR YOUR USE ONLY - DO NOT DISTRIBUTE From:
A splendid departure for the “Year of Advancement and Victory”!
The 3rd Headquarters Leaders Meeting of the New Era/The 16th Women’s Leaders Meeting
Mark
Posted by: Mark Rogow at October 1, 2009 10:49 PM" ...Glory, Rejoice, Worship, Praise. You can help me with the last one."
It has to be Saved or Salvation, I think. Or else Blessed.
Cheers!
Posted by: Andy Hanlen at October 2, 2009 02:56 PM" Here is what I have so far, Glory, Rejoice, Worship, Praise. You can help me with the last one."
FAITH
"How can we expect to grow as an organization if we continue to use jargon?"
We can't. SGI-USA has about the same number of actual members it did when I join in 1975, about 50K to 150K. But that's only 10% of the people who have received a gohonzon. So there are a million former members. Instead of replacing them with new members, of which only 10% will stay, how about including them wih less jargon and more diversity. Oh, wait, I forgot. It's a diverse organization that doesn't tolerate diversity.
Posted by: Joe Isuzu at October 2, 2009 03:51 PMJoe,
"It's a diverse organization that doesn't tolerate diversity."
I agree with this statement. If you asked individual members, they would say that it is a diverse organization - looking at the racial diversity. Most members would not understand your comment.
Remember Life of Brian when Brian tells the crowd, "You must all be individuals!" Then they all say in unison, "We are individuals." And one lone guy says, "I'm not."
Posted by: Nancy at October 2, 2009 03:59 PMSometimes I think that PI really means the guidance; but the leaders under him can not grasp thinking for themselves. However, every leader that actually follows the guidance, and thinks for themself, is deemed a traitor to PI. See George Williams. This has to come from the very top.
Posted by: rob at October 5, 2009 11:24 AMNancy:
This was a fun read.
Although this is the first time I've heard the term "dupes," in relation to the members, I have heard many times PI stressting that the members need to think for themselves. Here's the rub: to be of one mind with the mentor, one needs to be of one mind with the mentor, even if you disagree! Now there's a trick - think independently, do not be a dupe, but be of one mind with me!
Over the years and decades, I found myself in disagreement with my leaders and with the mentor on many occasions. There were many times my confliction was great, yet, I still admired and followed the mentor, yet, in the end, I was the one that was duped. By that I mean that the more I overlooked my disagreements with my leaders and by way of association The Mentor, the more I put off the acceptence that we had come to an impasse.
Therefore, in the end, I have followed the mentor's admoniton to not be a dupe by rejecting him. Now that's a paradox!
The other part of your blog that amazed me was PI's statement ""When you lose, you win!"
This statement, on the surface, is a contradiction. Winning is winning and losing is losing. On another level or from another standpoint, one may have lost the battle, but they have not lost the war. In many cases, one must lose to appreciate how difficult and vital it is to win. When someone wins all the time, they can become soft, over confident, and ripe for a major fall in a major battle, so losing enables one to gain valuable perspective. In this case, PI may have been trying to soothe the bruised egos and dejected spirits of the troops. Coaches do this all the time as it does little good to kick someone while they're down, after they've given all they had.
I find it amazing that some leaders don't know when to shut up and dig themselves a hole so deep that they can't climb out of it. Not everything needs some canned, pre-programmed answer. At times it is better to discuss a subject or issue without tying it up with a neat little bow. At times it can be better to leave with a question you can think about, maybe find insight to, instead of a half-assed answer.
To me, a dupe is someone who accepts without question and goes aloomg when they really disagree. It may not be one in mind to do that, but you will not be duped.
Charles