Rev. Shingi Iwaki Chief Priest Myogyoji Temple in Chicago Conducts Meetings in Memphis, Tennessee August 16th and 17th 2008
On Sunday August 10, 2008 famous Memphis Singer Isaac Hayes died. For Black people worldwide Isaac Hayes was called "Black Moses." Isaac was loved and respected world wide as a singer, composer, actor and humanitarian. Gerald Hopkins home in Memphis is on about 1000 yards from Memphis legendary Stax Soul Music museum. Instead of visiting the Civil rights museum I asked Rev. Iwaki to consider during a ceremony for Isaac Hayes and to lecture on "Death and Dying." Rev. Iwaki never considered my request. One year later I asked him was it the duty of the Priest to serve its members or was it the duty of members to serve Priest.? What I have witnessed in Memphis, Tennessee for over a decade of Priests coming to Memphis whereas everyone praise the Priest and lavish him with food and drinks, all I witness was members serving the Priest and nothing was is done to promote Buddhism in Memphis. What you see in this picture is not just Memphis but members from Arkansas. Years ago Memphis would charter a bus to attend the anniversary celebrations each June, now you can put all of the members from Memphis in one car who attends the celebrations and meetings in Chicago. I saw first hand how the Priest destroyed the Buddhist movement in Memphis, Tennessee. These Priest arrogantly fail to learn the history, culture and background of the members. How can you advise people who you do not know? White people have to take cultural diversity training, how can a man come from Japan and know a culture?
This is my friend Gerald Hopkins who is the Hokeko leader in Memphis, Tennessee who hosts the Buddhist meetings at his home. I have known Gerald for 40 years and we both studied Karate from the late Julius Dorsey. Gerald accepted the leadership of Nichiren Shoshu Priests position of the Buddhist coordinator. Meetings in Memphis are structured 100% around the cheif Priest lectures, I explained to Gerald that what has happen in Memphis was disingenuous for Japanese Priests who knows nothing about the culture, history and background of Black people in America to micro-manage our meetings with a weekly lecture without knowing or considering our circumstances. This type of Japanese strong handed tactics destroyed the excitement and energy at Memphis Buddhist meetings. When Rev. Iwaki became the chief Priest in Chicago and before making his visit to Memphis I explained to Gerald that he should ask the Priest to say a few words about Isaac Hayes and he should insist that Priest consider the lives of people and their circumstances. I told Gerald that the Priest should visit the Martin Luther King civil rights museum. During the meeting I never said a word or gave anyone any problems, but when Rev. Iwaki returned to Memphis he nor Gerald never bothered to let me know. I told Rev. Iwaki that his actions were outright low down and mean spirited. In November of 2009 I asked Rev. Iwaki to transfer my membership to Accra, Ghana. I nor may family want no part of a racist self-serving Priest.
This is a picture of me Anthony "Amp" Elmore and the late Isaac Hayes at a Kwanzaa celebration, The day after Rev. Iwaki departed Memphis there was a grand celebration and the City of Memphis honored Issac Hayes. Click on the picture to see a video of the Ceremony.
While people all from all over the world morned the death of Issac Hayes our Nichiren Shoshu Priest would not say one word of encouragement or even know who Isaac Hayes was. Although he did not lecture on the subject. I wrote a Buddhist lecture on the subject. Please click on the picture to read our Buddhist lecture. The above picture was taken as a promotion with our 9th District Congressman Steve Cohen. This was the last time I saw Isaac alive. Click on picture to read our Buddhist lecture.
The is a picture of our STAX museum of music History Stax is just accross the street from the Home of Gerald Hopskins. I asked Rev. Iwaki to simply say a Buddhist prayer to honor our beloved Isaac Hayes since he was in Memphis, Tennessee and just accross the street from the Museum that was also honoring Isaac Hayes. Althought our Priest neve saw fit to respect our culture I wrote a report about the Buddhist meeting in 2008. When the Priest returned to Memphis I was not informed. This is what I call racism, ignorance and arrogance on the part of Nichiren Shoshu Priest Rev. Iwaki. Please click on the Picure to read our report on the meeting.
Let us talk about Disney Movie "The Princess and the Frog" and we will explain why Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism is failing in America.
Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism deals with life and all phenomena and it does not matter what the phenomena is Buddhism explains all phenomena based on a universal law and concept. The Gosho reads: " The true path of life lies in the affairs of this world. The Konkomyo Sutra reads, "To have a profound knowledge of this world is itself Buddhism." The Nirvana sutra reads, "All scriptures or teachings, from whatever source, are ultimately the revelation of Buddhist truth."
Click on picture to see Trailer.
Let me tell you how low down this Priest is; as a Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist I am trying to help out in Memphis and behind my back this Priest was going to come to Memphis and he and Gerald had conspired not to tell me about the meeting. I inadvertently called the Priest not knowing that he held resentment against me. I had no idea that this meeting was going to take place, but when I called the Priest and he told me about this meeting I attended This meeting took place in August of 2008, since that time I have never seen our Priest. When he came to Memphis again I an not informed. Just so happen prior to him coming to Memphis I wrote him a letter explaining my concerns and this letter show evidence of how they had conspired to not let me know about the meeting and how this Priest disregarded me as a Black man. Pure Racism!!
Click on this picture to read my 2008 letter and how low down this Priest is to a strong Black man.