General Can A Non-Sikh Mother Or Non-Sikh Father Grow A Sikh?

[desilegend]

Sat sri akal!

I have a question!
Can a non-sikh mother or non-sikh father grow a SIKH child?
With so many Sikhs marrying out of their race or their religion, do you think non-sikh parent teach their child Sikhi? Do you think child might be confused?
I need your opinion!
Anyone married out of race or religion? How do you incorporate 2 religions, different mentality?
Any successful stories?

 

[kds1980]

In India children mainly adopt the faith of father.So case of man marrying outside religion is different from woman marrying outside religion.In majority of cases a woman ends up giving her religion and raising children of husband's faith.

 

[Astroboy]

In the 1960's. many Punjabi Hindus of the Khatri Caste got at least one son raised as a Sikh. And Today, 3rd generation from these hybrids are dedicated sikhs. To my knowledge this practice amongst Hindus goes back since the early 1900s.

 

[spnadmin]

My mother and father raised a Sikh. They just didn't know they were doing it.

 

[ekmusafir_ajnabi]

Sat sri akal!

I have a question!
Can a non-sikh mother or non-sikh father grow a SIKH child?
With so many Sikhs marrying out of their race or their religion, do you think non-sikh parent teach their child Sikhi? Do you think child might be confused?
I need your opinion!
Anyone married out of race or religion? How do you incorporate 2 religions, different mentality?
Any successful stories?

Initial learning comes from our parents. They are our role models. We imitate what they do and learn to respond they way they do. Secondly we learn from our surroundings, the company we keep. If the parents do not know Sikhi then what can they teach their children? Most of the parents do not even understand the concept of what raising a child means and their role in bringing up a child. Having sex for fulfilling their lustful desires is a limit to their understanding. The birth of a child is an accident or the resultant side effects of carelessness. The child becomes a guilt factor.

Sikhi is generally considered as a joke for a vast majority of the sikh people. One needs to first understand the meaning of Sikhism from the basics. A child born in lustful play will turn out to be lustful. To cut the story short the answer to your question is NO. There are many difficulties faced by a sikh born mother who herself has no idea of sikhism to raise a child in sikhism let alone a non-sikh mother.

The entire concept of raising a child is incorrect.

ekmusafir_ajnabi

 

[AmbarDhara]

My mother and father raised a Sikh. They just didn't know they were doing it.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji's parents gave birth to the Founder of this Faith, did they know!

His Play, He Knows.

 

[desilegend]

Thanks for your answers!
What about the same situation in America, Europe but not in India ? White Gori wife and Sikh husband? Can both of them bring up devouted Sikh?

 

[Astroboy]

Better chance. Cultural mix - children mature faster. But must have strong bi-racial sikh community nearby for having common ground and influence.

 

[ekmusafir_ajnabi]

Thanks for your answers!
What about the same situation in America, Europe but not in India ? White Gori wife and Sikh husband? Can both of them bring up devouted Sikh?

The issue is not of which country. Whatever is happening between a couple in Ludhiana is happening elsewhere in Europe or America. The issue is of a lifestyle and understanding and practice of the fundamentals of Sikhism. There is a great mis-conception being practiced everywhere. Sikhism does not start from Ooops! what shall we do now that the child is on the way. It starts right from the first thought of having a child. One has to create the environment for the child (a gift from god) to come. The problem is that no one wants to put in the effort but wants the fruit and that a sweet one. That is not concieveable. You will only get a challu ga sikh and not a Gursikh.
Then one wanders what wrong they have done.

Ambardhara,

Guru Nanak Dev Ji's parents gave birth to the Founder of this Faith, did they know!

His Play, He Knows.

I agree with your last quote but in answer to your first one How many Guru Nanaks do you see in your everyday life. There are a number of members in this forum who are out on the hunt for Brahamgyanis and Sadhus. Beacuse they cannot find any. It will make their day if you come across one.

Ekmusafir_ajnabi

 

[AmbarDhara]

Quote:
Ambardhara,

Guru Nanak Dev Ji's parents gave birth to the Founder of this Faith, did they know!

His Play, He Knows.

I agree with your last quote but in answer to your first one How many Guru Nanaks do you see in your everyday life. There are a number of members in this forum who are out on the hunt for Brahamgyanis and Sadhus. Beacuse they cannot find any. It will make their day if you come across one.

Ekmusafir_ajnabi

There is Guru Nanak in everyone.

Guru Nanak is Everywhere.

 

[Archived_Member1]

Thanks for your answers!
What about the same situation in America, Europe but not in India ? White Gori wife and Sikh husband? Can both of them bring up devouted Sikh?

well my husband and i fit this description and we will do our best to raise our children to be healthy, happy sikhs.

i don't think "race" or nationality has much to do with sikhi though. a sikh is a sikh, no matter what colour their skin.

 

[Archived_Member1]

My mother and father raised a Sikh. They just didn't know they were doing it.

hey, mine too!

my husband often tells me that i was sikh before i even knew what sikh meant. it begins as a state of mind, a state of the heart, of the spirit... for some, it's a natural evolution. the important thing is that the child is exposed to it so that they have a choice. obviously a child who is raised in an environment that is against all faiths except their own will have a more difficult time.

but if there is a glimmer of sikhi in the family philosophy, i think the child has a chance.

 

[ekmusafir_ajnabi]

There is Guru Nanak in everyone.

Guru Nanak is Everywhere.

Aisa naam niranjan hoye, je ko MANN jane Mann koi. It is the change of attitude, the acceptance that bears fruit. So one should with this in mind start a family that the child that is to be born is the Divine himself. So clear out the clutter from ones life and make preparations. Raise the child like Divine and the results will be there. All children are divine.

However some will begin to show signs of constipation on this suggestion. Not every one can be please.

hey, mine too!

my husband often tells me that i was sikh before i even knew what sikh meant. it begins as a state of mind, a state of the heart, of the spirit... for some, it's a natural evolution. the important thing is that the child is exposed to it so that they have a choice. obviously a child who is raised in an environment that is against all faiths except their own will have a more difficult time.

but if there is a glimmer of sikhi in the family philosophy, i think the child has a chance.

Yes Indeed, there is a glimmer of hope.

ekmusafir_ajnabi

 

[Archived_Member_19]

no one can raise a sikh, a person becomes a sikh by choice

they can only provide a child with access to Guru Granth Sahib, access to its meanings

an inquistive mind will seeks out the knowledge it thirsts.


however, parents can bring up their child into "sikhism"

 

[amrita]

Some of you are speaking as if you are automatically entitled to being a
"Sikh" because that is the faith of your parents. But that isn't anyone's
ticket into the faith. It is your belief and values that shapes what you
are. Parents can only guide us and teach us what they know, but what
we take from that and do with it, is entirely upto us. My mom always
says if we do good with it only we will benefit. They are doing their
duty as parents. But that ends in this life. What about the next?

My parents may be well learned Sikhs but if I don't even know the ABC
of the faith then who am I to stake a claim to Sikhism? Only because my
middle name is Singh or Kaur?

 

[desilegend]

Thanks for your answers again and again. They are quite positive and that's what I like...
Before 2001 I didn't have a clue what is Sikhism but when I discovered Sikhi, I realised "That's what I was looking for all my life".

This t-shirts say all:

 

[Rani Sandhu]

Well, to me being a sikh or becoming a sikh is a personal choice the person has to make by getting to know the beliefs, values, contributions....which is done through education, knowledge....I mean I am born in a Sikh family for example, but my parents trualy don't know the religion.....I do my own research that too b/c I am interested.....so in my opinion its a personal choice...yes parents or gurdians do make contributions by raising the children...and the children are totally dependent on the parent or the gurdian for the first couple of years of their life....but then when it comes to spirituality, leading your life...it all depends on personal choice in my opinion.....from personal experience...I used to listen to gurbani or go to gurdwara just b/c the parents said so...but then I took my time to do my own research...yes I did ask many questions from parents..but didnt' fully answer them...b/c they themselves don't know it fully...

So what I am trying to say is: just b/c you are born in a Sikh family doesn't really make you a sikh...to be a sikh you really have to follow gurus' teachings, and lead life from there....doesn't matter what race, caste, or ethnicity you have...

 

[Jaswinder Singh Rekhi]

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was a reformist.He tried to remove the dirt in the society.He was against false rituals.He belived in universal love.He said believe in one God,who is the only Creator.What is the difference between a sikh and non sikh..A sikh, by dress code is of no use,it is like an actor wearing a dress of cop cannot be a cop.Sikhism is a way of life. A sikh must have Devotion,dedication,helping & fiighting for deprived,How a non sikh mother or father can grow a child as a sikh when they are not familiar with sikh way of life.

 

[spnadmin]

Aisa naam niranjan hoye, je ko MANN jane Mann koi. It is the change of attitude, the acceptance that bears fruit. So one should with this in mind start a family that the child that is to be born is the Divine himself. So clear out the clutter from ones life and make preparations. Raise the child like Divine and the results will be there. All children are divine.

However some will begin to show signs of constipation on this suggestion. Not every one can be please.



Yes Indeed, there is a glimmer of hope.

ekmusafir_ajnabi

Just want to remind that Guru Nanak's mother and father were not Sikhs when they raised him, but they became Sikhs of the Guru because of him.

 

[Tejwant Singh]

Talking about Gurmat values, The Bill of Rights on which the USA was founded echoes nothing but Gurmat values. The founding Fathers had no idea that their hearts and minds bled Sikhi.

Our visionary Gurus knew what it meant to create a universal message for all humanity which can only happen through pragmatism, not through any dogmas.

Tejwant Singh