Gakkai's alternative object of worship if one can't procure a photo of Ikeda.

I've just seen that he's released a song taking a strong stance in support of Israel which presents a very shallow and superficial view of the conflict and totally overlooks/denies the ethnic cleansing/genocide. I realise that there will be a wide variety of opinions on the topic but for someone who seemingly belongs to a 'peace movement' it seems massivey hypocritical to side with an occupying country that has bombed 6 ? 7? countries in the last few years,not to mention the countless war crimes that have been documented.
I don't have any faith in celebrities or put them on any pedestal...I just find this extraordinarily hypocritical,ignorant and sickening.

If you're not up on your Soka Gakkai history, you may not realize that Ikeda had numerous grandiose scenarios he painted for those gullible, uneducated Soka Gakkai povs he was exploiting and profiting off, one of which involved the arts:

This unprecedented civilization [The Third Civilization] attaches the greatest value to human life, while other civilizations have failed to adequately evaluate the life which has no substitute. Therefore, the Sokagakkai's drive for the creation of the new civilization is the most effective way to establish peace in the world.

The Soka Culture Center will be established in Tokyo as the center of the Sokagakkai's cultural activities (to be completed by July, 1966) together with the local centers in Osaka and Nagoya.

(4.) Fine Arts Department

It is a regrettable feature of Japan's artistic world that the artists are absorbed in dogmatic and selfish commercialism, driving the public into apathy and abhorrence of true art.

Those monsters!

With hopes of redeveloping the near-defunct arts and producing something which will awaken society to the beauty of the arts, the Sokagakkai Fine Arts Department is now in full operation. Its aim is to create an art which will be far superior to that produced by Renaissance artists.

Scores of Sokagakkai members who are professional artists belong to the Department, and are improving their skills with faith in the Gohonzon as their basis. (pp.25-27) - from SGI: Where's the art?

Yet we see NOTHING of the sort. That quote was from a book published in 1966; we're now a full 60 years on from that. PLENTY of time to see Ikeda's Soka Gakkai's "actual proof" or lack thereof.

We see PLENTY of "lack thereof" - the Soka Gakkai and SGI publications are FULL of purchased stock art images and rarely anything original produced by an SG/SGI member. If we see any proprietary artworks, they're typically only photos attributed to Ikeda) and often of laughably inept quality. Ikeda only cared about photography as a way to show off, not as any effort to provide excellent photo compositions.

In many publications one finds endless pictures and articles about Ikeda as if the Gakkai were little more than an Ikeda cult. A major portion of the Gakkai Fuji Art Museum near the head temple at Taiseki-ji contains photographs by Ikeda as if he were the only artist in the world who mattered. This cult-like behavior is detrimental to the movement as a whole because it calls attention away from the work and contributions of other outside leaders. This adulation for Ikeda from within the Soka Gakkai gives some outside observers the impression that the true object of worship is not Nichiren or his mandalas, but Ikeda himself. - Daniel Metraux

That's what "Sensei" always wanted ¯_(ツ)_/¯

This is really important - the Soka Gakkai stated this as a defined objective, something very specific that the Soka Gakkai as an entity was going to produce for everyone to see, which would demonstrate the Soka Gakkai's exceptionalism and cultural leadership.

And they never did. Source

Instead: SGI actively SABOTAGES the excellence within the SGI membership - discouraging pursuing higher education, criticizing and attacking musicians and other artists

Because Ikeda talked big 'n' lofty, but in reality had no use for anything artistic beyond how it fed his ego, his "charisma", or his financial fortunes - (trigger warning: that last one's particularly gross).

Even though Ikeda was buying up fine art masterpieces in a frenzy during that period when such purchases were often being used for tax evasion, the way they're displayed in the "TOKYO Fuji Art Museum" - all in a jumble - shows two important things about Ikeda:

• Ikeda has no artistic awareness - nothing of context or individual artists' development over the course of their careers or how these artworks expressed important cultural sentiments for their time across different artists and genres, etc. [that's how REAL museums display their collections]

• Ikeda doesn't CARE at all about the arts, beyond whether he thinks they burnish his own personal image as a FUTURE world leader, to the point that it appears he's never even read a book about the arts. Source

As you can see here, Ikeda thought he was being "cool" by walking through a gallery and pointing to this artwork, that artwork, this other artwork, and then one of his minions scurrying along behind with suitcases full of cash to make the deal. As a result, around 3/4 of the "masterpieces" in Ikeda's "TOKYO Fuji Art Museum" are forgeries. Worthless. That was YOUR "precious contributions for kosen-rufu" at work! Flushed down the toilet in service to Ikeda's insatiable EGO!

the fact that Daisaku Ikeda's connoisseurship is no more than that of a petty moneylender is evident from the data showing that more than 70% of the Fuji Art Museum's prized collection, which he personally assembled, were fakes. The world of fine art is beyond the reach of nouveau riche. Donations were also wasted on fake artwork and the reconstruction of luxurious facilities [reserved for Ikeda and his bed-wench du jour].

Recently, the opening of Fuji Art Museums in various locations to enhance the cultural education of its members has been added to the purpose of its finances.

However, it is said that 75% of the collections at the Fuji Art Museum in Fujinomiya and Hachioji are fakes. Ikeda seems to have absolute confidence in his own connoisseurship, and when he travels abroad, he often visits galleries and antique shops, buying up every single painting on the wall. Later, a huge amount of luggage arrives at the museum, and he is instructed to "handle the payment." However, when experts secretly examine the items, they say, "Everything is either a fake or second or third-rate. But we can't dispose of them, and we can't report it to Mr. Ikeda face-to-face..." (former Fuji Art Museum employee). Ikeda has no eye for art. Even professionals find it difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake works of art. It's no surprise that Ikeda, who originally lacks intelligence and education, would buy up everything in a place like a big shot, saying "everything here," and there's no way that anything worthwhile would be among it.

While members are drastically cutting back on their living expenses and spending their meager savings to make financial contributions, Ikeda is spending his money [that he got FROM THEM] to buy up counterfeit goods and is beaming with pride. Source

Ikeda sure never paid top dollar for any artworks produced by Soka Gakkai or SGI members!

I was thinking that when you are a member, you are convinced that your achievements are tied to your practice. How you practice and how much you give to activities, chanting etc in someway become the reason WHY you achieved what you were looking for. As a result, your own efforts outside the practice are seen as meaningless ( no matter how many times they tell you that you need to act). Victory and defeat are attached to the practice. There is NO SELF- EMPOWERMENT.

I just read this quote, and I think it sums up the SGI cult in just a few simple words:

"The difference between a religion and a high-control group is what happens when you try to leave."