What Will Sikh Children Do?

[spnadmin]

Sikhs in India and Sikhs in the diaspora are having their lives changed by technology, science, employment, the Internet, social media, not to mention the longer-term impact of television. These changes lead to questions. “What is the Future of Sikhi in a Multiethnic Society?” asked Dr. Sarjeet Singh Sandu in 2005. That is something to think about. A 5-year old toddler will be 15 ten years from today. A Singh of 10 years will be 20 years old. And 10 years from now, a Kaur of 15 will be 25, perhaps starting a family of her own. What do you think will happen 10 years from now? Will Sikh children be more or less likely to…..

Hold on to Punjabi-Sikh identity, and its language, culture, and moral values?

Face employment problems because of having a Sikh roop?

Separate Sikhism from its Punjabi identity?

Marry outside of the Sikh religion?

Convert to other religions?

Or, bring the message of Gurbani to people of other faiths?

Press for more education about the Sikh faith and Sikh history?

Want to learn about their faith and history in languages other than Punjabi, such as Hindi, English or Spanish?

Question gurdwara teachings that seem to be “mindless myths?

Express their faith through rituals?

Defend basic Sikh beliefs using logic and scientific evidence?

Transform Sikhi into a more caring religion?

Place stress on the importance of seva?

Be leaders within the panth?

Expect gurdwara leadership to be educated, compassionate and trustworthy?

Place value in Sikh scholarship?

What do you think will happen 10, 15 or 20 years into the future? Will Sikhi change with the next generation?

Dr. Singh Sandu's article is also attached. You may want to question his thinking too.

 

[Chaan Pardesi]

I think one needs to look at what is the reason or intent of such an article?The article speaks of the many possible challenges that most of us are aware about any way ; never theless,it offers no alternative solution or way forward.

We need to look at the Sikh societies in Afghanistan and Pakistan whose children have survived generations of islamic cultural onslaught without much problems and continue to live as Sikhs.Of course there are some political difficulties and ocassionally religious, but this not unpeculiar to minority communities of any persuasion anywhere else in the world.

In 1951, Kushwant made a statement in Kuala Lumpur.That the visible sikh identity will become non existent by 1999.However, later on the challenge from retired ASP Pritam Singh, Kushwant apologised for his gross misjudgement.The current wide spread existence of visible Sikhi in all parts of the world proves him wrong.There are more visible sikhs now, more than it was before; proves such dire and pessimists wrong in their assumptions.

Living among the majority the minority Sikh children may face dilemna living among the larger non sikh communities. but it is no different than black children or white children etc facing similar challenges while living in a larger alien culture and people.

We just have to prepare our children to face it all.Having said that, I think there are some points that are valid arguments to ensure the continued survival of the sikh children with sikh saroop.

Sikhs in India and Sikhs in the diaspora are having their lives changed by technology, science, employment, the Internet, social media, not to mention the longer-term impact of television. These changes lead to questions-these questions do not simply apply to sikhs but all minorities, some more some less.It has applied to the tibetans, the children of the amazon, africa and Russia;thus it applying to sikhs is nothing special or to be worried about, provided we have moved to face these challenges through parchar and education.