All Religions Are Not Equal...

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

I think as Sikhs we get a little carried away with the "all religions are equal" saying.

I read a very interesting topic about the future of Hinduism and Hinduism's belief that all religions are equal. The whole point of the article was that Hindus keep saying that all religions are equal and many of today's Hindu youth in the west say if al religions are equal then why should I be Hindu? I read this article before I was to attend an interfaith meeting of student Associations at my alma mater. Interestingly enough the Hindu Student Council made the same representation and said Hinduism believes that all religions are equal and in the Q/A session a Hindu student asked, "Then what is the point of being a hindu, why shouldn't I be a Christian or Muslim then.." the Hindu Student Association was unable to answer this.

My point of this post is not to cause controversy but to make my fellow Sikhs think about what I have to say. I used to read books about Sikhi so i could learn about Sikhi, well things were so contradictory that I went to the best source of all, Sri Guru Granth Sahib the eternal Shabad Guru of the Sikhs.

I do not think all religions are equal. Ok before you throw a fit listen to this. As Sikhs we are to respect all religions. Guru Teg bahadur Ji gave Shaheedi for the Kashmiri Pundits. Guru Sahib was against idol worship but he gave shaheedi because he was againsst tyranny and saw Waaheguru in all regardless of religion. As sikhs, gurbaani tells us that we are all apart of the one Divine Jot or waaheguru and we are all equal. However religions are not equal because they all have a different purpose. Whereas Christianity preaches the Gospel and the whole point is to confess one's sins and on the day of Judgement Christ will be their only hope. Christians want to get to heaven. Now heaven is described in many ways, it is sometimes described by Christians as a place with angels, abundance of pleasures and so forth.

In Islam martyrs are promised a heaven with countless women and many other pleasures. They also believe in a day of Judgement, a devil, they have a stone-throwing ceremony at Mecca during Hajj.

Hindus if they were to follow their faith according to the Vedas and the Gita, Puranas, would have to practice Sati, sacrifice Cows, and also practice the caste system. Hindus believe in karma, but their goal is to reincarnate as a human being in a better position in life, so the Hindus said in their lottle presentation.

My point is that before we, as Sikhs, always jump to, "sikhs believe that all religions are equal, Hindus should be good hindus, Muslims should be good Muslims, Christians should be good Christians, remember the lives of our Gurus. Guru Nanak Dev Ji went to Hardwar and tried to water his fields in Punjab mocking the ritual of Hindus. Guru Nanak Dev asked the Muslims to point his feet to where God is not present referring to the Muslims praying towards Mecca. All men and women on this planet are equal in the eyes of sikhs but religions I am afraid are not. Sikhi is so unique in that it rejects many of the other religions yet practices tolerance. Another major point is that in Sikhi the goal is becoming one with waaheguru and ending the cycle of birth and death.

I wanted to say this because I am afraid that one day a SSA(Sikh Student association) will hold a function and some sikh youth will ask if all religions are equal then why should i be a sikh? I hope we can explain why being a sikh is important.

Peace.

[Shaheed]

great post i agree

[DivineJourney]

MY FRIEND THERE IS NO PLURAL OF RELIGION

[Khalsa4ever]

MY FRIEND THERE IS NO PLURAL OF RELIGION

88562[/snapback]

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

Right on! :TH:

Waheguroo jee ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo jee kee Fateh!

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

"MY FRIEND THERE IS NO PLURAL OF RELIGION "

There is no plural of God.

def of religion: "The adoration and service of God as expressed in divine worship and in daily life. Religion is concerned with all of the relations existing between God and human beings, and between humans themselves because of the central significance of God. Objectively considered, religion consists of a body of truth which is believed, a code of morality for the guidance of conduct, and a form of divine worship. Subjectively, it is a person’s total response, theoretically and practically, to the demands of faith; it is living faith, personal engagement, self-commitment to God. Thus, by creed, code and cult, a person orders and directs his or her life in reference to God and, through what the love and service of God implies, to all people and all things. "

there are many religions in the world. One God, one people, many paths=many religions. there is one universal dharma, but that is something Sikhi preaches. You won't find it in any other faith.

[Bijla Singh]

good post singha. the only 100% true way is Sikhi. all religions are not only not equal but have different goals. Gurbani is above all. Guru Ji is above all. all Sikhs should know this.

[Nobody]

ihMdU AMn@w qurkU kwxw ]

hindhoo annuaa thurukoo kaanaa

The Hindu is sightless; the Muslim has only one eye.

duhW qy igAwnI isAwxw ]

dhuhaa thae giaanee siaanaa

The spiritual teacher is wiser than both of them.

ihMdU pUjY dyhurw muslmwxu msIiq ]

hindhoo poojai dhaehuraa musulumaan museeth

The Hindu worships at the temple, the Muslim at the mosque.

nwmy soeI syivAw jh dyhurw n msIiq ]4]3]7]

naamae soee saeviaa jeh dhaehuraa n museeth

Naam Dayv serves that Lord, who is not limited to either the temple or the mosque. ||4||3||7||

srb Drm mih sRyst Drmu ]

surub dhurum mehi sraesutt dhurum

Of all religions, the best religion

hir ko nwmu jip inrml krmu ]

har ko naam jap nirumul kurum

is to chant the Name of the Lord and maintain pure conduct.

[Guest Sony]

ihMdU AMn@w qurkU kwxw ]hindhoo annuaa thurukoo kaanaa

The Hindu is sightless; the Muslim has only one eye.

duhW qy igAwnI isAwxw ]

dhuhaa thae giaanee siaanaa

The spiritual teacher is wiser than both of them.

ihMdU pUjY dyhurw muslmwxu msIiq ]

hindhoo poojai dhaehuraa musulumaan museeth

The Hindu worships at the temple, the Muslim at the mosque.

nwmy soeI syivAw jh dyhurw n msIiq ]4]3]7]

naamae soee saeviaa jeh dhaehuraa n museeth

Naam Dayv serves that Lord, who is not limited to either the temple or the mosque. ||4||3||7||

srb Drm mih sRyst Drmu ]

surub dhurum mehi sraesutt dhurum

Of all religions, the best religion

hir ko nwmu jip inrml krmu ]

har ko naam jap nirumul kurum

is to chant the Name of the Lord and maintain pure conduct.

<_< :wub: :wub:

[Guest Sony]

all religions were created equal... but along the way they got distorted or lost track.... in this way all need to be respected.....

btw, the same goes for Sikhi, what Guru Gobind Singh ji created was perfect, but as time now we have so many groups. but the religion itself is perfect... again they WERE all created equal.....

pul chuk maaf

Fateh

[Pheena]

Define Equality Mann kaum. What you have described is the obvious difference between the practices of Religions and most of those have become empty rituals with no understanding of their purpose and intent.

Equality of Religion lie in the roots of its Founders. Tell me which Founder(s) of Religions you have spoke about does not Speak of Compassion/Love/Tolerence/Patience? Which can be complete opposite of what the practioner of the religioin practice.

Do not look at the ignorence, misunderstanding of the Practitioner, but instead look deep within the Religion to the Founders and you will find something that is equally preached in every religion. Do not just look at the words and conclude, but experience the Words. Seek the one who has risen above all Religions and then you will come to find the equality on which all religions function.