Hey. Thanks to everyone posting their experience with SGI.

I have spent 15 years involved in a monotheistic western fundamentalist religion. I broke away in late 2019, as I no longer am a theist.

I started reading about Buddhism and found Secular Buddhism. The proponent I'm most fond of is Stephen Batchelor. It's a wonderful philosophy. But like most philosophies, it sounds great but there is not really any community.

I came across SGI this week and the web page makes it look like utopia. I emailed them and spoke to a 45-year member yesterday.

The convo was enlightening as I despise gurus, prayers, magical thinking and lies.

Seems like SGI is full of all four aspects (let's call them the 4 bullshit truths). That chanting crap seems insane.

So thanks to you all for putting up all your posts directing seekers like me to run far away.

That said, anyone recommend a secular buddhist community that doesn't have the four bullshit truths mentioned above?