Is the Bujinkan a CULT?

[SharinganUser]

I've been conversing with several ninjers about a few topics concerning the BJK, and what I've noticed about their behavior is that it is quite similar to what you might see when talking to a member of scientology.

[battlefields]

Short answer, yes, with a but, long answer, yes, with a "this has been flogged to death".

[It is Fake]

Take your title and use the bullshido google search function in the upper right corner.

[Prince Vlad]

As a reformed ninjer I can say that some Booj dojo's are definitely like cults - the best example being the honbu itself. About 85% of the people who trained there at the time I was in Japan were foreigners and most were quite strange - often socially challenged (no friends and/or difficult to talk to) and seemed to be looking for a steer in life. Most of them were what the Japanese refer to as 'otaku' - not just dedicated but completely over the top into the Bujinkan. The whole idea of the 'ninja' was more important to most of them than the techniques they were training. It wasn't all bad in the Booj though, I trained with one of the shihan instead because of the strange atmosphere and Hatsumi's lax attitude to training and teaching. I learned some good stuff and some bad, had to unlearn a bit too but the big difference between me and all of the other foreigners I met there was that I was cross training at the time (for some reason the foreigners frowned on that type of thing) - the Booj stuff was to experience the 'traditional' end of things and it was good fun and a pretty cool experience however if I could do it all again I would probably choose Kyokushin instead!. After I left Japan I quit the Booj completely because every dojo I ever went to was promoting the whole ninja idea and none of them were teaching the same technique. The interesting thing about the dojo I trained at over there was that I never once heard the words ninja, ninjutsu, ninpo or shinobi mentioned - another interesting point was that there was only about 10-20% foreigners at the most. Perhaps "ninja"=more weird foreign students.

[Styygens]

I'm just curious what behavior in particular the OP witnessed.

I believe he had reason to be suspicious, I just want to know what made him suspicious.

[shotfghter]

I saw the "human weapon" or "fight quest" show. I thought it all looked legit to be honest. They were training in all the ways a ninja would (I think) be effective. They used knives, throwing weapons, swords, and even rolls. Prince Vlad, I've always wanted to go to Japan, and you're experience is priceless; but the character of the students doesn't really account for the organization. What's the problem here? They are using said weapons effectively and with skill, YouTube- Shihan Doug Wilson VS Jason Chambers The training seems legit enough to me, and skill is present. What about the pay system? Is there a contract that has to be signed?

[Styygens]

Must.

Not.

Take.

Bait...

[shotfghter]

How is this bait? I provide a video of them fighting, and if you watch the entire episode you see them training in their art. Have you seen the whole episode I was speaking of? Who knows, since you're just talking out of your ass and not adding anything useful to the discussion. "hehe I'm so funny - I'm using internet humor." I'll admit that they ARE using fake weapons, but I'm positive from the visits the two guys paid to the different masters (one in knives, swords, throwing stars) that they do get proper training. So it isn't a question about their training as to why people say it's a cult it's more of the attitude of the people? It's why I asked about how they pay for their lessons.

[Styygens]

I have 16 years of training and a yudansha rank in the Buj. And I can prove it.

This is high-quality taijutsu from a 13th Dan, and it still exhibits issues. Not the least of which is the inability to perform a decent dynamic throw on Jason Chambers.

[DerAuslander]

*Prays to Guanyu that Styygens gets all riled up*