Sikhism And Idol Worshipping

[Neutral Singh]

Are Sikhs Idol Worshippers ?

ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥ ​

ਜੋ ਪਾਥਰ ਕਉ ਕਹਤੇ ਦੇਵ, ਤਾ ਕੀ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੇਵ | ਜੋ ਪਾਥਰ ਕੀ ਪਾਂਈ ਪਾਇ,ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਘਾਲ ਅਜਾਂਈ ਜਾਇ |1| ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਹਮਰਾ ਸਦ ਬੋਲੰਤਾ, ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ਕਉ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਦਾਨੁ ਦੇਤਾ |1| ਰਹਾਉ | ਅੰਤਰਿ ਦੇਉ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਅੰਧੁ, ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਪਾਵੈ ਫੰਧੁ | ਨ ਪਾਥਰੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਦੇਇ, ਫੋਕਟ ਕਰਮ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਹੈ ਸੇਵ |2| ਜੇ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਕਉ ਚੰਦਨੁ ਚੜਾਵੈ, ਉਸ ਤੇ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਵਨ ਫਲ ਪਾਵੈ| ਜੇ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਕਉ ਬਿਸਟਾ ਮਾਹਿ ਰੁਲਾਈ, ਤਾਂ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਕਾ ਕਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਜਾਈ |3| ਕਹਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਹਉ ਕਹਉ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ , ਸਮਝਿ ਦੇਖੁ ਸਾਕਤ ਗਾਵਾਰ | ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਘਰ ਗਾਲੇ, ਰਾਮ ਭਗਤ ਹੈ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਾਲੇ |4|4|12|​

Fifth Mehl:
Those who call a stone (idol) their god their seva, service, is useless. Those who fall at the feet of a stone (idol) – their work is wasted in vain. (1)
My Lord and Master speaks forever. God gives His gifts to all living beings. (1) (Pause)
The spiritually blind one does not recognize that the Divine Lord is within us. Deluded by doubt, he is more and more caught up in the noose. The stone does not speak; it does not give anything to anyone. (Bathing the stone and asking it to eat food etc) – Such religious rituals are useless; such service is fruitless, (no reward is found in this service). (2)
If a corpse is anointed with sandalwood oil, what good does it do for the dead corpse? If a corpse is rolled in manure, what does the dead corpse lose from this? (3)

Says Kabeer, I proclaim this out loud behold, and understand, ‘O ignorant and stupid people who are separated from the Lord! Understand and see, leaving the Lord and placing love in other things (i.e. the love of duality) has ruined countless homes. Only those are forever in bliss who are the Lord's devotees. (4.4.12)
(P. 1160, SGGS)

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

Sometimes ( maybe ignorantly) we Sikhs are accused of being "idol" worshippers because we pay great deal of homage to GURU GRANTH JI SAHIB...like keeping it parkash under a Canopy, on a THRONE, with Chaurs and Attendants, the best of silk Rumallas and all. To the ignorant all this looks like Guru Granth Ji is beign treated like an IDOL.


But is that really true.
A stone idol NEVER SPEAKS and has NOTHING to TEACH his follower. IS this TRUE of GURU GRANTH JI ? The answer is a Sound NO. Guru Granth Ji through the GURBANI.."SPEAKS" as a Master speaks to his pupil....ALL the Time, ANY TIME, anywhere and in whatever state.

GURU GRANTH has the entire KNOWLEDGE of the WORLD to teach His followers.
And what GIFT can a stone Idol "give" to his follower..NOTHING. On the other hand GURU GRANTH has the supreme GIFT of PRABH..Akal Purakh..GOD..to give to His Followers. Guru granth is a Compete MANUAL..to show the way to WAHEGURU/GOD...How to ATTAIN GOD/ALLAH/RAAM..How to live a Fulfilled lIfe of Spiritual fulfillment and Satisfaction.

Even If a stone idol worshipper "wants" to LEARN something from his idol.... he can DO NOTHING because the idol has NOTHING to give him. On the other hand...IF a Sikh who has been "worshipping GURU GRANTH JI" just like an "idol"..just matha teking, doing parkarma etc etc... then ONE fine Morning DECIDES he wants to LEARN from His GURU.... all that can Change...all he has got to do is Learn how to READ GURBANI....learn to "Speak" to his GURU..and ALL the TREASURE of GURBANI is laid bare before his Eyes..

SO even if the allegation that some sikhs do treat Guru Granth Ji just as an "idol"....performing meaningless rituals, empty respect, keep Guru Ji wrapped and covered all the time..happens to be "sadly true" some of the time.. WELL ALL IS NOT LOST...a DECISION to LEARN GURBANI and speak to GURU JI changes all that..BUT in the case of the Stone Idol...it remains a DEAF MUTE STONE FOREVER..unable to speak,teach...???

SO Sikhs are NOT idol worshippers..Simply BECAUSE OUR GURU JI...GURU GRANTH JI is NOT an IDOL..not by a very very long shot..NO SIR.

jarnail Singh Gyani Arshi

 

[Amerikaur]

I actually find the whole process of Guru Ji's prakash to be quite beautiful. I'm very happy to have a religion that doesn't see our holy book as something that can be stuffed in a back pocket or something like that.

The few times I've had a chance to work on an Interfaith Council, I found the reaction from other people to be quite amazing. Can you imagine talking to a Catholic Priest that is amazed at at how delicately we care for our scriptures, or speaking to a Lutheran minister that is inspired as to how we open our scriptures to random pages just to read and learn?

I think our faith is strong enough to hold up against question. I think as people, while we may be mortal and imperfect, we are strong enough to take criticism.

At the same time, the input from folks that don't feel "threatened" or "insulted" by Sikhi seems more refreshing and less...personal.

 

[jasbirkaleka]

We.the Sikhs have become idol worshipers,there in no denying the truth.Te most recent example is washing of Shi Hazoor Sahib with milk and Godaveri water.Guru Granth Sahib is our Guru, that meems our teacher.It does not mean that it hasANY. super powers.but instead of learning from the writings of our Gurus to make our life more meaningful,we recite Akhand Paths to cure our sick, to drive away demons and we also seak Guru Granth Sahib in findind a name for our child.Keeping Granth Sahib in a,c, rooms,covered with silk rummalas does not make you a true SIKH of Baba Nanak.This is nothing but idol-worship,against which Guru Nanak fought all his life.

 

[pk70]

We.the Sikhs have become idol worshipers,there in no denying the truth.Te most recent example is washing of Shi Hazoor Sahib with milk and Godaveri water.Guru Granth Sahib is our Guru, that meems our teacher.It does not mean that it hasANY. super powers.but instead of learning from the writings of our Gurus to make our life more meaningful,we recite Akhand Paths to cure our sick, to drive away demons and we also seak Guru Granth Sahib in findind a name for our child.Keeping Granth Sahib in a,c, rooms,covered with silk rummalas does not make you a true SIKH of Baba Nanak.This is nothing but idol-worship,against which Guru Nanak fought all his life.

It is sheer ignorance and a violation of Guru teachings. True respect lies in sincere obeying the Guru not in such acts. Satguru's Shabad on Arti says all about this stupidity. May Waheguru save the ignorant drowned in crowd mentality.