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Subj: An Open Letter to the SGI, Re: The April 30th Memo.
Date: 5/19/01 8:24:12 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From: ELBT1958
To: mhall@...
CC: tmorino@..., gmartin@..., aalbergate@...,
dnagashima@..., gmccloskey@..., fzaitsu@...,
mbuck@...
BCC: campross@..., IRG_central@yahoogroups.com



Greetings,

            I am writing this open letter in response to the memo which was
released by the SGI for distribution on April 30, 2001. The memo in question
is regarding the IRG, a group of loyal members of the Soka Gakkai who love
the organization enough to challenge it to live up to its potential, and the
fact that some members of the Soka Gakkai have been acquiring, what has come
to be called the Prayer Gohonzon, from Nichiren Buddhists who have an
independent practice and/or orientation.
            To say that I am disappointed by the contents and tone of said
letter can be nothing other than a gross understatement. Let me tell you a
little bit of my history to illustrate why. I first came into contact with
the SGI in the early to mid eighties. Although I immediately fell in love
with the practice and doctrine of Nichiren's Buddhism, I had very different
feelings for the organization's authoritarian attitude, the control it had
over the members (and tried to get over me), and the incredible dependence
that so many seemed to have on their leaders for guidance on the most idiotic
of topics (my goldfish died, what do I do?) on the one hand, to the most
sublime topics on the other. I went and even participated in a number of
events, and quite frankly, their similarity to the film clips that I have
seen of Nazi rallies during WW II made my skin crawl. Needless to say, I
could not get away fast enough from the NSA (now SGI-USA). A Number of
leaders tried to get me back, first with kindness, then by insulting my
intelligence, and last of all by metaphysical threats. None of these tactics
worked and I managed to free myself from the, then, NSA. Towards the end of
the nineties, I began to get acquainted with members of various Nichiren
sects over the Internet, and I could not help but notice how different the
SGI members were now, from what I remember in the mid eighties. I could not
believe how open they were, how they managed to express different opinions on
just about any topic without bursting out into flame wars with each other
over it. It was amazing to me how free they were, how they supported each
other, how they reasoned out their points of view. I began to think to
myself, "Could it be, that the SGI has changed this much since its
excommunication from Nichiren Shoshu?" So I began to investigate; I checked
out SGI websites where members openly discussed the past and present negative
aspects of the organization and really though about how to make it better.
Then I attended meetings in peoples homes, again these meetings were open and
candid, no power tripping, no attempts at control, a totally different
atmosphere seemed to pervade the organization and membership. It was just a
matter of time before I agreed with a local Internet friend to go to the
Friendship Center and exchange my Nikken Gohonzon for a Nichikan Gohonzon. On
the surface, things were looking pretty good, The SGI even recently had a
conference for sexual minorities at the FNCC where some of the leadership
even apologized to the attendees for the organizations past oppressive
actions and attitudes towards them. Religious bodies that have done this are
few, and the SGI is certainly to be commended, no, praised, for taking such a
bold step towards justice, equality and freedom. In the light of the above,
the release of the April 30th memo was a crushing blow to said freedom that
brought me crashing back to reality. While on the surface, the SGI would seem
to be more open and free, this, it turns out, is merely superficial; for at
the core, this note shows that the issues most important to the SGI are still
control. Control of the minds of its members, and control over the Gohonzon,
which is the Daishonin's gift to the whole world. In this, you are no
different from Nichiren Shoshu. What a shame. What a pity.
            In light of all this, I am informing you of my official
withdrawal from the SGI, effective immediately. Many others have done and are
doing the same, but quietly. I believe that it is important for you to know
why people have left and continue to leave the SGI, hence this open letter.
Now, to paraphrase the words of a certain rebel princes to the leaders of a
certain empire in a galaxy far, far away, "The more you tighten your grip
SGI, the more members will slip through your fingers."

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo,
Ernesto Borges Torres,
Official Ex-SGI Member.

May our virtue of respecting, loving, and struggling for justice be enhanced
by our practice of the Mystic Law.