pk70 ji
Your question is something that I also think about from time to time. My hunch is that many of us do have great respect for Guru Sahibaan. The difference is this. Most people, no matter what their religion, learn to be passive about most aspects of practice. This is what they observe in adults around them in childhood. In school, or perhaps in Gurmat class, they are not encouraged to think out loud. I have hear many people say that they did not get very much out of Gurmat classes at gurdwaras.
They were encouraged to sit back and listen to what some other person "expert" has to say. And very often the "teacher" is speaking from a prepared script -- a lecture. No questions, no interesting puzzles to solve, no interaction, no offer to look at things in different ways. There is only one correct answer. Dialog is not encouraged -- and not because the "teacher" is of ill will. But because that is all he/she knows. Or perhaps everyone is afraid of making mistakes, so they are very careful. And they stress presentation and memorization only. Passion has to be nurtured by a teacher who respects passion to learn.
I remember that Gianni Jarnail told us recently that in his gurmat class students bring in several different translations of gurbani and everyone contrasts and compares different ideas. They can see how the thinking of the translator -- biases if you will -- are interjected in subtle ways. He is describing an atmosphere of energetic discussion. You would not be surprised that many people are afraid to do that very thing. So in the end we get "ritualistic" respect. That is still respect and should be honored. However, that great love and passion to learn more and more has been suppressed. You can see this in every religion. It is easier, risk-free, and socially safe to be a passive learner.