24 replies to this topic

[11Gurus1Jot]

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh,

Wikipedia had some lies posted onto it via an 'Article' posted by a non-sikh. A Singh corrected the Article a few days ago following the topic I posted below.

However, some how the lies are back on Wikipedia. Is it possible for the same Singh (or another Amritdhari) to have another go at correcting Wikipedia's current Article on Damdami Taksal?

It could be that the correct update posted by the Khalsa Singh a few days ago was reversed by Wikipedia due to the correct protocols not being followed (I can't say I know what those protocols are)

Orignal Post below...

Please note the misrepresentation on Wikipedia is not Wikipedia's fault. It's the fault of whoever posted the article to Wikipedia. Please read on....

Could anybody with a love for the taksal please look at the Wikipedia Article on Damdami Taksal. It seems to totally misrepresent the taksal saying it was not associated to, or initiated by, the Tenth Master Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji Maharaaj. It refers to some conjecture put 'out there' by some individual called 'Oberoi' who almost tries to remove the taksal from history itself, by saying no Sikh work on religion, history, or society eludes to this body (he refers to the taksal as 'this body').

If there are any knowledgeable Sikhs out there who respect the taksal which Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji Maharaaj entrusted to Mahan Warrior Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Ji, then please have a look at this article. Apparently it's just the 'world in general/anybody' that puts the information on Wikipedia. So if there are knowledgeable Sikhs out there, who are Techies too, then please re-write the article.

There's an article on Sikhipedia which is truthful and seems to be much much more accurate and respectful. May be the Wikipedia Article should be much closer to the Sikhipedia Article.

I'd change it myself but I just haven't got the knowledge on Sikhi like the taksali's have. So it's best a taksali changes it.

This is the disrespectful article http://en.wikipedia..../Damdami_Taksal

[11Gurus1Jot]

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

My humble thanks to Singh/Singhni who corrected Wikipedia. You did a great Job. Sat Bachan.

I have saved your uploaded Article as a screen print in case anyone tries to change it back again!

Many Thanks again

[Into the Light]

Below is an email i received from a Gurmukh pyara, unfortunately he doesn't have a Sikh Sangat account and has asked me to paste his email here on his behalf.

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Singhs have made several changes to the page Damdami Taksal on wikipedia and the original writer continuously reverts it back to his original write up. He [the original writer] has reported the Singh who edited the page and has got him temporarily banned. The original writer's 'About Me' section on his wikipedia account shows his personal views on "sikh fanatics". Once the Singh is no longer banned...he intends to message the original writer. Some may think this is a little thing...but Maharaj's Taksal needs the utmost respect and the truth always needs to be shown.

Below is a snippet from the original writer's 'About Me' section

About Me
I am from a group of Sikh history scholars dedicated to accuracy in portraying Sikhism and Sikh History. I have no allegiance to any Jatha,Sants or any other sects within Sikhism; I am allied only to Orthodox Sikhism.

I believe in publishing the truth, no matter how unpalatable that may be for some sects within Sikhism.

I believe that the Alcoholism, Vegetarianism, Drug addiction, Sexism, Racism, Homophobia etc. expressed in some articles by "Sikh" fanatics undermines the Just and Fair principles of Sikhism. My aim is to work with Wikipedia and challenge biased POV to create a NPOV.

I welcome any constructive criticism or comments. What I do not welcome is meaningless diatribe from religious fanatics.

[Matheen]

Best thing to do is to contact wikipedia and explain that the original author's aim is to discredit Damdami Taksal. He doesn't let anyone correct his mistakes and his views are offensive to a large number of Sikhs. Contact them now.

[VanHelsingh]

I believe that the Alcoholism, Vegetarianism, Drug addiction, Sexism, Racism, Homophobia, etc. expressed in some articles by "Sikh" fanatics undermines the Just and Fair principles of Sikhism. My aim is to work with Wikipedia and challenge biased POV to create a NPOV.

What does he mean by listing the above? Are some Sikhs endorsing such views or are they against them?

[11Gurus1Jot]

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh,

Into the Light (and your friend Gurmukh Pyara), and Matheen. What you say is absolutely right !!!

As you say this may seem like a little thing but obviously some anti-Sikh individual owns the account that is doing beadbi on Wikipedia of Guru Gobind Singh Ji's University/Jathabandi (and in turn doing beadbi of Guru Gobind Singh's Amritdhari Singh Mahaan Warrior Shaheed Baba Deep Singh Ji).

How can we stop this individual discrediting the Taksal? Wikipedia is the single most widely used encyclopedia in the world, and some non-Sikh has hijacked it to discredit Sikhi (the Taksal). All around the world people are going to read lies about the Taksal on Wikipedia and think the Taksal is a bad organisation.

I think we need an organised Sikh internet body or internet based SIkh Organisation to help us here.

As Matheen says, lets try and contact as many Sikhs as possible to contact Wikipedia and get them to ban the liar who currently owns the account (please read into the lights', and Matheen's, posts above).

Kaljugi - no Sikhs are endorsing any of those views. The non-sikh is just try give everybody the impression that he knows something about Sikhi. He is just listing the worst qualities he can think of generally, and attaching them to, or associating them to Sikhi. It's an old trick. He just wants to give people a false/bad view of Sikhi. (this liar is so transparent)

[11Gurus1Jot]

Just to let you know that this misrepresentation of the Damdami Taksal is still there on Wikipedia.

So at the moment, anybody wanting to learn about the taksal will be fed a lie?

Please can as many people as possible email Wikipedia to inform them of the misrepresentation !!!

[VanHelsingh]

This 'Harjot Oberoi' seems to hold himself in high regard, lol. Read the sentence which contains his name. What an ego!

[11Gurus1Jot]

This 'Harjot Oberoi' seems to hold himself in high regard, lol. Read the sentence which contains his name. What an ego!

I agree, it's hard to believe an individual can be so wrong, and then call themselves a researcher!

However, it still hurts to See Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Taksal being maligned like this!

I'd change it, but sometimes if you haven't got the knowledge you can do more harm than good (I hope a taksali can save the day here!)

[VanHelsingh]

I'd change it, but sometimes if you haven't got the knowledge you can do more harm than good (I hope a taksali can save the day here!)

To be honest, he seems to be afraid of saying anything definitive, as such he skirts around the issues almost as if he's scared. I don't think he has the strength of his own convictions to really make the statements he wishes to. But I agree it is confusing for someone who is unaware of the history behind the Taksal.