THE ROLE OF SIKHI IN TODAY'S GLOBAL CONTEXT
Kamalla Rose Kaur Mon March 26
Greetings,
What is it about the Sikhs? Why am I so caught up with these people? I can go
for months and never see another Sikh, living where I live. My close friends
know that I am into this Sikh thing, that I write for Sikhs, that I pray for
success as an artist in a Universe Far Far Away called "Sikh Diaspora".
Friends and family watch me writing feverishly, playing to a Sikh audience,
and it is puzzling and sometimes concerning for them. Given how hard it is to
make a living as a writer in this World, kith and kin worry that I am wasting
my time, being obsessive and throwing my talents away. Sikh activism does not
pay the rent, in other words. And it can be dangerous.
Sikhs, on the other hand, understand my obsession with Sikhi and Sikh people
completely. Yet it is hard for Sikhs to understand that I much prefer my own
Western USA culture over Indian/Punjabi culture. I am merely hooked on the
Sikh RELIGION part - which I find to be fully superior and endlessly
fascinating.
Truly, Sikhi is a great path for Westerners to explore and learn something
about. Sikhi and science are highly harmonious worldviews. Sikhi is
Universalist, honoring of all Sacred Ways, of all people. Sikhi is feminist
and Sikhi fights caste and class, and Sikhi rejects personality cults, and
authoritarian hierarchies; among many other virtues. And Sikhs repeatedly
prove themselves capable of huge and amazing, unified, acts of righteousness
down through their history. The true stories of Sikhs are heart-meltingly
inspiring, and Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh path in India, a mere 500
years ago, was one of the sweetest and most powerful human-beings to ever
walk on Earth.
But still, whether Sikhs can actually change culturally, and back their
amazing theology and history up with action in these modern times, seems
pretty unlikely right now. For instance, so far, the cyber discussion forums
(and all other systems within Sikhi) are completely male dominated. Yes, I
DID say that Sikhi is not sexist in dogma. Sikh women are supposed to have
equal authority with Sikh men. It is part of the religion, and gender
equality within Sikhi is not an issue that is debated much.
Yet, out in cyber-community (and everywhere else) I still see no effort by
Sikh men to recruit women into their midst and few women are asserting
themselves around the men. I am not sure if Sikh men know HOW to encourage
women to speak out. And unlike Western forums, Sikh men don't seem
embarrassed and self-conscious that they are male dominated - which implies,
among other things, that they don't understand how this makes them look to
outsiders. "Clueless" as we say here in the States.
And, of course, sexism, and the bad public image that comes along with it,
isn't Sikhs only problem either. The government of India is Right Wing and
caste driven. The Indian Government is reported to be persecuting all
minority religions in India right now, including Christians. We aren't
hearing any News about any of this here in the USA because the USA does lots
of bu$ine$$ with India.
Same old story; USA acting as usual.
Back in 1984 the Indian Government took troops in and attacked Sikh's most
holy ground, the Golden Temple in Amritsar. It was a massacre and Indira
Gandhi died as a result of this incident. Can you imagine if the USA
government decided to blow up every Jewish Temple and Center in the country
one day? Anyone remember WW2 these days?
This is one of the many things that Sikhs find frustrating about Westerners.
We USAers so conveniently space out history. Sikhs, meanwhile, remember
everything. They remember Sikhs fighting the Nazis in defense of the Jews,
like it was only yesterday. In truth, it was only 60 years ago. One lifetime.
Sikhs think we are insane how we can't remember, and don't care to find out,
what happened even one generation ago! It is as if we are on some sort of
"denial drug" that allows us to pretend that our government isn't quickly
getting as bad as India's Government, or China.
Since the 1984 attack and slaughter of Sikhs by the Indian Government, Sikhs
have been in an uproar, of course. Sikhs have been steadily streaming out of
India and the India Government has infiltrated Sikh politics and temples so
heavily in the Punjab that Sikhs in Diaspora no longer trust anything that is
happening there. Alcoholism and drug abuse, domestic violence, cults, saints
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/essays-on-sikhism/748-role-sikhi-todays-context-article-kamalla.html
and saviors, and hopelessness is up among Sikhs. Carpetbaggers are
everywhere. The younger generation is rebelling against the elders. And lots
of people who wear turbans and beards, and say they are Sikhs, aren't keeping
the Sikh vows one bit.
Yet Sikhs aren't like other people. Sikhs live under a unique set of vows -
or they are supposed to at least. Sikhs vow to stay authentic and wholesome
and natural and clean, free of alcohol and tobacco etc. Sikhs vow to
intercede anytime they see anyone being attacked or oppressed, and a Sikh is
under vow to help you if you ask. Sikhi is a warrior path, and Sikhs are
famous for their courage in battle, but Sikhs can only fight defensively.
They break their vows if they become attackers rather than defenders. And
beyond this Sikhs control their sexual energy. They practice chastity, not
celibacy. Sikh men hold all women as Sisters and they do not sexually dream
about women who are not their mates, which makes them, in theory, fully SAFE
around women. Same goes for Sikh women, who vow to resist the urge to
romanticize about celebrities and such.
All of which is to say that, on a whole, Sikhs are a lot less addicted to
fantasy than the rest of us, which is one thing I truly admire about them.
Sikhi is also a path where social justice activism is spiritual practice. So
in spite of the fact that the problems facing Sikhs seem completely
overwhelming, and that it will probably take generations for Sikhs to change,
Sikhs and Sikhi still greatly inspire me.
But, truthfully, I don't think ANY of us have generations of time to waste on
gradual change, given the growing environmental crisis and everything else
happening in our World right now. So I can't help but wonder and pray, hoping
that Sikhs might actually might pull off another amazing act of
righteousness, or two, like they have so often in the past, in front of a
full World audience!
No one BUT Sikhs seem as likely to do anything of the sort.
This is why I write for Sikhs, more than for people of my own culture.
Love and Light- Kamalla Rose Kaur
Kamalla Rose Kaur is a USA born writer of Irish descent who converted to Sikhism in 1972, at age 18. She tried everything for over twenty years, including frantic practice of Yoga, until she learned "why Sikhs are so adament about having the Sri Guru Granth Sahib as their only Guru."
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=748
I got this from some other site..everyones view is welcome
gurufateh 
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