drkhalsa
SPNer
- Sep 16, 2004
- 1,308
- 54
Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
... I do however feel there is not enough contemporary literature on sikhi available. It seems that the goraiSikhs seem to have more of a clue when it comes to actually explaining Sikhiin relation to the 21st Century (check out www.siknet.com if you want to know what I mean).
I think that's great, however I feel it's a shame that Sikhs in the UK don't do enough to let everyone knowwhat it's all about. I mean the programmes that are organised are fine i.e. Sikhi week etc. but there seems tobe something missing. Beyond the cha and samosai, sometimes Sikh society meetings have very little pulling power. I always find when you're trying to get someone to come to a meeting or event that same look comes on their face and they make a million and one exuses.
Why do you think this is? I think it's because people don't see the relevance of it to their lives, they just think
it's going to be a lecture and being told the same old stories. Don't get me wrong I think the stories of theGurus are fantastic, but of what use is it to give out information and then not explain how to use it- it's like with children you don't just tell them do this do that, if you explain why,they are a lot more likely to respond.
I know Sikhi is not a missionary faith but I believe that if the people who organise all these events would try to bridge the gap between Amritdaris and all others,then perhaps there will be more of an interest.
Sometimes I feel at these events the Amritdaris are talking down to us. Just because we haven't had the privilige or been blessed with Amrit doesn't mean we don't know nothing about life
I am not just throwing out all these opinions from nowhere but from my own experience. For years I actually turned my back on Sikhi, I did believe in God and I always will but as someone living in the lace w:st="on">UK
lace> with a western education, I did not see the connection between Sikhi and the modern world, I thought that there was no connection. It's not that there wasn't but the information that was provided to me never seemed to answer any questions
My Dad has never ever explained Sikhi to me, even though he is a Singh and always does part in the Gurdwara- he choses not to take the time and share what Sikhi is all about even if I asked him myself! On one hand he would say don't cut your hair and if I asked why he would say- we're not Muslims or Hindus. I'm sorry but that does not make your teenage daughter want to stop cutting her hair. So naturally I was going to cut my hair. Sometimes when people tell me that Sikhi is about pyar I find it hard to believe perhaps this is due to the hypocrital way my Dad lives his life.
Don't get me wrong I love my Dad but due to the fact that he has always manipulated Sikhi I lost all respect for him and for the Sikh faith. However thanks to people who write on these Sikh websites eg. www.sikhnetcom, www.sikhe.com etc. I have not totally walked away from such a beautiful faith
Although I'm not an Amritdari and still cut my hair, wear make-up etc. I feel that Sikhi has changed my life in ways that I cannot put into words. I have discovered that you can believe in God and still live your life. But sadly if it was left to my Dad to educate me on Sikhi I would have totally missed what it is all about. Unlike my father makes out it is probably the most open minded Faith in the world and none of this Panjabi vs. Gorai stuff or generally judging others actually exists, rather he was creating his own version of Sikhi which only includes a certain caste, colour etc.
Lukily I know this is all rubbish now but a lot of Panjabi parents manipulate religion in this way. Before I didn't know anything about Sikhi but thank God,over a year ago for some strange reason I discovered the<O>
Sukhmani Sahib and I've changed my whole outlook on life. I can't even explain it in words-so I won't. Now when my Dad comes back from the Gurdwara and he starts cursing others because they do this and that (after all my Dad is perfect you know!joke) I will sometimes ask him what the Gurus said about cursing others or being a hypocrit. I have to say the look on his face should be framed or something! He becomes speechless and just walks away because he can't handle the fact that I now know the truth. So isn't it true when the Guru says falsehood exhausts itself and truth alone prevails.
You probably think I'm really cruel slating my Dad on the internet but thats not what I'm doing at all. I'm just trying to highlight a major problem in our community. Deep down I know that my Dad wants to take Amrit but he knows his petty attitude is holding him back- I pray that he will do it one day
Sorry about going into one,all I wanted to do was submit an article!
I feel that it's vital that we don't make the same mistakes as our parents did. Even if I never stop cutting my hair etc. I want to make sure that my kids know all about Sikhi and that they have a choice in the matter. The bottom line is if you want the youth to sit up and listen find out what they want. Thanks to all these events, articles etc. I will never ever look at a Singh/Singhni in the same way. I used to look at my Dad's beard and turban and think whats he trying to be? What's he trying to prove by not conforming to modern society?
Why can't he be clean shaven like my friends Dads? I used to think what a lost soul.But now I've realised that in actual fact by trying to change yourself to fit into society your trying to be something else and that a Singh/Singhni's not actually trying to be anything, they're just accepting the way God made them. And they've probably got more of a clue than the rest of us and perhaps we're the lost souls who feel the need to compete with God. However it's a shame that they don't share that with others somtimes.
I particularly feel that Amritdari girls don't have much to say at the events. Is there a reason for this? I mean it's all very well saying that the Guru's wrote that women are equal, but if you don't practice what they taught what is the point? We live in a society today where there are extreme views on how women should live theirlives eg. "the so called liberated western women" Who at times compromises her own self respect in order to appear free and in control of her life and on the other extreme"the doormat" who totally lives in a mans shadow, who has been led to believe that her opinion is of no value and is totally disrespected by men (Iknow these are stereotypes but they still exist).
At the end of the day the women of today don't want to be any of these things and I truly believe from what I have learnt from Sikhi that a real Sikh women is probably what women all over the world want to be but they just don't know it yet (all women regardless of caste, colour,social status). But what this leads me to think is where are the Sikh women of today? How are they being role models to young girls out there? In the last 20 years have there been any Sikh women who were major influences? I think we can all think of at least one man - Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. It is possible for a man or a women to influence people. But we live in an age where seeing is believing, people want to see with their own eyes that what you say in theory can be made a reality.
I sincerely apologise if I have offended anyone, I've only been learning about Sikhi for a while so forgive me for any mistakes etc.
I just want to say this Sikhi week give us something different, give us something we can relate to,show us how we can put it into our everyday lives and give us a reason to come. Because even if you think your not making an impact sometimes you can say something that could trigger a change in one persons life without even knowing it.
I hope you don't take anything I said as negative criticism but rather as positive feedback. I am very much for Sikhi but you have to move with the times. God has blessed most of you with Amrit but you choose to keep it to yourselves, no wonder why the youth is going elsewhere.
What is the point of a candle that only burns for itself and doesn't spread it's light to others?
Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh<O></O>
--anon--
... I do however feel there is not enough contemporary literature on sikhi available. It seems that the goraiSikhs seem to have more of a clue when it comes to actually explaining Sikhiin relation to the 21st Century (check out www.siknet.com if you want to know what I mean).
I think that's great, however I feel it's a shame that Sikhs in the UK don't do enough to let everyone knowwhat it's all about. I mean the programmes that are organised are fine i.e. Sikhi week etc. but there seems tobe something missing. Beyond the cha and samosai, sometimes Sikh society meetings have very little pulling power. I always find when you're trying to get someone to come to a meeting or event that same look comes on their face and they make a million and one exuses.
Why do you think this is? I think it's because people don't see the relevance of it to their lives, they just think
it's going to be a lecture and being told the same old stories. Don't get me wrong I think the stories of theGurus are fantastic, but of what use is it to give out information and then not explain how to use it- it's like with children you don't just tell them do this do that, if you explain why,they are a lot more likely to respond.
I know Sikhi is not a missionary faith but I believe that if the people who organise all these events would try to bridge the gap between Amritdaris and all others,then perhaps there will be more of an interest.
Sometimes I feel at these events the Amritdaris are talking down to us. Just because we haven't had the privilige or been blessed with Amrit doesn't mean we don't know nothing about life
I am not just throwing out all these opinions from nowhere but from my own experience. For years I actually turned my back on Sikhi, I did believe in God and I always will but as someone living in the lace w:st="on">UK
lace> with a western education, I did not see the connection between Sikhi and the modern world, I thought that there was no connection. It's not that there wasn't but the information that was provided to me never seemed to answer any questions My Dad has never ever explained Sikhi to me, even though he is a Singh and always does part in the Gurdwara- he choses not to take the time and share what Sikhi is all about even if I asked him myself! On one hand he would say don't cut your hair and if I asked why he would say- we're not Muslims or Hindus. I'm sorry but that does not make your teenage daughter want to stop cutting her hair. So naturally I was going to cut my hair. Sometimes when people tell me that Sikhi is about pyar I find it hard to believe perhaps this is due to the hypocrital way my Dad lives his life.
Don't get me wrong I love my Dad but due to the fact that he has always manipulated Sikhi I lost all respect for him and for the Sikh faith. However thanks to people who write on these Sikh websites eg. www.sikhnetcom, www.sikhe.com etc. I have not totally walked away from such a beautiful faith
Although I'm not an Amritdari and still cut my hair, wear make-up etc. I feel that Sikhi has changed my life in ways that I cannot put into words. I have discovered that you can believe in God and still live your life. But sadly if it was left to my Dad to educate me on Sikhi I would have totally missed what it is all about. Unlike my father makes out it is probably the most open minded Faith in the world and none of this Panjabi vs. Gorai stuff or generally judging others actually exists, rather he was creating his own version of Sikhi which only includes a certain caste, colour etc.
Lukily I know this is all rubbish now but a lot of Panjabi parents manipulate religion in this way. Before I didn't know anything about Sikhi but thank God,over a year ago for some strange reason I discovered the<O
> Sukhmani Sahib and I've changed my whole outlook on life. I can't even explain it in words-so I won't. Now when my Dad comes back from the Gurdwara and he starts cursing others because they do this and that (after all my Dad is perfect you know!joke) I will sometimes ask him what the Gurus said about cursing others or being a hypocrit. I have to say the look on his face should be framed or something! He becomes speechless and just walks away because he can't handle the fact that I now know the truth. So isn't it true when the Guru says falsehood exhausts itself and truth alone prevails.
You probably think I'm really cruel slating my Dad on the internet but thats not what I'm doing at all. I'm just trying to highlight a major problem in our community. Deep down I know that my Dad wants to take Amrit but he knows his petty attitude is holding him back- I pray that he will do it one day
Sorry about going into one,all I wanted to do was submit an article!
I feel that it's vital that we don't make the same mistakes as our parents did. Even if I never stop cutting my hair etc. I want to make sure that my kids know all about Sikhi and that they have a choice in the matter. The bottom line is if you want the youth to sit up and listen find out what they want. Thanks to all these events, articles etc. I will never ever look at a Singh/Singhni in the same way. I used to look at my Dad's beard and turban and think whats he trying to be? What's he trying to prove by not conforming to modern society?
Why can't he be clean shaven like my friends Dads? I used to think what a lost soul.But now I've realised that in actual fact by trying to change yourself to fit into society your trying to be something else and that a Singh/Singhni's not actually trying to be anything, they're just accepting the way God made them. And they've probably got more of a clue than the rest of us and perhaps we're the lost souls who feel the need to compete with God. However it's a shame that they don't share that with others somtimes.
I particularly feel that Amritdari girls don't have much to say at the events. Is there a reason for this? I mean it's all very well saying that the Guru's wrote that women are equal, but if you don't practice what they taught what is the point? We live in a society today where there are extreme views on how women should live theirlives eg. "the so called liberated western women" Who at times compromises her own self respect in order to appear free and in control of her life and on the other extreme"the doormat" who totally lives in a mans shadow, who has been led to believe that her opinion is of no value and is totally disrespected by men (Iknow these are stereotypes but they still exist).
At the end of the day the women of today don't want to be any of these things and I truly believe from what I have learnt from Sikhi that a real Sikh women is probably what women all over the world want to be but they just don't know it yet (all women regardless of caste, colour,social status). But what this leads me to think is where are the Sikh women of today? How are they being role models to young girls out there? In the last 20 years have there been any Sikh women who were major influences? I think we can all think of at least one man - Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. It is possible for a man or a women to influence people. But we live in an age where seeing is believing, people want to see with their own eyes that what you say in theory can be made a reality.
I sincerely apologise if I have offended anyone, I've only been learning about Sikhi for a while so forgive me for any mistakes etc.
I just want to say this Sikhi week give us something different, give us something we can relate to,show us how we can put it into our everyday lives and give us a reason to come. Because even if you think your not making an impact sometimes you can say something that could trigger a change in one persons life without even knowing it.
I hope you don't take anything I said as negative criticism but rather as positive feedback. I am very much for Sikhi but you have to move with the times. God has blessed most of you with Amrit but you choose to keep it to yourselves, no wonder why the youth is going elsewhere.
What is the point of a candle that only burns for itself and doesn't spread it's light to others?
Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh<O
></O>--anon--
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