Seeking Sikhs

Soul_jyot · #1 (**permalink**) 16-Aug-2012, 21:51 PM

Seeking Sikhs

BY GORDON E. PIFHER, president of British Columbia Conference

Adventist Review ( journal of the Seventh-day Adventist Church )
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/people-and-opinion/38947-seeking-sikhs.html

Reaching out to neighbors to share with them the message of Jesus’ love isn’t restricted to just the person who lives next door—or to those who might look, dress, or believe as we do. The gospel commission of Jesus includes everyone, and for Adventists living in British Columbia, Canada, this means also seeking out and witnessing to the almost 200,000 Sikhs living in the region.

The British Columbia Conference has begun the process of training local church members to reach out to Sikhs. Mary Pillai, an administrative assistant in the conference’s Ministerial Department, recently organized the first Seeking Sikhs Committee. The group has so far met twice at the Surrey Adventist church, in the southwestern region of the province, which holds the most concentrated population of Sikhs in Canada.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947

The committee’s main focus is to develop resources to help church members grow friendships with their Sikh neighbors. Providing a link between the different cultures are Adventist Sikh families serving as members of the committee. Some of these members are from Punjab, India, and have worked in the Sikh culture for many years.

Why a Seeking Sikhs Committee in BC?

The Sikh population worldwide totals some 23 million, and it’s one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in some British Columbia communities. Many Sikhs are found to be devout spiritual people who are willing to learn more about their Creator God.

As a result of the Seeking-Sikhs initiative, committee members have come to know Sikhs as an industrious and family-oriented group. When you touch the life of a Sikh, you touch a family that extends all the way to Punjab, where 90 percent of the Sikh population still lives. Adventist Church members have found many Sikhs to be searching for spiritual non-Sikh friends to help them and their families face the tremendous challenges they experience in adapting to Canadian culture.

What Do Sikhs Believe?

PRAISING GOD: Sikhs worshiping in their temple. [Photo: iStockphoto.com]

Sikhs originated in the 1500s in Punjab, northern India. Their culture grew up in a region dominated by Hindus and Muslims.

The word “Sikh” means disciple. “Guru” means teacher. And their holy book is called the Guru Granth Sahib, which includes the teachings of their first teacher and the writings of nine special gurus.

Unlike some of their neighbors, Sikhs reject idolatry and caste. They believe in one God, who, they feel, gave them their teachings. Sikhs identify five special evils: ego, anger, greed, attachment, and lust, and believe dedication to daily devotions attains salvation and a personal union with God.

Common Ground

In witnessing to Sikhs, the committee members have found that emphasizing the common beliefs and lifestyles of Adventists and Sikhs is the best approach. These include:
•Believing in one God.Adopting a healthful message—Sikhs are generally vegetarians who neither smoke nor drink.Maintaining a disciplined approach to having personal devotions at least twice each day.
•Encouraging generosity—Sikhs actively join with Adventists in programs defending fellow human beings andhelping those in need.
•Fostering spiritual devotion—for 48 continuous hours each week, Friday through Sunday, many Sikhs spend time reading the writings and singing the songs written by the gurus.
•Sikhs don’t aggressively attempt to proselytize, but they are interested in mutual understanding. They also don’t appear to feel offended when invited to join Adventists in their worship services.

Our Lord asks us to share the Advent message will all people. We may not totally understand the cultural and spiritual practices of others, but we shouldn’t be afraid to reach out to them.

So, go ahead—make a friend for God. It could change your life, as well as theirs.

source:
http://www.adventistreview.org/artic...news-2-feature

Ishna · #2 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 10:54 AM

Quote:

And their holy book is called the Guru Granth Sahib, which includes the teachings of their first teacher and the writings of nine special gurus.

Evidence of some quality research right there! NOT.

Quote:

Fostering spiritual devotion—for 48 continuous hours each week, Friday through Sunday, many Sikhs spend time reading the writings and singing the songs written by the gurus.

Akhand paath every week, really?

Inderjeet Kaur · #3 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 11:02 AM

This explains exactly their tactics for converting us. A word to the wise...They do not want to be friends because they like you and they don't ask questions about Sikhi because they're interested.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947

I knew a Christian woman who kept asking me questions about Sikhi. I would answer and then in a day or two she would come back with some biblical refutation. She was taking my statements back to her Bible group, and getting words from them to contradict me. It took them all a long time before it got through their heads that using the Bible to prove their points wouldn't work with someone who didn't believe in the Bible.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947

Try not to be rude; they really believe this is for your own good. They mean well. Be polite and be aware.

I know I'm harping on this, maybe too much, but we Sikhs need to be aware.

animatedkhanda1

harry haller · #4 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 13:14 PM

I dislike subterfuge and game playing in any aspect of life.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947

Long term, it never works, in relationships, in business, and certainly not in finding salvation.

It only ever leads to disappointment, because at some stage the music has to stop, and reality has to kick in.

It all sounds very two faced to me

Inderjeet Kaur · #5 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 13:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry haller

I dislike subterfuge and game playing in any aspect of life.

Long term, it never works, in relationships, in business, and certainly not in finding salvation.

It only ever leads to disappointment, because at some stage the music has to stop, and reality has to kick in.

It all sounds very two faced to me

But it's all for your own good, you see...

I'm tired. Tomorrow.

harry haller · #6 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 13:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inderjeet Kaur

But it's all for your own good, you see...

I'm tired. Tomorrow.

yes, I remember my first wife saying something like that

Inderjeet Kaur · #7 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 13:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry haller

yes, I remember my first wife saying something like that

It was my mother and her sister as they waterboarded me and called it washing my hair.

G'night, Harry.

Navdeep88 · #8 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 14:12 PM

this is Dumb!

I Love the subtlity in Language here:

"recently organized the first Seeking Sikhs Committee" Sikhs are already Sought, they don't Need seeking...

"Some of these members are from Punjab, India, and have worked in the Sikh culture for many years" Thanks for letting us know, we shall be aware of the rabbit-hole from which you Spring. =)
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947

"Many Sikhs are found to be devout spiritual people who are willing to learn more about their Creator God." If they are Practicing Sikhs, they already Know their Creator God, it's not Smthing completely Foreign to them, its a Sustaining Relationship. This statement makes it Seem like they must be missing out on smthng, or they don't quite have it.

"tremendous challenges they experience in adapting to Canadian culture" Or, they have Children, Siblings who are already immersed in the Culture, & can Distinguish the Price @ which Help from "Strangers" comes from.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947
"Their culture grew up in a region dominated by Hindus and Muslims" Nice, to point out the Weakness in History, so you can be the Next dominating Factor. Nah, I Don't Think So.

They believe in one God, who, they feel, gave them their teachings. Ah, So it's a Feeling & not the Truth. Check & Mate, motives out in the Open brah.

TigerStyleZ · #9 (**permalink**) 17-Aug-2012, 18:10 PM

Guru Amar Dass Jee was once asked a question. “Why did Guru Nanak Dev Jee come on to this Earth and preach his message, when the Hindu way of living had already been established?”
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947
Please take a moment to read and reflect on Guru Amar Das Jee’s answer: “When rain falls on this planet, is there no water already on this Earth?". Guru Jee elaborated that "The teachings of the Vedas and Puranas are accessible only to the few of higher castes and to those who engage in education for a long time. They are just like water in a well. A well is dug with great difficulty and when it is complete it can serve only a small number of people. The Word of the Guru is like the rain. It drops from heaven irrespectively on the high and the low. In spite of the wells, people still need the rain. So, Akaal Purakh, has sent the Guru, whose word is intelligible to the masses and within the reach of all, to shower us with divinity.”
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=38947
[Based on Bhai Santokh Singh - Gurpratap Surajgranth]