Mahikari Kids and Parents

This is not a part of my story, but I wanted to write this while it was fresh in my mind. I am just going to let my mind wonder and my hands flow over the keyboard and hope that something comes out of this. Since departing Mahikari I have spoken with several former members…many of them my age, or a little younger. I have found that the youth, especially the youth in America, are more easily deprogrammed from Mahikari. I have my theories about this…though there could be several conclusions. My main hypothesis is that because America is such a free and liberal country that most kids here don’t want to be suppressed by things as essential as school, let alone things as time consuming, unnecessary, and thought-stifling as Mahikari.

Children here, from a very early age acquire an opinion, and quite frankly, a strong opinion. They are shaped by everything; television, their parents, friends…mostly by friends. In a country in which Mahikari is recognized only as a cult, not a religion like in Japan, the number of members is rapidly decreasing. In a last minute desperate effort to gain more recognition and new members, Mahikari Kanbu have been encouraging members to indoctrinate celebrities, or pseudo-celebrities (such as mayors, congressmen, and politicians.) Several Dojos have had to move to smaller and smaller buildings in order to pay the rent because donations and monthly membership fees are not cutting the mustard anymore.

How is Mahikari fighting this?

Well, despite trying to initiate celebrities, several kumite in their early twenties are being pressured to get married and have children sooner. After speaking with several former kumite, ranging in the ages of 20-27, I found that the Kanbu would subtly try and coax them into beginning their families immediately after getting married, if not married; they were encouraged to find another kumite and get married. The reason? To make more seed people, of course. In the US, Mahikari members are finding that members are hard to garner. US citizens are skeptical and want little, if anything to with anything that comes off even the slightest bit cultish. People in their late thirties and older, are set in their ways and don’t want to change. People in their twenties are more concerned with themselves and with enjoying life. Joining Mahikari, wasting their hard earned money, and sitting at a dojo on their knees for hours on end is not on their to-do list.

I visited several Dojos throughout the States, all under an assumed name and my old membership number, what I found from looking at the Dojos is that most of the people that were there were all in their late thirties, early forties, and long past their child bearing years. Most of them had discovered Mahikari in the late 70’s early 80’s when the hippie philosophy of hug the trees and live in harmony, was still acceptable. The few children who were there were probably 10-13 and remained in the nursery, uninterested in what their parents were doing. I spoke with some of the children and came to find that all of them had already taken primary Kenshu…the earlier they are indoctrinated the better…but most of them said they didn’t like offering light. When I asked why, most said, “My mom/dad always brings me here. I want to hang out with my friends…or It makes my knees hurt and I hate being quiet.” It seems as though Mahikari is losing its hold on the youth in the United States, which means that decreasing numbers are soon to follow.

So what are the parents doing to prevent their children from straying?

Control, control, control.

Mahikari parents are more controlling than ever. Mothers are becoming…dare I say eccentric about getting their kids to the dojo and keeping them at the dojo, isolated from their friends and outside influences that might taint their perception of how the world works. I have seen parents who would threaten to “ground” their kids if they did not attend dojo.

I have seen parents who will only allow their children to associate with other Mahikari members. I have seen parents who have quit their jobs in order to stay home and school their children the Mahikari way. I have seen parents who send their children to Japanese Universities, which teach only the history of Japan and the Japanese way of life (and Mahikari says that they do not imply that Japan is better…?). I have seen Mahikari members who have fallen in love with people outside of the organization, whose parents threaten to inflict 9 kinds of hell if the member even fathoms committing themselves to their boyfriend/girlfriend and leaving. I have seen kids in their twenties unable to make decisions or themselves because the Mahikari, “Be like a child” philosophy had been so implemented in their minds. I have seen parents who threaten to disown their children if they ever leave Mahikari or make a decision which is not first approved by the parent.

A lot of Mahikari kids…from the ages of 20-25 still live with their parents; mainly because their parents crave the ability to control so much that they cannot stand the idea of their kids leaving. Perhaps…being sonao 24/7 while at the dojo, makes them crave the ability to control at least a small portion of their lives; as a result the kids are the ones who become the controlled. What kind of life is that for these kids; always having to confirm their choices with their parents? It seems like Mahikari parents are more interested in what makes them happy and not about what makes their children happy.

Which brings the question…are Mahikari members really happy?

I have known so many members who were the picture of perfect control, grace, and humility at the dojo, loved by all kumite, but then at home they became something else entirely; yelling and screaming at their children, completely forgetting the way a true kumite is supposed to behave. What good are the teachings if they are only applied at the dojo where there is an audience?