O mito da conversão: o discurso proselitista dos líderes da Soka Gakkai no Brasil

Abstract

The scope of this research is to make an attentive reading of the official proselytize speech from the lay Buddhist organization Brasil Soka Gakkai Internacional (BSGI), which is published in several journals, contextualizing it according the two sociological conversion paradigms: classic and contemporary. These paradigms are built upon three main axis concerning time, intensity and social networking of the convert. According the classic paradigm, the conversion occurs suddenly and unexpectedly; it is very intense, since the individual is supposed to go through a deep and totalizing transformation in this decision-making moment. Also, it is a completely solitary and autonomic way, without any influence of others. The new paradigm, the contemporary one, shows conversion as a long-term process, where the convert interacts with their social context, presenting itself as an alternative for the classic paradigm of the religious conversion