Selected Editorials - The Sikh Bulletin

2. Did you know that they believed in Democracy, freedom of speech, choice, expression, freedom
of religion, pluralism, human rights, equality between men and women, equality of all people
regardless of race, religion, caste, creed, status etc. 300 years before the existence of the
USA... In their holy book, there is a round earth, water is made from chemical elements, and
there is even mention of the evolution process, big bang and life on other planets!
What goes on in a typical Gurdwara setting during the religious service We walk in, bow before the
SGGS, make our offering, in many cases make an offering to the kirtani jatha or the kathakar, take
parsaad, sit down to listen to whatever is going on at that time, even if the speaker is dead wrong in
whatever he is saying and some of us know it we stay silent, stand up for ardaas, listen to the order of the
day which most of us do not understand and most of the time granthis do not explain it either for lack of
time or knowledge, take parsaad, eat Langar, chat and leave. If you know of a Gurdwara that is different
than this we would like to know. That was precisely the sequence of events when a friend took an
American Christian friend of his to a Gurdwara in Los Angeles some years back:
“Many years ago a Christian friend accompanied me to Vermont Gurdwara in Los Angeles. After a
hearty langer he enquired, “How do you teach religious and ethical values especially to children if the
religious service consists of only singings hymns” The question has haunted me ever since. We are now
wondering why our younger generation is not following Sikh religion. Recently a Sikh college student
asked, after reading the translation of Benti Chaupai from the Rehras, if Gurbani says we have no enemy
and no one is stranger to us, we get along with all, then why is the guru praying for God to kill all his
enemies one by one How are we to explain daily recitation of such contradicting spurious Banis to our
enquiring children” 5
Talking about the function of a Gurdwara, The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism 6 states: The Gurdwara also
serves as a community centre, a school, a guest house for pilgrims and travelers, occasionally a clinic,
and a base for local charitable activities. It is sometimes true, in some Gurdwaras, at some
occasions, for some of these activities. As a general rule Gurdwaras shy away from non-religious
activities. Bhangra and Giddha associated with Punjabi mela at Vaisakhi are generally shunned. But
Gurbani says:
nwnk siqguir ByitAY pUrI hovY jugiq ]
hsMidAw KylμidAw pYnμidAw KwvMidAw ivcy hovY mukiq ]2]
mÚ 5 ] pM: 522
O Nanak, meeting the True Guru, one comes to know the Perfect Way. While laughing, playing, dressing
and eating, he is liberated. ||2||
Instead of multiple Gurdwaras a well equipped Sikh Center that looks after both the religious as well as
cultural needs of the community would be more efficient use of resources and serve our younger
generation better.
Like us, the Mormon Church also does not have a priestly class. But unlike us, they have a strong
missionary training program for its members. “Every Wednesday, more than 200 young people arrive, bid
goodbye to their parents, and settle in for four to eleven weeks. They are taught how to speak to a
stranger about faith and salvation and to do it in any of 47 languages before they are sent for two years
to locations far from their homes. This is the Missionary Training Center of the Mormon Church, an
efficient religious engine that has helped propel the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints into a
global faith, 10.4 million strong”. (New York Times).
We too have missionary training centers but none outside of India. They produce only Panjabi speaking
missionaries who cannot communicate with our young people. News is circulating on the internet about a
new ‘Sant Baba’ on the Canadian scene. ‘Sant’ Ranjit Singh Dhadriwala has caused traffic jams and
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