The Sikhism religion
Sikhism is not very well known in the World. It is composed of great military people (MacAuliffe 1).It originated in the Punjab religion of the Southern part of Asia, which is the present location of Pakistan and India. At the time of its origin, the main religious groups that were present were only the Islam and the Hinduism religion. The faith began at around 1500 CE, when a person known as Guru Nanak taught a faith that was different form the existing religions of the times, the Islam and Hindu (BBC).According to Teece, 4, Guru Nanaks life is recorded in stories referred to a Janam Sakhis. He was the first Sikh Guru (Sikh leader) and was born in a Hindu family. He was not satisfied with the teachings of the sacred thread in the Hindu religion. According to him, these teachings were not important, and believed that truthful living and values are more crucial than all they religious rituals.
Characteristics of the Sikhism religion
In a census conducted in 2001, a total of three hundred and thirty six thousand Sikhs were present in the U.K. only. In the world, there were more than twenty million. The religion holds the individuals internal state of the heart and mind as very important. It is a purely monotheistic religion, which places more emphasis on the actions of a person rather than performing rituals (BBC). The only way to lead a perfect way for the Sikhs is to always keep God close to their minds and hearts, be kind to the poor, have a generous heart, and serve all people regardless of their status in the society. The Sikhs worship in a place known as the Gurdwara, and they have their major holy scriptures referred to as Guru Granth Sahib. There have been several Gurus in the Sikh history. The tenth Guru in the religion declared that the Guru Granth Sahib was to be used as the official teaching of the religion. All the women and men who have already got their initiation in the Sikhism faith are referred to as the Khalsa (BBC).
The concept of God
The Sikhs believe in only one God, who has neither gender nor form. All people have equal access to this God. The Sikhs are very serious in keeping their relationship with God, and they combine belief and action so as to live a life which is holy and full of meditation. According to them, they have a God who is responsible for the cycles of life, birth and rebirth (BBC).
They believe in the God of grace. When the Sikh people want to see their God, they make sure they focus on the beauty of creation. Once they focus all their attention to God, they achieve a state known as multi liberation. It is only attained through Gods grace. The concept of grace is further explained that it is something which is given by God (BBC).
Through the saints examples and the Holy books, the people of the world are shown the best ways to get close to God. The Sikhs strongly believe that the highest virtue in life is truthful living. Additionally, there is no way man can understand God, except through contemplation, worship and love. They experience Him through the divine order that he has given all people, so as to have a full understanding of His nature. Additionally, they state that God is inside all the Sikhs who follow His ways, even if they appear wicked to the people of the world. They always look for God around the world and inside their lives, so as to achieve union and liberation with God. (BBC)
Their 5Ks
The Sikh people believe in the 5Ks, which trace their origin from the Khalsa path of creation. All the people who practice them are believed to have a total life of submission and devotion to the Guru. These are the five physical symbols which are worn by the Sikhs who are staunch followers of the religion. Kesh (uncut hair) is the first symbol. It is perceived as a symbol of strength and holiness, and the willful acceptance of Gods gift. It shows that there is a deep desire for one to grow spiritually. If anyone goes to a barber, it means that he is bowing down to the barber. This is considered as wrong, as he is only supposed to bow down to their Guru. The women are also not supposed to cut their hair, including the eyebrows (BBC).
The second symbol is the Kara, which means steel bracelet. It is worn to symbolize gentility and restraint, and is attached to the Guru. It shows that their God has neither beginning nor end, and is a constant reminder for the Sikhs not to do anything which is disapproved by Guru. Kanga is the third symbol, which is a comb. It symbolizes a pure body and mind. This is because the purpose of the comb is to keep the hair tidy and neat. All those people who have the Kanga appreciate Gods work of creation, as they keep their bodies clean. Kachha is the next symbol which symbolizes chastity. Its origin is from the nineteenth and eighteenth century Sikh warriors. The last symbol is a sword, which is referred to as Kirpan. It is usually kept in a clean sheath. It is a symbol of the Sikhs defense of the right deeds and spirituality (BBC).
Karma and Samsara beliefs
According to Article Base (par. 5-7), the Sikh people believe in reincarnation (samsara).This refers to the repetition of the cycles of life, birth and death. All the individuals have several reincarnations. Upon the death of the human beings, God allows each soul to rest with him or reincarnate. The reincarnation belief goes hand in hand with the belief on deeds, also known as Karma. It is derived from the Hindu religion. It is a law of reaction and action which is responsible for governing, affecting and managing peoples consciousness. The Sikhs believe in leading good lives so as to shape their karma, which helps them open up spiritually (Article Base, par.7) According to the information gotten from the PPU website, the Sikh people do not believe in Ahmisa ( non violence). They believe that when all means of restoration of peace fail, then the Sikhs should result to the power of the sword.
Ethical issues in the Sikhism religion
The Sikh religion condemns abortion. According to them, it is an interfering factor to Gods work, which is responsible for all the things that were created in the world. Most of the followers of this religion believe strongly that the life of the human beings starts at the conception stage. If conception has already taken place, it is not right for the people to destroy life. Therefore, deliberate abortion and miscarriage is forbidden. Abortion is an extremely widespread viewpoint. There is a major concern that the women are performing abortion of female embryos because of cultural preferences of having sons (BBC).
The Sikh people have a very high respect for life. They view this as a gift from their God. Therefore, they consider euthanasia as a crime, as the timing of death and birth is a decision that belongs to God. Suicide is a vice which is strongly rejected, as it is seen to interfere with the plans of God. Suffering is accepted by the Sikhs, as it makes a person stronger. Therefore, euthanasia is strongly condemned as it is illegal, and it is different form what God has stated (BBC).
The Sikh people have a concept which is referred to as the just war. It is referred to as Dharam Yudh, which it means the defense of righteousness. This war has to be the last resort, where all the other ways of solving the problems have failed. Additionally, the motive of this war should not be enmity or revenge. The army which participates in the war has to be disciplined, and should not include the armed forces. No civilian should be harmed, and only minimum force should be used. No criminal activity should be undertaken in the war, like looting.
The Sikh scriptures
In regard to moral thinking, all the Sikhs derive their teachings from the Guru Granth Sahib scriptures and the Code of Conduct of the Sikhs (BBC). According to World Faiths, the scriptures were complied and placed in the Sikhs golden temple by Guru Arjan. It contains one thousand, four hundred and thirty pages. Additionally, it has three thousand, three hundred and eighty four hymns, all in the Punjabi language. This scripture is special as it is recognized as the sole Sikh Holy book. Every morning, the Sikhs recite the first two sentences of the Granth. The Dasam Granth is another book which contains all the works of the Sikh poets and Guru Gobind Singh writings (World Faith).
Sikh Worship
Unlike the members of the other religions, the Sikh people worship their God in an abstract form without using statutes and images to assist them. Their worship is either private or public. In the private worship, the Sikh people have the liberty to worship from anywhere and at any place. They wake up early and ensure that they start their day through meditation. Their code of conduct has a stern discipline, and a Sikh should pray every morning and evening. For an effective prayer to happen every practicing Sikh has to make sure he or she is holy. The Sikhs worship publicly and they consider congregational worship as one which has its special advantages. The public worship is often conducted by either a female or male Sikhs who have the skills in doing so (BBC).
The rites of the Sikhs
The Sikhs have gone through the Amrit ceremony, which means initiation ceremony. All the people who get baptized in the religion take new names. The Sikh people go through this religion once they have attained the full commitment age. The ceremony is conducted in a Gurdwara, and it is officiated by five Sikhs who are experienced. The name Amrit is derived from a mixture of water and sugar, which is taken by the people after their baptism. The Sikh people perform the rites to babies. There are prayers which are offered to God once a woman confirms that she is pregnant. Once the birth of the baby takes place, some prayers are whispered into the babys ears and some honey drops are put inside the mouth. Additionally, the parents of the child are supposed to visit the temple after the child is born. The third right is the wedding which is also known as Anand Karaj.The only people that can be joined in marriage are those who are approved by the Sikh code. All the members must be active Sikh members, and should consider the caste of their spouse , as people from different castes are not suppose to marry (BBC).
Conclusion
There are a variety of religions in the world. All of them have their different practices. The best way the people of the different world religions can live together is through accepting and respecting the other people. The Sikhs value all practices which involve kindness. If some of these are adopted by other religions, the world would be a better place.
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