Sikh Leadership

[HarmanSingh]

Sikhi faces many problems today and is under definite threat from both internal and external sources. I think most would acknowledge the need for a severe changing of the status quo, and an overhaul in the way our Gurudwaras, families and communities are structured in both the West and India. At the root, I feel education is the problem. And for a mass program of education to be successful, we need strong Sikh leaders. I am not talking about 1 man/woman to lead, because that is not what Sikhi is about. Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave each and every Gursikh, man or woman, the ability and power to be a leader and an example of humanity in the world. However, as Sikhs, we are severely lacking leadership.

Essentially, there are two types of "leaders" in Sikhi right now.

First, we have those who are well educated on Gurbani, can speak intellectually about any issue facing Sikhs and find themselves at the forefront of the Sikh community. However, when you closely examine what is going on, many of these people fail to LIVE the Sikhi lifestyle themselves. Yet they are the first people we go to for advice on what to do. This is immeasurably dangerous, as we head their advice, while they fail to follow it themselves. These scholars offer little to the community and lead many away from the Khalsa Panth with their demeaning and condescending actions/view points. They isolate themselves and fail to actually get their hands dirty in addressing the problems they pose.

Second, we have people who try and follow Sikhi, but do so blindly. Although they dont drink, smoke, try and live an honest lifestyle, they question nothing, and take whatever they are told at face value. This is even more dangerous, as it allows fundamentalism and misconceptions on Sikhi to become truths. Over time, Gurbani is skewed because these people ask no questions.

Essentially, what we need is a balance. We need people who are willing to live Sikhi, while also being educated on what exactly they are doing. In my opinion, the solution is every Sikh considering him/herself a leader and promoting massive educational programs to educate the future generations on the beauty of Sikhi.

 

[Summy]

I dont know if that was a subtle poke at me, or if I took it that way, but I am mixed with your need for sikh leadership.

THe need for sikh education comes from within. One of the man priniciples of sikhi that is passed down from our Guru's, is that you should force sikhi on nobody, not one person. That is what they faught against. So how do you actually propose educating the one's who are not willing to be educated themselves? How do you propose bringing sikhi to people who are not willing to bring themselves to sikhi?

These kids that come to gurmukt camp, and come to learn about Bani, these are kids (for the most part) that tell their parents that they would want to go. They come to learn, as did I. I listened to people's opinion about sikhi, and when I learned about what Sikhi entails I went forth from there.


Each and every sikh... What does that mean? Are you going by the people who believe that they are sikh because their ancestory was, or are you talking about people who have gave their life to waheguru? If we go by the first, I dont need my kids, or my fellow sikh people learning from people themselves who cannot dedicate themselves fully to waheguru.


Sikh leadership is a problem, because sikhi is in a state of problems. It is mumbled up with the western ideologies. Most of these kids in the west cannot read gurmukhi so they read the translated version of the Guru Granth Sahib Jee. Their opinions are inflicted on the western growing populaiton in India, and you have kids you dont know the first thing about sikhi, calling themselves sikh...



I believe there are a LOT of good sikh leaders, you just need to go out and find them. So many inspiritaional leaders, talkers, philosophers in sikhi today, but if you are waiting for THEM to come to YOU (not you specfically harman), then it wont be anytime soon. You need to make that leap first, in my opinion

 

[HarmanSingh]

No, this was not a subtle poke at you at all.

I agree that education comes from within, but the fact that we have to search long and hard for these leaders is a definite problem. Sure, their are good leaders out there. But are their enough? I don't think so. I have also gone to the Sikh camps, and I can tell you that you are right in that the kids that learn, do so because they WANT to.

But at the same time, most of these kids come from Gursikh homes in which they have been educated on Sikhi. Their are exceptions, but education starts in the home. If a child grows up with little to no connection Sikhi other than the occasional trip to the Gurudwara during which they fall asleep or daydream, then it is unlikely they will pursue further education on Sikhi by themselves. In this western world, the youth are bombarded with western ideology and they often fall prey to such mindsets. Parents need to take more of a responsibility in educating their children from a younger age and actually making an effort to involve them in Sikhi.

Our older generations have failed us bro. They have not provided the structure or education necessary for the youth to thrive. At the same time, our generation is failing ourselves if we consider ourselves victims, because we need to stand up and change the situation right now. This is why I said Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave every Sikh, every person, the power to be a leader of their own destiny.

 

[Summy]

You're completely right Harman. Nobody can argue with stance, you hit it right on the dot. I think we probably do need more dynamic leaders in the west especially, people that can connect with the youth generation.

But Harman what is one way we can change this? Become educated ourselves, so we wont have to fail the next generation the way our elder generation failed us. This is what I have been talking about from day one, whether it is punjab, or sikhi, or anything, there is need for THIS generation to get off our asses, and do something so our kids wont suffer.

But when you say things like that, you're a preacher, so your stuck.

We are so mixed up with western thought, people have forgotten what it means to be a sikh.

Sikhi state in the west is bad, i mean BAD. How do we change it? I think its a pretty good start, if us, meaning our generation gets involved. Not just sikhs, but muslims, and hindus, in remembering their homeland, and their religion and trying to spread their values, to all the kids out there, that are in desperate need of direction.

I think change starts with us Harman, what do you think?

 

[HarmanSingh]

Well, I think the biggest project our generation should have is mentoring the next generation to come. The "scholars" who are well educated on Sikhi need to step up and become involved in the Gurudwaras and provide outlets for youth to learn about Sikhi. Simply going to a one week camp isn't enough. Their needs to be a year long focus on various events the youth can learn from.

And before most people can become involved in these projects, they need to educate themselves on Sikhi. I have seen people be counselors at Sikh youth camps who could not read a word of Gurbani, could not name the Gurus, the Panj Pyare, etc. Very basic things that these supposed teachers were uneducated on. Until we educate ourselves, we can not educate the next generation.

So the first step is self education, the second step is educating the youth. The exact way to educate the youth is difficult, because a regular class where someone stands up and lectures for an hour is not getting through kids' head's these days. It has to be hands on involvement and an explanation of practical purposes for following Sikhi.

 

[Varun]

Second, we have people who try and follow Sikhi, but do so blindly. Although they dont drink, smoke, try and live an honest lifestyle, they question nothing, and take whatever they are told at face value. This is even more dangerous, as it allows fundamentalism and misconceptions on Sikhi to become truths. Over time, Gurbani is skewed because these people ask no questions.

I would definitely have to agree with you on that, Harman, and not just for Sikhi..for belief in any religious, ideology, movement...anything. People who blindly accept things cannot go far in life, cannot grasp insight on the bigger pictures. It hurts to question, I admit it. Yet, I believe one way to change the status quo, as you called for, in Sikhi is to start at the ultra grass roots level, ie, the individual level. Parents should open kids to question their beliefs and foster a culture of thinking and rationalization in their kids minds. Too often I see too many Punjabi parents, be they Sikh, Hindu, Mulsim, or anything, just have their kids swallow a very fundamental and safe version of religion. I understand they are scared, because being in a foreign country where you risk losing your culture, you cannot risk your kids questioning it, but you still must prevent the next generation from lacking any sort of insight.

I believe it should be a mix of exposure to the culture, to the values, to the religion...coupled with a toleration of dissent. At least tolerate and try to understand it, even if the criticisms may be baseless (as many people do not know what they are talking about when the do criticize great religions)