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Is Sikhism Or The Sikh Message Weak?

Ishna

Writer
SPNer
May 9, 2006
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This thread got me thinking about a rather negative question: http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/inspirational-stories/33649-indias-one-woman-charity.html

Sikhism was created in Punjab 500 years ago. Why are so many Punjabi's continuing to live against Sikh principles?

You'd think the area where a religion like Sikhism was generated would be flourishing with the virtues espoused within the religion, but Punjab apparently has one of the highest rates of female infanticide in the world.

Why??? Why isn't the message of the Guru's getting through??? They couldn't make it any clearer!!!

Is it reflective of a failing on the religion's part that the bulk of the people refuse to accept the teachings and continue to engage in practices contrary to the religion?

If it were to exist, would the Sikh state of Khalistan be just like Punjab?

I guess when Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji says the true Gurmukh is one in a million, it wasn't kidding!

Ishna
 

passingby

SPNer
Nov 20, 2010
63
104
The fact is that most of the religions result in a religious organisation. Any and every organisation (religious or otherwise) is has a curvy path of existence. They have a childhood and a peak and then gradual down path. But of course it is not logically sound that in life of organisations an upward trend cannot be expected after the peak has gone. There are peaks and troughs all along its life path, based upon unpredictable events and occurrences.
The peak can be said to be a time or a phase when the spiritual energy it at its peak in the particular religious community and people are attaining/achieving religious/spiritual experiences in large numbers and their lives become ideals for the whole community for that time and for all the time to come.
The peaks of religions occur usually when their founders are living. And that peak never reoccurs again, at least that is what I think. This happened with ancient Rishis of India, with Buddha, with Jain teerthankars, with Islam.
Sikhism as an organised religion-I believe it is to be one- and as a religious community it has had its Peak.
This does not mean that once the peak is gone nobody can attain or achieve the ideal, the highest spiritual state presented in that religion.
In modern times, there has been an explosion of knowledge and understanding. I truly believe that we have had a quantum jump in understanding of various religions and their thoughts. Never before have human had so easy access to the best of knowledge of religions and spiritual paths. This has created a situation in which the responsibility of transformation now lies NOT on the community. It relies on the individual.
Modern understanding of social phenomenon tell us clearly that every organisation which is based on humans *will*get corrupted in its course of existence. Had an organisation run on machines maybe the case would have been different.

The more important question is if we think Sikhism has such a strong message what change has it brought about in me, the individual. Have I experienced the best of what it has to offer?

let me end with one of my favorites stories from Swami Vivekananda's lectures (i write from my memory so no claims to accuracy)

There lived in an ashram in ancient India a young boy who had for years learned at the feet of his Guru. One day he became disillusioned,' It has been so many years, why have I not have had any spiritual experience? I have done everything the Guru said'. He went this question to his Guru. The Guru kept silent.
One day the Guru asked the disciple to accompany him to bathe in a nearby river. Over there when the disciple took a dip the Guru pounced upon him and forcibly help him under the water. He held it for quite a long time before he freed the disciple. Later when the disciple caught his breath he angrily asked his Guru,' why did you do it?' The Guru put a question back to him, 'How did you feel without air?'. 'I was dying, my life was struggling to save itself inside of me!'. The Guru calmly replied,' When you have this desire for God, when you come to a point when you cannot live a moment more without Him, you will see Him immediately'.

My personal view is, don't worry about Punjab. Worry about the whole humanity. Do what comes your way, or go out of your way if you can, but do and forget, focus on yourself. If you can experience what your religion teaches you to experience, you'd benefit others a million times more than otherwise.
 

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