We Want You but We Don't Love You

The numbers game, today's mass media blitz and public relations spin
all combine to make what could have been a world peace movement
instead has created a monster capable of eating it's off spring. SGI
has fallen to this.

First, let me tell you of my most recent tragedy of Buddhist
mindfulness and compassion being left out of faith by the Oklahoma
City SGI Community. I had been studying Nichiren Shu and their
recorded history of Nichiren Shonin for about 4 months. I had not
broadcast this to the local members but privately as a means for me
to fully understand the Nichiren faith. I had tried to read
publications from World Tribune Press but they lacked of serious
academia that any intelligent researcher would want. My room mate at
the time instead of confronting me, who was an SGI member, went to
his home district meeting and begun to spread gossip of me. This was
reported to me by two respected friends. The local SGI members begun
to distance themselves from me and even gossiping behind my back. At
no time did any local member call me or do a home visit to see or
ask questions for themselves. Instead they acted like paranoid
cultist members who secretly held meetings to discuss how they
should deal with me. I know of this from several trusted sources who
sat in on these meetings. In less than 2 months the talk was now
what I and another gentleman might be planning to start our new
Nichiren sect, as well as who in the membership would be going with
us. I mean they had these conversations all the while I was only
reading and corresponding with a Nichiren Shu priest finding out the
history of Nichiren Shonin. The last thing on my mind was a split or
a membership coo. This culminated after 4 months of gossip by Danny
Nagashima visiting our local community center. After the general
talk my friend and I approached Danny to ask him our questions. My
two questions were "I am reading some Nichiren Shu books on the
history of Nichiren Shonin, what are your feelings on this?" Danny
said it is good to study and that we should always take everything
back to the goshos. I said I did and he said that no local person
has a right to tell me otherwise. The second question was my new
found gohzon on the Internet which I told Danny warmed and radiated
my heart when I looked at it. I told Danny I was careful to research
it and found that it is an original inscribed Gohonzon by Nichiren
and is still in the possession of a Nichiren Buddhist temple in
Japan. Danny agreed that there are over 130 known true gohonzons of
Nichiren but that SGI uses the one they do for a certain reason. HE
staid I should not forget the power of that one Gohonzon and how it
has been the image most introduced to the world by SGI, but he did
not, DID NOT, say I was wrong with chanting in front of the other
one. He only said to realize and know which one has been used the
most by people all over the world who has reported miracles from
that.

I thought that was the end of the rumor mill and paranoia of the
local Oklahoma City SGI Community. After all the general director
heard my honest questions showing I was not hiding things and he
never told me I was wrong or should not be doing such things. Well
two over zealous local members, Morgan Mallard who is the Mens
Division leader and Gene Takada who is the Young Mens Leader. They
both were suppose to arrive on Saturday, Feb. 14th at 4:30pm but by
5pm and no phone call I left to run errands. When I got back there
was a note to call them. Morgan insisted that I avail myself to meet
with them. SO on Sunday, Feb. 16th at 7:30pm Morgan and Gene
arrived. They stayed till 11:30pm. The whole time they tried to
convince me of the evil I was causing and evil I was allowing into
my life by reading Nichiren Shu materials and having a gohzon in my
butsadon that was not from SGI. They even made it a point to give me
a copy of the page of the http://www.sokaspirit.org web site that
states, "The worldwide spread of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the
Daishonin will. The SGI is the ONLY gathering of people putting this
into practice and making it a reality. There is no denying this
fact, and its proof that SGI is the true legitimate heir of the
Buddha's intent and decree."

WOW, what blasphemy that is, and I told Morgan and Gene that in my
living room when I read that. First of all, there are over 133
different Nichiren Buddhist sects in Japan who truly believe they
are doing the right thing. There are other scholars and schools of
Buddhism that promote and teaches the Lotus Sutra, so how does SGI
get away of saying they are the heir? Secondly for an organization
that promotes through their literature and website to (1) Respect
each religion and culture, (2) Believe in Diversity and embracing of
all people, (3) and dialogue among all persons then how can they
have such a statement of egocentrism? That does not make logical
sense, it alienates the other bona fide religions and sects that
believe in Nichiren and it surely halts any desire of dialogue.

Anyway, the actions of Morgan and Gene were sanctioned by Wayne
Calton the newly appointed area leader for SGI-Oklahoma. This is
after 4 months of area leaders discussing "how to protect the
members" by propagating rumors, developing rumors of what they
thought myself and a friend David were conspiring. When David and I
only were meeting to chant for our dead ancestors, read and study
the Lotus Sutra and discuss the faith of Nichiren Buddhism. Instead
the paranoia of Wayne, Morgan and Gene and the other area leaders
have only driven me and David and others away from the local SGI
Community.

It has culminated by me giving back to SGI-USA-Oklahoma my SGI
Gohonzon since it only represents the abuse and harassment from the
local leaders. I mean I honestly feel sorry and have compassion for
Wayne for he thought he was protecting the members, but his paranoia
and lack of true Nichiren Buddhist compassion only is driving a
wedge between those truly seeking the truth in Nichiren Buddhism.
Instead the local leaders of SGI-USA are reverting back to the
cultist practice and phase 1 shakabuka of NSA which is totally
against the compassion of Nichiren.

On a side note during the year I was a member of the local SGI
community I served on the PR committee. My background is in new
media and public relations. While we were getting ready for a tree
planting ceremony we, Kevin Jones, myself and Chris Risom
(spelling?) were asked to write the opening words for President
Ikeda. Those remarks were written by myself, Kevin and Chris, I will
say they were faxed to Japan for approval, but they were written by
us. We read them as if President Ikeda knew of our local community
thus perpetuating the illusion of the "Sensei" theme. Now looking
back on that I wonder how many other "President Ikeda" speeches were
not his words but local leaders words used to promote an ideology of
SGI that is not truth. I ask myself would Nichiren have done this?

SGI is trying to promote it self and what I see from the local SGI-
USA-Oklahoma as a religion when it is, by their own account in their
literature and website, a lay person's organization. Nichiren
Shonin and his disciples followed the traditional means of promoting
Buddhism by the use of temples and sects and disciples. While I
respect the intentions and work of Makaguchi, Toda and Ikeda, SGI is
and will always be a lay person's organization. The rich heritage
and written records and history of Nichiren Shonin will be in the
hands of the over 133 sects of Nichiren Buddhist in Japan.

Buddhism teaches us to be compassionate, open minded, loving, and
respectful. What I have experienced from the local leaders and line
leaders of SGI-USA-Oklahoma is a paranoia cultist manner that would
make Nichiren vomit.

I personally called Danny Nagashima's office and spoke with his
assistant director, Kay. Kay assured me this abuse would be looked
into and Danny or he would be getting back in touch with me. IN fact
when I gave my gohzon back I stated in my letter I expected to hear
from SGI-USA or SGI-USA-Oklahoma to reply about the abuse and
harassment I received. I will be fair and honest and will report to
you when and if that comes. If it does not I will report that too.
This now is in the hands of SGI-USA and we all wait to see their
response.

Sincerely

Mark D. Maxey