Itsmaneetji
I personally do not blame the youth at all, I put the blame firmly on the older generation. It is a sad fact, but most parents do not know anything about Sikhism. They teach their children about the Sikhism they think they know about, the superstitious, mystical, ritualistic Vedic version that they themselves have believed to be Sikhi. I find the ones that get upset if tradition and ritual is not followed, whilst having no regard for the actual essence, the funniest, they have no answers for the questions that a young active mind may have, kids read about Guru Nanakji refusing the sacred thread and finding that lauded, whilst then coming across similar ritualistic behaviour in Sikhism with the explanation that 'that is different'. We have photos of our Guru's everywhere and some pray to them, and that is deemed acceptable , however, I think any marriage/engagement/akand path to celebrate any event will probably put the nail in the coffin. How can any young person watch his venerable old uncle pretending to be religious and sacred one minute, and then necking a scotch bottle whilst drunkenly flaying about the dance floor the next, what impression are these young minds getting about Sikhi?
When people concentrate more on the rituals and traditions of worship, instead of just getting out in the world and engaging Creator and Creation head on, then they will find they become experts on nothing, sure, they know how to do Matha Tek, how to look solemn whilst doing an Ardas, the significance of Shangrandh, Poorenmashi, how to do this, how to do that, how to mumble through Bani, when they might be better off just putting one line to good use and practising such throughout the day.
At least the young Sikhs today are true to those acts, they make a minimum of effort to hide what they do, maybe that is why we are all up in arms, maybe is not the actions, its the unwillingness to sweep it under the carpet and be true to themselves that is the worry. When I talk to some of the older generation, it is clear a lot have not led whiter than white lives, but they were sensible enough to keep it to themselves and hide behind a mask of respectability, what no one knew, no one knew, maybe it is this unwillingness to lead a dual life is the problem, either way, we need an older generation that is not steeped in myth and lies, an older generation that knows that no Guru had more than one wife, that knows and understands the essence of Sikhism, that realises the pointlessness of ritual, that does something to change the mockery of the way in which we celebrate, putting more emphasis on the recitation and discussion of Bani, rather than the boozefest to follow, until we address the myths about Sikhism ourselves, we have no hope of educating the younger generation
