New Er @ Hospital Might Be Named After Guru Nanak Dev Ji In Surrey

[Guest peacemaker]

The point that I am trying to get across is that Sikhs shouldn't be putting Guru Ji's name on things that have no significance with Sikhi.

Sure Christians, Jews and the followers of other religions are putting the names of their Saints and Prophets on hospitals but why should we follow this?

Don’t make this a “if they can do it, then so can we” argument but ask “why are they (other religions) doing this and why should we?”

That's a weak argument you gave, sorry. IMHO, I feel naming something after Guru Ji would be a sign of the HIGHEST respect, not JUST doing it because other religions are doing it. Is your problem that, heaven forbid, you are afraid that people will disgrace Guru Ji if things don't go right in the new hospital? Just come out and say it, but don't give me a few cliche lines that have been used many times before.

Surely, Guru Maharaj, the King of Kings, knows what is best. If His name is to be on a hospital, that's hukam, and if it isn't that's hukam too. Our brains will come up with a thousand reasons, but in the end, it's all His will.

[2desi]

explain how a hospital has nothing to do with sikhi

Firstly, this is about an "entrance" to an ER.

Secondly, what significance does this have with Sikhi?

[2desi]

Peacemaker, the idea of naming this entrance after Guru Nanak Dev Ji was made by the Liberal Party of British Columbia who actually proposed it after people from the Sikh community helped raise money for making this new ER. It was a politically motivated decision with nearing elections , not a sign of respect for Guru Ji, that was accepted by some of the Sikhs who helped fund raise the money. So now it is coming off that the community only donated in order to get the "entrance" named after Guru Nanak Dev Ji. And members of the other communities and various other organizations that helped fund raise feel upset. Therefore I think that is was irresponsible of the Sikhs involved for accepting the governments offer.

On top of this, looking at the bigger picture, I think that we shouldn't be putting the names of our Gurus and the name of the Khalsa Panth on things like publicly owned buildings, in business names and on business buildings. Like people in Surrey have made a "Khalsa" business center, which has a "Khalsa" Fido (mobile/cellphone place), a party hall, and a barber shop/beauty salon.

The Sikh community should have followed in the steps of the Sikhs in Edmonton, who made and named a natural healing garden after Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

[Guest peacemaker]

Fair enough. I liked your reply this time around, 2desi. You're OK in my book.

[HeatSikhingMissile]

what significance does this have with Sikhi?

You're joking right? Secondly your whole point of this being 'policital' is a pessimistic view that sweeps every Sikh who was part of this naming as a politician. It's typical of our kaum to constantly bring each other down, but the fact that you're protesting the naming of an Emergency ward named after our Guru as a political/copycat move is downright laughable. You're pigeonholing it with other businesses that have 'Khalsa' in them etc. I fail to see how someone coming into the ward with a bullet wound is thinking about WHERE they should take their 'business', and if the naming of the ER has anything to do with that. Then you say it shouldn't be on the name of a public building, it was Sikhs that raised the money, had they not, that PUBLIC building would currently lack a brand new ER ward, it's in the same vein that churches put up the money to build an extension/wing and then get the naming right, I find nothing wrong with it. Your argument is all over the place. Also if you think healing the sick has nothing to do with Sikhi (as you put it) or our Gurus, you might want to get back to your nearest Sikh library and crack open a book or two.

[Simran9]

significance of sikhi with a hospital?

Wasn't the location of Gurdwara Taran Taran Sabib where Guru ji took care of lepers himself because no one else wanted to go near them? That area is where lepers lived and had their little huts or whatever to live in and is now the sarovar at this gurdwara sahib.

[2desi]

HeatSikhingMissile.....bro you need to know that facts...

Firstly, this is about the main entrance to a ER, not the ER or Hospital itself. The ER will still be called Surrey Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Centre.

Secondly, the Surrey Memorial Hospital Foundation started a campaign to raise $15 million dollars, the Sikh community is projected to contribute $2 millon to this campaign.

"The new emergency and urgent care facility is part of the Surrey Health Services Capacity Initiative with a value of more than $200 million to address Surrey’s future health needs and ease congestion at Surrey Memorial Hospital."

Thirdly, the Emergency Center will be completed and open in 2010, why not name the "entrance" closer to the finishing of the Emergency Center? Why time this right now?

Fourthly, Sikhs didn't donate any significant amount of money until the Nov 23, (days after the naming of the "entrance" was announced), when Radio RedFM (Punjabi Radio) helped fundraise $700,000. All of a sudden the Sikhs/Punjabi wallets opened up, unlike previous years when the hospital has held fundraises or even today the hospital is need of equipment. Goto http://www.smhfoundation.com/ for more info.

Lastly, the main agrument that I was trying to make is it appropriate for Sikhs to start "rubber stamping" the name of our Gurus or the Khalsa Panth?

In this case the "main entrance" to an emergency center, to me its like we are making Guru Ji name seem insignificant to certain extent (how would the emergency center be any different if Guru Ji's name was not on the entrance?). I feel that if we put our Guru's name on something, it should have significance, it should have purpose, it should make a difference.

Maybe opening a free food bank or free clothing bank that gives out clothing (especially jackets) to the poor. Or open a homeless shelter to help the poor people who don't have place to sleep during these cold winter days and put this sewa in the name of Guru Ji or the Khalsa Panth.