UK It's Not Race. It's Faith (Sikh/Muslim Interfaith Project)

[spnadmin]

Discrimination against different faiths is more of a problem than racial discrimination, said members of a new interfaith project in West London.

Racial differences once formed the basis of prejudice in Britain, but project members said that religion now plays a more important role.

Speaking from one of the most religiously diverse areas of the UK, Ealing and Southall, the group argued that people are far more aware of religious identities.

Reflecting on the change in attitudes towards Muslims since 9/11 and the 7/7 bombings, the group discussed how the increasing reassertion of faith through symbolism and dress and the rise of Islamaphobia may also be responsible for divisions within Britain’s Asian communities.

“When I was growing up we were collectively known as Asians", said Sikh member of the interfaith group Ravinder Dhesi.

She added: “No one ever talked about faith, but that’s changed now.”

The comments came at the second meeting of a new project, the Muslim and Sikh Media Monitoring and Response Group.

The group is the first of its kind in Britain, created to bring together individuals from Ealing and Southall’s Muslim and Sikh communities.

Members will now meet every eight weeks to identify points of tension between the two faiths and to build bridges between them in West London. Discussing changes in interfaith relations local Muslim project member Shah Shahin added: “Since 9/11 and 7/7 the race issue has become a faith issue”

Members of the group also went on to argue that tensions between the religions have been worsened by right-wing political parties. This month, members of the nationalist group the English Defence League (EDL) branded the project as ‘propaganda’. The project’s members were united in condemnation however, accusing the EDL of forging ties with the Sikh community in order to exploit divisions and promote Islamaphobia.

The project’s organiser and Director of Faith Matters, Fiyaz Mughal, said: “This project shows that Muslims and Sikhs can work together within the community, despite the negative messages being spread by nationalist groups.

“It is vital to local communities that divisions on the grounds of faith do not widen, interfaith groups such as these are stopping that happen.”

http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/un..._____says_Muslim_and_Sikh_interfaith_project/

 

[lionsingh]

No it isnt. Race is something like colour of skin you are born with and cannot change.
Your values and beliefs, especially for example UK born children of immigrants , can be radically different from your forefathers origin.

Religions are theologies that dictate certain norms to be followed , some barbaric and which have NO place in a modern society. I believe WE have the right to Question any though/thjeological belief as we did against Fascism and Communism.

To equate it with race is a dishonour to freedom of thought and speech.

Some religions are very tolerant about a critique...others would kill you without any mercy for questioning their dogma. Sikhism has learnt that very well in it's history.

God is old enough to look after itself !!! Dont need zeolots claiming "racism" to protect barbaric ideology/theology...and if I read so called holy scriptures and find them "sick" I WANT to be able to express that opinion...explain why it is wrong and inhumane.

AS for the quote "also went on to argue that tensions between the religions have been worsened by right-wing political parties"...Dont think there were many around when the early sikhs were butchered by the so called "Religion of Peace".

 

[spnadmin]

lionsinghji

I think I lost your point half way through. Forgive me, but would you say a little more on this part of your comments "To equate it with race is a dishonour to freedom of thought and speech."

Are you saying to equate race with faith is a dishonor to freedom of thought and speech? And if so, say a little more about that too. Thank you.

 

[findingmyway]

No it isnt. Race is something like colour of skin you are born with and cannot change.
Your values and beliefs, especially for example UK born children of immigrants , can be radically different from your forefathers origin.

Religions are theologies that dictate certain norms to be followed , some barbaric and which have NO place in a modern society. I believe WE have the right to Question any though/thjeological belief as we did against Fascism and Communism.

To equate it with race is a dishonour to freedom of thought and speech.

Some religions are very tolerant about a critique...others would kill you without any mercy for questioning their dogma. Sikhism has learnt that very well in it's history.

God is old enough to look after itself !!! Dont need zeolots claiming "racism" to protect barbaric ideology/theology...and if I read so called holy scriptures and find them "sick" I WANT to be able to express that opinion...explain why it is wrong and inhumane.

AS for the quote "also went on to argue that tensions between the religions have been worsened by right-wing political parties"...Dont think there were many around when the early sikhs were butchered by the so called "Religion of Peace".

Lionsingh Ji,
When a workplace won't hire someone based on their turban whether they are brown, white, black or yellow, that is religious discrimination rather than faith discrimination. Faith discrimination is no different from discrimination based on race/gender/sexual orientation etc. It is an intolerance of someone else's lifestyle.

Your freedom of speech allows you to question their faith but it does not allow you to dictate to the other person that only your way is the right way. Freedom of speech comes with responsibilities.

The point of the article is to show tolerance of other groups. It also shows how 2 very diverse groups can work together to tackle various issues in the community that are faced by both groups. This is especially remarkable as there is much tension between Sikhs and Muslims so to see them working together is a huge positive step.

Questioning beliefs is one thing. Discriminating against people as you don't agree with those beliefs is quite another.

Finally, the right wing is a huge problem. The environment we live in is very different to the environment that the Guru's lived so we have new and different problems to face. Unfortunately in Europe, the rise of the right wing is a big big problem for all faith groups, but especially for the rise in Islamaphobia. As Sikhs we promote respect and tolerance so I object to policies that are wrong. I would rather look at individial issues than put a blanket hate policy for all Muslims. Islamophobia is an example of faith discrimination. This has a huge impact on Sikhs as many people are ignorant so confuse us with Muslims. Therefore it is also in our interests to promote religious awareness and harmony.

I hope this answers some of your concerns.
Best wishes,
Jasleen

 

[lionsingh]

There is a difference to base someone on their visible phenotype through racial ignorance/stereotyping. Was useful in the beginning of the Empire to the Nazi era to believe through misunderstood Genetics that White was better than Black, Aryan better than Jew etc...from a twisted pseudo-scientic perspective. WE know that this is rubbish as shown by science and facts. I abhor racism as much as you and equally like you and many others have suffered it.

However religions are concepts and through to nowadays , the freedoms we enjoy...many have come from brave individuals who fought against such religious dogma. Modern science has come from breaking down the religious perspective, Philosophers who denounced religions.

Any decent democracy is based on the freedom to break down hypocrisy.

In the West the list is almost endless from Art, Science to Literature. Copernicus, Gallileo, Luther, Darwin, Hume, ....

 

[spnadmin]

No it is not.



Moroms believe in Poligemy, Scientologists believe in Aliens and ££. The DutchReformed church believed in apartheid...etc etc.

If someones faith does NOT impede the work..then a fair point would be that is discrimination... But to attack a religion over it's hypocrisy and danger is fair game.

To correct some errors of fact. Today the Mormon Church condemns polygamy. That is their official position, and has been so for about 100 years. The Dutch Reformed Church preached apartheid in South Africa. That was not universally true.

 

[findingmyway]

Sikhs fought against religious and other forms of oppression but not once did the Guru's denounce Islam as a faith system-just those that distorted it for personal gain or to justify violence. The Guru's had many Muslim supporters who did not give up their faith but still helped him as they also did not like the tyranny of the Mughul rule. There is bani from Muslim pirs in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

Equally, there is much bani talking about teh injustices of the Hindu belief system but Hinduism was not denounced as a faith system-just those that distorted it for personal gain or to justify violence. There is bani from Hindu bhagats in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji too.

The Gurus never preached hatred. Bhai Kanhaiya Ji served water to wounded Moghul soldiers as well as Sikh soldiers and was applauded by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

There are many moderate Muslims just like there are fanatical Hindus who don't accept Sikhism as a separate belief system and there are many moderate Hindu's who respect us. Blanket hate of a whole group of people when many do nothing wrong is anti-gurmat. Campaign against the policies-not against the quom. Recently a Pakistani Muslim man was murdered by the Taliban for speaking out against extremism and violence. He ran a school where he rehabilited young children who were being trained by the Taliban to be jihadists. He was a good Muslim as he recognised such atrocities are wrong and he had the guts to do something about it. It is an insult to put him under the same umbrella.
Decent democracies are based on respect. Democracy also has many hypocracies, especially breeding from the voting system! Democracy is not anti-religion as long as the religions can coexist. That can only happen when people learn respect of practices that are not against the greater good rather than trying to put people in boxes then codemning a whole box based on prejudice.

 

[spnadmin]

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