Chapter Four:

The Seven Damning Sins of Soka Gakkai-Komeito

The Ever Increasing Danger--Blind Obedience

The most dangerous aspect of Soka Gakkai's behaviour style is the to make a kind of blind obedience the principle upon which their organization is built. Just here because of the similarity to the leader principle used by Hitler, it is necessary to make reference to his tactics.  In order to regiment the support of the masses, Hilter indoctrinated them with the myths which he manufactured and which he constantly emphasized and reiterated and he directed attention to the fact that the power of a political party was created and sustained by the blind obedience of its members to their leader.  In a fascist syled political party the larger the number of blind followers, the better it is for the party.  Watching the Komeito and Soka Gakkai in action, we must say their tendency in this direction is indeed great.  They always say: "This has been decided by means of discussion", "this decision arose spontaneously among the party rank and file," but it is quite doubtful as to how much of the rank and file supports or had any part in those decisions.  All final decisions pertaining to matters of the interpretation of Buddhism, or doctrines of Nichiren Shosha, which interpretations are the processes by which they intend to build a Utopia, are all made by the top leaders, never by the rank and file.  Considering this attitude, it is obvious that the basic condition in Soka Gakkai-Komeito's activities is the blind obedience of their members.  It is quite natural that there are no factions under the leadership of President Ikeda, since if a faction should be formed, it would mean the end of Soka Gakkai, therefore, through their daily educational activities they thoroughly inculcate blind obedience.  Soka Gakkai appropriately camouflages these tendencies with nice sounding, coined words such as "Buddhistic Democracy". To use the term "Guided Democracy" of Sukarno, Daisaku Ikeda is is the "leader of a guided democracy", and he is the authoritative leader and the interpreter of Buddhism. Their Buddhistic Democracy should be interpreted as the Democracy which has such a leadership.
Furthermore, there is in religion a domain which lies outside the scientific method.  Within its religious domain, since it is revelational and absolute, the relationship between the leader and the laity is one in which the leader is given a carte blanche by the laity.  If this idea is adapted to politics it would result in the creation of some bizarre political myths.  Hitler wrote, "Myths of the Twentieth Century", so it might be said that Daisaltu Ikeda is going to write "The Japanese Myths of The Latter Half of The Twentieth Century", because the same kind of blind obedience taught by Hitler exists to a high degree in Komeito and we can say that the danger of the possibility their becoming fascists is very great.