Choose Life Group [3 of 6]

Before I begin this post proper, I want to apologise for the severe lack of posts on this blog recently. I haven't even put up the March schedule. Life gets in the way sometimes but I shall endeavour to update more regularly.

This past weekend saw the Choose Life Group met for the second time (the last meeting being canceled on account of snow) for a study session with SGI-UK General Director Robert Samuels. It was great, after four months, to come together once more in this youthful month, only one day after Kosen-rufu Day.

Youth division members traveled from far and wide, including three of us from Strathtay & Fife Chapter, to take an in-depth look at chapters 6 and 7 of the historic dialogue between Daisaku Ikeda and Arnold Toynbee. This month, we began to look at political themes, including nationalism, patriotism and a particularly interesting discussion about nuclear weapons.

Sue Thornton chaired the meeting once more, opening with some more of her recollections of when the dialogue took place and also sharing a few clips from a recent Radio 4 in which Choose Life was quoted.

The session took a much different form than the first meeting, with Robert leading a discussion amongst the group rather than delivering a lecture. We were invited to give our own interpretation of the text, offer our views on the issues raised and consider the Buddhist perspective of them as put forward by President Ikeda.

The participants were really engaged and the discussion became very deep and quite intellectual at points. It was a lively atmosphere fuelled by youthful enthusiasm. Even as we entered into the lunch break, during which we enjoyed fruit provided by President Ikeda, the conversation carried on and we couldn't wait to get back to the study session.

In the final hour, Robert posed us a few questions regarding the SGI's role in the campaign for nuclear disarmament—should we, as an organisation, be taking an active role to bring about the abolition of nuclear weapons, should we be a channel for information or should we take a step back altogether and leave it up to individuals to pursue these ends? This is an ongoing dialogue that we must have at all levels of the organisation and brought about some interesting and different views from the group.

We left London Ikeda Peace Centre with more refreshments from Mr Ikeda for our (sometimes long) journeys home. The overriding feeling was of excitement for the next session in May, when the study will be led by national women's division leaders Justine Marchant and Fiona Harrow.

Three more exciting instalments to come!

Participants from Scotland outside LIPC after the meeting