Memphis, TN -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/08/2012 -- 5 time Kickboxing Champion Anthony “Amp” Elmore produced a 15 minute video on You Tube titled; “JapaneseBuddhist propagation methods in America is an assault on Black culture”. Elmore is convinced by his own life that the Nichiren Buddhist faith can help America and the African American community. Elmore notes that Japanese propagation methods in America borders racism and must change. In February of 2012 Elmore met at his home with Nichiren Shoshu Priest Shingi Iwaki Chief Priest of Myogyoji Temple in Chicago. Elmore begin his quest as a Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist in 1974. Buddhism is best known in America by another person born in Tennessee as Ana Mae Bullock who is world famous and later known as Tina Turner. Both Elmore and Tina Turner both began practicing Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in 1974. Both Elmore and Tina Turner told their Buddhist stories in movies.
The meeting between Rev. Iwaki and Elmore was an accumulated cultural showdown. The prior Nichiren Shoshu Priest Rev. Murata who heads the temple in Washington D.C. broke up the Black group in Memphis. Elmore looking for change in 2008 asked Rev. Iwaki who was assigned as the Chief Priest of Chicago that covers Memphis, asked Rev. Iwaki to visit the national civil rights museum and offer a prayer for Dr. Martin Luther King and America. Rev. Iwaki declined in 2008. In their meeting Rev. Iwaki told Elmore to leave culture out of Buddhism. Elmore notes that Rev. Iwaki is more than a “Priest” he is being“Japanese.” In 1986 Japanese Prime Minister Yashurio Nakasone described Japan as a "highly educated and fairly intelligent Society"…. Much more so than America because "Black people, Puerto Ricans and Mexicans.” Elmore wrote this news release in hopes of getting his message to Nichiren Shoshu High Priest Nichinyo Shonin who heads the over 750 year Buddhist sect. Elmore documented a meeting with this high Priest in 1996 prior to him becoming the Nichiren Shoshu High Priest.
Elmore and Tina Turner were both introduced into Buddhism via an American Buddhist lay organization called NSA or Nichiren Shoshu of America. NSA parent organization was the 125 Billion dollar rich Japanese Buddhist lay organization called SGI or Soka Gakkai International headed by powerful Japanese Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda who was noted by Time Magazine as the most powerful man in Japan. In 1991 Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda broke away from the 750 year old Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist sect and created his own Buddhist sect.
An African American Army Sergeant by the name of Joseph Thomas was a Buddhist mentor to Elmore. Thomas was introduced to Buddhism while stationed in Okinawa, Japan. The NSA Buddhist culture in America absorbed the Hippies, Black revolutionaries and many looking for change in America. Elmore notes in his 1988 self produced movie “The Contemporary Gladiator” how he transition from a big Afro African Daishiki dressing revolutionary to a main stream red, white and Blue sophisticated “All American revolutionary. The NSA Buddhist culture made its way all over America. In the late 70’s NSA Buddhism mimicked the demographics of a Barack Obama political rally and movement. While there existed mainstream Buddhism, one could also visit mainstream “inner-city USA” and find the Black NSA Buddhist culture in America. We African American Buddhist were like the Barack Obama movement that preached and did change in America. We used Buddhism to better ourselves, families and communities. The African American progressives, college students and many looking to reform their lives joined the NSA Buddhism movement and changed their lives as Tina Turned showed in her movie. In March of 1991 Elmore documented in a letter to Daisaku Ikeda and NSA members about the evisceration of the Black Buddhist movement of Blacks in America. SGI leader Daisaku Ikeda implemented a plan in America called phase I, phase II and Phase III. In Phase III Daisaku Ikeda systematically changed Buddhism’s organic culture in America and replaced it with a Daisaku Ikeda SGI Buddhist paradigm system. When Elmore wrote his letter in 1991 most African Americans especially males had departed the Buddhist religion as Daisaku Ikeda stripped the culture and put African Americans in subordinate roles. This practice in America is not just with the SGI but with the Priest.
In America, African Americans head both the Country, NASA and major American corporations. In the world of Buddhism there is not one noted African American Buddhist group, scholar, or prominent Buddhist leaders in our society. Regarding Japanese Buddhist propagation in America, the Japanese do not support an African American cultural friendly environment in America. Elmore is seeking to bring Nichiren Buddhism among African Americans into an exciting cultural paradigm like the Obama revolution in America that is inclusive of all of America. It was President John F. Kennedy who implemented a program in America called “Affirmative Action” to counter inequality in America. Elmore is asking high Priest Nichinyo Shonin to implement an Affirmative Action Program.