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Summary of Question:	Do Politics and Religion really go hand in hand?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Wednesday, 4/14/1999 7:07 PM MDT

Sat sri akal and happy Baisakhi,

The Khalsa march in Washington D.C. last Saturday was one of the greatest days in my life. However, I was rather disappointed that this important religious day was so much connected with politics and the liberation of Khalistan. I feel that religion and the relationship to Waheguru should be free of worldly politics. After all we believe that Waheguru is the Almighty and only His government can work. But why should we associate His government to Khalistan? Isn't it a worldwide government of peace and truth? What is your opinion, please, about merging worldly politics with divine truth and a celebration of 300 years?

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REPLY - this is one opinion. There can be many others.
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The Webster's Dictionay defines 'politics' as "compitition between groups or individuals for power and leadership"

In this context, such 'politics' has no place in religion.

What happened 300 years ago, was not politics. It was the need of the time to rise up and fight tyranny to save religion. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib could very easily have created a physical area of land to control it in a political sense. But he did not. His fights were never for a piece of land - but for safeguarding the religion and protecting those who could not protect themselves. And thus was the Khalsa created. Khalsa is both a Saint, and a Soldier. A Soldier for defence. And in celebrating the birthday of the Khalsa, we are in fact celebrating the Sant-Sipahi aspect of our religion. If it wasn't for the Khalsa 300 years ago, the history of India, and perhaps the world, might have been different. Khalsa was the force that stopped Aurengzeb from converting the entire Indian subcontinent, into a Moslem land.

Does the fight for the defence of the defenceless constitute 'politics'? Not according to the dictionary.

However, when religion and politics are mixed, troubles follow. Past and current history of the world proves it. It is perhaps for this reason, that the founders of this nation, mandated that religion and politics must be kept separate.

Every one must have the freedom to practice the religion of their choice. If that freedom is disallowed, then the Khalsa must rise up and assure that freedom.

Does it mean that there has to be a piece of land to practice one's religion?
Some people think so. Is their thinking correct? For an answer, we need to look around the world and see what happens when religion and politics are mixed.

Jasjit