Why Nichiren Shoshu Buddhists Should Be Excited and Pray for The Growth of the SGI Buddhist Organization!!!!!
By Anthony “Amp” Elmore
Many Nichiren Shoshu members who read this article may think that I am crazy to be excited about the SGI Buddhist Organization but each Nichiren Shoshu member should wield up with excitement to watch the course of the SGI. I have perhaps studied, written, researched and thought about this issue more than the average Buddhist and this SGI story is fascinating.
In June of 1998 I traveled to Accra, Ghana to challenge an organization called the SGI Ghana central committee whom wrote me a threatening letter in March of 1998. In February of 1998 I spoke with former SGI NSG or Nichiren Shoshu of Ghana general director Joseph Asomani and his wife whom was pregnant at the time . The June Sunday his son received Gojakai or acceptance into the Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist organization. The son was only about 4 months old. Also during this time I witnessed a Buddhist funeral officiated in Ghana by the Nichiren Shoshu Priest. In my short six months of meeting friends in Ghana I witnessed the cycle of Birth and Death and religious activity at the Nichiren Shoshu Temple in Ghana as the Nichiren Shoshu Priest carried out many religious ceremonies in Ghana.
The most important thing that I witnessed in Ghana was the effort of entire families dressing up to attend religious worship at the Temple. What I noticed regarding the SGI structure in America since the ex-communication by the Nichiren Shoshu Temple was the decline of traditional family values and I witnessed African/American males leaving the organization and an upsurge of alternate life styles such as gays, Homosexual, Bi-sexual, Lesbian, Transgender and other phenomena emerge. The SGI has grown into an interesting and different evolution.
A few years ago many SGI members went on a prayer campaign praying to destroy Nichiren Shoshu Temples. We at Nichiren Shoshu should never pray for bad things to happen to anyone and we should wish all SGI members the very best and consider that once we were family, more importantly we harbor no hate or grudges. Further SGI is our family and they will always be family, perhaps a distant cousin but we are family.
The strangest phenomena has happen over the years while the SGI harbors hate against Nichiren Shoshu many, many new people who have no idea about Nichiren Shoshu were introduced to Buddhism by the SGI, they were trained by the SGI and came to the conclusion that something about the SGI was not correct many have joined Nichiren Shoshu based on being introduced to Buddhism by the SGI. Even in slandering the SGI are making some positive causes.
My advice to all involved, do not get upset but watch the evolution. The Barack Obama/Hilleary Clinton issue or race to become the democratic nominee is minuscule compared to the SGI/Hokeko evolution. I would love to write screen play for this great epic evolution. This story has all the trappings of a grand murder mystery and when the story is told this result will make a great movie.
This story is so great that I forget that this is not a movie but a real epic adventure story. Whenever I speak to my SGI friends I am excited to hear the rest of this fantastic story and I wonder how all of the characters are doing and I pray for everyone. I have been so involved in this epic that I personally can write a book about the matter. This story is like a world class movie and I am so engrossed in the movie waiting on the next scene and I cannot wait to see what will happen next or what things will emerge.
We witnessed 67th high Priest Nikken Shonin wipe out any and all Daisaku Ikeda influence within the Nichiren Shoshu Temple grounds and organization including demolishing the SGI sponsored Sho Hondo and replacing with the Hoando Temple. One would have to admit that the demolishing of the Shohondo was quite dramatic and the event invoked a lot of emotions, now that the event is over everyone is calmed down.
Daisaku Ikeda may not get the recognition that he thinks that he deserves while he is living, but history is going to have a field day writing his story when he dies and after he dies the battle will become even more intriguing. What would the title of this great movie; The battle of Mt Fuji, Sensei, The Guinness book of world awards, what would the title be?
Hokeko members should not be angry and everyone should accept this fantastic evolution and thank Daisaku Ikeda. The SGI members will call the movie; “The Human Revolution” and character Daisaku as one of the World's greatest spiritual leaders. Another writer will perhaps title the movie; “The Thief of the Three Treasures.” Whatever the titles will be the Daisaku Ikeda Story will be an interesting Japanese epic movie.
It would not surprise me if the SGI has not already completed the screen play and when Daisaku Ikeda dies they will come out with the movie the SGI have some of the best writers in the world. Daisaku Ikeda may achieve more fame dead than while he is alive because you can embellish a movie character better that you can a real living person. On second thought Daisaku Ikeda is better than most movie characters.
