Previous

Next

Ask a Question

Summary of Question:	Re. Sikhism And Christanity
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Wednesday, 6/19/2002 6:20 PM MDT

Well well all have been questioned by others, wheter if it is you are from afganstan, why you where the turban, what religion you are, and many others. We Sikh youth are corned by these questions, feeling left out. I especially. I am 14, a freshman (will be sophmore in August of this year), and I go to a Private Catholic school. Aside from my brother i am the only Sikh, and one out of 8 Indians in the whole school, and the youngest in the school(not anymore when the other freshmen come next year). Anyhow, i was pushed around, made fun, and in my Scriptures class harrassed for not being Christan, or a sect of it. I was given little hints such as, "Jesus gave his life for us, and through him it is the only way to salvation, right Harjus?". My teacher tried to convince me that Christanty was the only way. Now i had 2 choices in this postion, to lash back, or to plainly explain it to them. Lashing back would have consequences and it was the end of the year and i could not take it anymore, so i asked him "If Christanity is the only way, then whoever isn't a Christian will go to hell? So then God only sent the people in the Bible and they are only right, and God wants the rest of 4 and 1/2 mil. people to go to hell? And what gives you the right to tell me which religion is right or wrong, does it say that Christainty is the right religion in the world. (Now this part i don't recomend to say unless you are will to pay the consequence, for me it was detention, 3 of them, but they were eventually waved) If Christanity is so right then why have the Popes been wrong many times, why have there been many sects made, why did people have to pay Bishops and preists for their sins to be forgiven,how is that so many preists and other officals have molested children,and how do you say this if there is a meeting of preists and Bishops to figure out how many times a preist/Bishop can sexually harrassed a child before he can't be a preist or bishop anymore. And does it not say in the Bible Love thy neighbor, but it seems that you are harrassing me for my religion, and don't even say that you are saving me, you have a pencil in your eye, and you are telling me about an eyelash in my eye. Look at yourself before you look at me, and judge yourself before you judge me. As i quote from Jesus "Judge another, and you will be Judged by God"." These words hit home for him, cause i used his own Scripture to show him the injustice that he was doing to me. This made my teacher rethink, then i told him things about Sikhism that was similar, and he begain to relize that our 2 religions are common on some of grounds. He begain to get off my back, actually we became good friends in dicussing ways of religion, and given respect by my fellow peers to standing up for what I thought was a injustice that was happening. Whenever any of you are faced with a problem with being discriminated for what religion you are, explain it to them in a rational way, and they might find how surprising how they are in common, and never lose your cool, for that one person you are representing all of the Sikhs in the past, present, and future; make a good example.

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh

********
REPLY
*******
Sat Siri Akaal Ji. It takes courage to live one's faith in the face of pressure to convert. Waheguru gave you that courage. Many people mistake religion for spirituality, and dogma for TRUTH. The examples you cite above show religion and dogma, not spirituality and TRUTH. These are important distinctions. You have understood this through your suffering and come out victorious. Keep up and you'll be kept up!
Gurfateh!
-DKK