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Summary of Question:	Sikhism And Government
Category:	Sikh History
Date Posted:	Monday, 6/07/2004 8:16 PM MDT

hello

I really wanted to know if Sikhs believes that they should be involved with government in general and why they believe they should or shouldnt. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question
Andrew

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reply
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Sat Siri Akaal. Sikhi takes no stand on involvement in government. But understand that our history is one in which we had to oppose the rulers in order to survive. Many regard 10th Guru's leadership and our struggle for survival as Sikhs as India's first political revolution.

Also in India -- and completely unlike the United States-- the concept of 'separation of Church and State' is not, generally, important, so Sikhs and Punjabi Sikhs feel it is very important AS SIKHS to be involved in government. In the USA where I live, that is not the case at all. Sikhs here will decide it is important to be involved in government if they have some specific reason to do so, but the big difference is that most of the time, the involvement is for civic reasons, NOT religious reasons or because we are Sikh.

Nothing I am saying here is 100% the case, I am speaking in generalities. Your question is very general, and I cannot answer it for Sikhs living outside of India or the USA.
Guru ang sang,
-DKK