We already know that SGI recruiters will say absolutely ANYTHING, no matter how false or exaggerated, to get vulnerable people to join.

ANYTHING

I recall in one meeting a leader said that when you are doing shakubuku the end justified the means, i.e. if you had to avoid a sticking point, tell a white lie, or gloss over an organizational problem in response to that person's question, then that was okay since you were doing it out of "Buddhist Mercy".

Has anyone else heard this line?

Not those exact words, but the message came through loud and clear. I remember when there would be guests at meetings. Leaders warned members to behave in an animated, cheerful way. We were warned not to discuss organizational problems, the Komeito party, financial donations, or the priesthood -- the goal was to "sell" guests on SGI. I also heard members telling guests things like this:

• "There is no pressure to donate money."

• "You should just try the practice; if you don't see changes in your life, then you can just quit."

"Try this meth. For, oh, at least a month. You can always quit after that if you decide it's not for you - at least then you'll be able to say you gave it a fair trial."

"You can still be Christian and chant. I heard of this nun in New Jersey who chants "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo!"

• "We are a world peace organization."

• "You can join SGI and still be yourself." (Then why do I have to do the "rah-rah-rah" act when guests come? That is just so not me!)

• "You can change anything in your life if you chant." Source

Well, guess what? Within the SGI-RV fiction, not only is the made-up corrupt-&-slimy Catholic priest "Father Merrick" now chanting; he's ALSO received his nohonzon and he's confused at what's the difference between Buddhism and Catholicism!

Take a look:

Father Merrick is chanting AND praying for Mary to intercede so you got all your boxes checked.

Oh dear😟

We all know "mixing practices" is a strict no-no - you don't want to "mix dog poop into your rice", as Nichiren warned, do you?

The third is being defiled, which means that the contents can be contaminated. Though the water itself may be pure, if filth is dumped into it, then the water in the vessel ceases to be of any use. The fourth is being mixed. If rice is mixed with filth or pebbles or sand or dirt, then it is no longer fit for human consumption.

The SHITAs themselves quote that when they want to twist it for their own purposes. Nichiren meant it about mixing other religions with his Nam-myoho-renge-kyo-chanting belief system:

Or we may be the kind of practitioners of the Lotus Sutra whose mouths are reciting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo one moment, but Namu-Amida-butsu the next. This is like mixing filth with one’s rice, or putting sand or pebbles in it. This is what the Lotus Sutra is warning against when it says, “Desiring only to accept and embrace the sutra of the great vehicle and not accepting a single verse of the other sutras.” Same gosho (Letter to Akimoto)

That "praying for Mary to intercede" is the obvious equivalent of "reciting Nam Amida Butsu".

Obviously no one over there has the compassion to strictly correct "Father Merrick".

The learned authorities in the world today suppose that there is no harm in mixing extraneous practices with the practice of the Lotus Sutra, and I, Nichiren, was once of that opinion myself. But the passage from the sutra [that I have just quoted] does not permit such a view. Nichiren

Nichiren: "HARD no."

As our conviction develops, we will come to see that the Gohonzon is the most positive external stimulus Source

The Gohonzon is the fundamental object of respect and devotion in terms of faith, to which we afford the highest reverence. Source

THE "fundamental object of devotion".

The HIGHEST reverence.

Faith means believing in the Gohonzon as a vehicle of salvation. Source, p. 94

NOT "God", not "Jesus", you'll notice. CERTAINLY not "Mary"! So why is "Father Merrick" wasting his time on that nonsense?? He should KNOW BETTER now!

You have just completely marginalized what Nichiren Daishonin said in most of his Gosho letters regarding slander of the Law and mixing extraneous practices with the Buddhism of the Lotus Sutra. Chas.

If it's that same "Chas" person over on SHITA (seems likely), one has to wonder WHY he has not spoken up about how "Father Merrick" is being used ON SHITA ITSELF as an example of how it's just FINE to mix "extraneous practices with the Buddhism of the Lotus Sutra".

Here's some more from that "Chas":

NO MATTER HOW SINCERELY ONE BELIEVES IN THE LOTUS SUTRA, IF ONE IS GUILTY OF FAILING TO REBUKE SLANDER OF THE LAW, ONE WILL SURELY FALL INTO HELL, JUST AS A SINGLE CRAB LEG WILL RUIN A THOUSAND POTS OF LACQUER. Source

"CONTAMINATION AT THE SOURCE OF A RIVER WILL POLLUTE ITS ENTIRE LENGTH." Source

Buddhism in the Latter Day of the Law IS ONLY Lotus Sutra Buddhism, because the provisional teachings and their practices and mixing practices have all become enemies of the Law according to Nichiren Daishonin, which was predicted by the Buddha as well in the Lotus Sutra. Source

I wrote this in response to the umpteenth complaint about my refuting distortions of Buddhism: that it is not "Buddhist" or like a "Buddha" to point out that someone is distorting the meaning and intent of Gosho or the Lotus Sutra, or just outright lying about them, adulterating those words, translating them incorrectly, or replacing Buddhism with a blithering and stupid monotheism raising up and deifying Shakyamuni as God Almighty to support their statue-worshiping. Source

Well! That's some "fire in the belly", isn't it? HE certainly wouldn't accept Catholicism (feces) mixed with HIS rice (SGI-ism)! So why isn't he speaking up about the abomination that is "Father Merrick" receiving a nohonzon?? It's definitely curious.

Mr. Makiguchi and Mr. Toda found themselves under increasing pressure to compromise their beliefs and practice the state religion of Shintoism.

Hmmm...so what'd they do? Hold the two belief systems simultaneously as "Father Merrick" is depicted doing?

Mr. Makiguchi, however, refused to violate the spirit of the Daishonin's Buddhism. His resistance to the government order led to his and Mr. Toda's arrest and imprisonment as "thought criminals" in 1943 along with other Soka Kyoiku Gakkai leaders.

Mr. Makiguchi, at 72, endured brutality and privation in prison, refusing on all counts to compromise his convictions. The records of his interrogations reveal a man propounding, without a trace of hesitation or fear, the very thoughts that had led to his incarceration. On November 18, 1944, he died at 73 in the Tokyo Detention House. Source

😤 Like that's a GOOD thing!

And now from the rules of the Catholic Church:

any member of the Church that deliberately and consciously leaves the Church for another faith by vow (an apostate, which would be happening with any member of the clergy that takes ordination elsewhere) has incurred a latae sententiae excommunication. Latae sententiae basically means “automatic” or “sentence already passed.” Essentially, you have kicked yourself out of communion (agreement and the following of belief thereof) with the Church.

In addition, per "Father Merrick" conducting a wedding ceremony (performing the sacrament of marriage) outside of his church restrictions in a restaurant for a pair of non-Catholics ("Hah, a Catholic priest blesses the Buddhist couple!"):

§ 4. A person who deliberately administers a sacrament to those who are prohibited from receiving it is to be punished with suspension, to which other penalties mentioned in can. 1336 §§ 2-4 may be added. Source

So they've already established that "Father Merrick" is an immoral, unethical, conniving piece of shit - what else could anyone expect from a despicable priest?? We all know how much SGI members HATE priests - it's gone way farther than just Nichiren Shoshu!

NUNS are obviously no better. They're just wannabe priests whose religion won't allow them that office - they're just as despicable, corrupt, and disreputable as the priests.

Notice how it's always the clerics of a different religion who are now doing the SGI practice and not the OPPOSITE! No one in SGI talks about that SGI leader who decided to become a Baptist who still chants Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and isn't s/he a wonderful example, you'll notice! It has to go one way - those other religionists clearly perceive the SUPERIORITY of the SGI! No SGI member can become a member of a different religion and regularly attend their activities, including being baptized into their religion (the Christian equivalent of receiving a nohonzon) or be ordained in another religion and still be considered an SGI member in good standing. Heaven forbid!

More of "Father Merrick" sale-of-his-soul-CHEAP:

We had two Gohonzon conferrals: the Laverne & Shirley family and Father Merrick.

What does SGI require the recipient of a nohonzon referral to agree to? Here's how it was in the earlier pre-excommunication days of the Ikeda cult Soka Gakkai/SGI:

I would like to remind all SGI that we made 3 vows when we chose to practice True Buddhism. I kept my vows, did you? In case you don't remember,

(1) Do you faithfully swear to protect the Gohonzon of the Three Great Secret Laws?

• you replied:"I do."

(2) Do you faithfully swear to practice Nichiren Daishonin's True Buddhism through out your life?

• again you replied:"I do."

(3) Do you faithfully swear to keep the Precepts of Nichiren Shoshu throughout your life?

• You swore: "I do."

Because I am one who believes in keeping her promises, I have my original Gohonzon-sama. DO YOU? Source

IKEDA made those same promises himself.

NOW it's been watered down:

The first milestone after beginning one's practice is to receive the Gohonzon, the object of devotion for Nichiren Daishonin's Buddhism. The Daishonin inscribed his enlightenment in the form of a mandala called the Gohonzon, and believers chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo to a scroll form of the Gohonzon enshrined in their own homes. Source

I DO wonder what "Father Merrick"'s superiors are going to think about his Buddhist altar!

As our conviction develops, we will come to see that the Gohonzon is the most positive external stimulus

...the Gohonzon is "simply the most important object" in the practice of the Nichiren Buddhist. The priests of the Nichiren Shoshu and the organization of the SGI give copies to the new members, who enshrine them at their home altar. Faith means the belief in the Gohonzon as a vehicle of salvation. Source, p. 94

"Simply the most important object" - so NOT the cross of Catholicism! HOW does "Father Merrick" reconcile this with the beliefs he has devoted his life to and the VOWS he took to uphold those against all challenges, I wonder?

"Breaking a vow you have made—that is hell.” Ikeda

Father Merrick has come out of the closet and talked to some of his colleagues about Buddhism in light of a major new treatise by Pope Francis. Source

a family friend, a priest who is 100% supportive of the Pope. We have had many conversations with him and he never fails to attend one of our Buddhist meetings back home. He says he can't decide whether he is a Buddhist who practices Catholicism, a Catholic who practices Buddhism, or whether they are one and the same. Source

No genuine cleric would confuse a different religion for the one he has devoted his life to. Impossible. When I wanted to have a "dialogue" with my retired Christian minister uncle, all he ever did was ignore what I said and preach at me about his own beliefs. Later on in life, after I'd left SGI, he connived to shove his STUPID little sermons in front of me, asking for my evaluation, saying he was interested in any edits before he gave the sermon, only to admit later he'd already given it and his pastor had told him he should show it to "every atheist he knew". THEN, when I wanted to suggest something I thought he would like, he petulantly refused to even look at it, accused me of nefarious underhandedness (projection, no doubt), and then told me he was too old for "trivia". Yes, that's right - anything I am interested in is necessarily "trivia". He then proceeded to shove another sermon at me and I told him he needed to stop, as I would never read another of those ever again in my entire life. He apparently believed that the right combination of Christian verbiage (coming from HIS "wisdom" and "inspiration" and "jesussing just right", naturally) would result in my dropping everything that made me who I am so that I could fall on my knees and worshipdajeez (become more like HIM). Fuck THAT shit.

But that's what real clerics do. Mariloins has obviously never MET one. Not one that agreed to join a different religion while remaining a PRIEST!

"Father Merrick" luvva da Scamsei, too!

Father Merrick asked for 5 minutes of time tomorrow to “eulogize” Sensei. Sure, we told him!

Father Merrick gave a stirling tribute to Ikeda Sensei.

Because of course he did.

So what's next for "Father Merrick"? Will he "Become Shin'ichi Yamamoto" too??