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Summary of Question:	Helping Others Not Be Exploited?
Category:	Sikh Practices
Date Posted:	Saturday, 7/17/2004 12:18 AM MDT

sadh sangat ji

i think am suffering through problems coz am taking religion or guru ji's woords too seriously. guru ji's words tht a sikh's duty is to bring justice or u can say to fight against wrong things. and i love the idea tht when a powerful person is exploiting a weak person its my duty to help the weak person .
am seeing some of my frnds(females) going through such conditions.and am really depressed tht i cannot poke my nose in being in canada jus on work permit. am unable to sleep properly.these things r in my mind all the time.
and its not only this i've heard and seen a lot o other cases too.
i have some ppl telling me tht its none of my bussiness.
are they right?
but wht abt wht guruji said.
aint it being too selfish.
Am unable to decide wht to do. is it right to fight(putting my future also at risk ; as guru ji said "subh karman te kabhoo na daro" or jus living like a eunuch).
plzzz suggest me.

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reply
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Sat SIri Akaal. You are between a rock and a hard place. It is true it is none of your business, unless it is people or family you know WELL. It is also true we should defend those weaker than ourselves. Do you know the people being exploited, or just see it happen? If you know them, then say something to them, help them to see it through your eyes.
I think that's about all you can do for the following reasons:
(1) there is always more than meets the eye, and in today's world, messing with powerful people can really be biting off more than you can chew.
(2) there is a karma between the exploited and the exploiter. It seems a pat answer, but frankly, if the exploited ones refused to be exploited than they wouldn't be in that position. Or they have decided at some sub-conscious level to allow the exploitation in order to stay/have work/not go back to India/whatever. Self defense (mental, physical, emotional) is taught and learned, and for women from India this is uncommon (if it's women we're talking about). There has to be a conscious decision to fight back at some level, and you cannot impose that on anyone, it is their personal responsibility to adopt that belief and then become it. You CAN, however, teach people about that, if you have the knowledge and tools.
(3) if you have a family counting on you and your Canada work permit, then perhaps you need to let go of being these peoples' saviour and pray for them that their situation improve. Guruji wants us to help others who cannot defend themselves, yes, but if you cannot really shift the situation, shift the consciousness of the 'victims' or truly 'save' them then you shouldn't get involved.

Think of other ways to take action. Prayer groups. Meditation groups. Kirtan programmes. Support groups for immigrants. Get people you see and care about to take part in such activities where they can feel safe, secure, and talk to others about how to help themselves instead of hoping someone else will do it for them. Guru ang sang,
-DKK