Is Sikhi A Missionary Religion

[harryss]

Many people say that Sikhi is not a missionary religion and that we shouldn't convert anyone to our faith.

but sikh history is against this in that Guru Nanak went to different areas to preach the Truth.

And Guru Amar Das Ji set up 22 Manjis to preach Sikhi and the Piri system which sent 146 devoted Sikhs to preach Sikhi in many parts of the country.

[GPS]

They did not tell anyone to leave their religion and join sikhism. They simply presented their philosophy to them.

Word missionary is an invention of christian movement in which missions were set up to convert people of various

regions.

There is a basic difference between two approaches.

One converts people by fair and foul means.

Sikhism does not convert.

[dalsingh101]

Sikhism does not convert.

This doesn't seem to square with the actions of Guru sahibaan. When you are using the word convert you are bringing too much baggage of what quoms such as Christians and Muslims do/did under this term. However, if the word describes changing someone's view to accept Sikhi then Sikhi did used to be a converting religion that did preach outwards and try to convince people to adopt it. There is a lot of evidence for this.

The fact that this doesn't happen anymore probably makes the chances of other faiths growing at the expense of people from former Sikh backgrounds higher. In a modern world in which numerical strength equates to political strength through democracy and numerical representation, can Sikhs really afford to be so blasé about increasing their numbers?

If we are to consider both miri (political or worldly strength) and piri (spiritual strength) - is neglecting increasing our strength through numbers neglecting the miri side of matters? I don't know?

[GPS]

This doesn't seem to square with the actions of Guru sahibaan.

Our Gurus did not converet anyone. Thye told people of the time that they had forgotten essence of their religion.and were indulging in false practices.

They condemend those practices.

Sikhism does not stress on numbers.It stresses on quality.

[dalsingh101]

Our Gurus did not converet anyone. Thye told people of the time that they had forgotten essence of their religion.and were indulging in false practices.

They condemend those practices.

Fair point.

But something happened by Guru Arjan Dev ji's time that was attracting mass converts to Sikhi. Jahangir specifically mentions it as does the contemporary Dabistan. Bhai Gurdas alludes to it in his vaars also.

[GPS]

Fair point.

But something happened by Guru Arjan Dev ji's time that was attracting mass converts to Sikhi. Jahangir specifically mentions it as does the contemporary Dabistan. Bhai Gurdas alludes to it in his vaars also.

That was not asked for by our Gurus.People saw the folly of their actions.It was not conversion.

They embraced sikhism.

[dalsingh101]

We are going to end up arguing over the semantics of the word 'conversion'.

Here are some definitions. I think the process that took place in the times of the Gurus could definitely be described as a conversion for many people.

• a change from lack of faith to religious belief; adoption of a religion
  
• a change from one belief, religion, doctrine, opinion, etc. to another
  
• an event that results in a transformation
  
• a spiritual enlightenment causing a person to lead a new life
  
• a change of religion; "his conversion to the Catholic faith"
  
• interchange of subject and predicate of a proposition
  
• the act of changing from one use or function or purpose to another
  

[GPS]

Our Gurus stressed on humanity as one. Their teachings had universal appeal.

ਏਕ ਨੂਰ ਤੇ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਕਉਨ ਭਲੇ ਕੋ ਮੰਦੇ

Ek noor te sabh jagu upjiaa kaoun bhale ko mande

From this One Light, the entire universe has welled up. So who is good, and who is bad? ||1||

sggs 1349

So they did not ask anyone to leave their religion and join sikhism. Hence it was never a missionary activity.

[guptkuri]

We aren't missionaries because we don't want to convert anyone. Yes, people convert into Sikhi but it is not because we force them or encourage them too. From my understanding of Sikhi we encourage people to leave false practices and become a good hindu/muslim or whatever religion they are. If people find it easier to to relate to and understand Sikhi and become Sikhs, that is their choice and we welcome them.

But we do not go out saying all other religions other then Sikhi are false, nor do we go out and try to force people to listen to us. Even when our Guru Ji's went out to preach, they only preached to people that came to listen, not shove their beliefs down peoples throats and force them to see their prespective. I think the fact we don't force our beliefs or religion upon others and encourages others to be good, is what sets us apart from other religions. And for that reason we are not missionaries, we aren't here to save anyones soul by converting them.

I am still learning about Sikhi, so if I say something wrong, please forgive me.

[dalsingh101]

So they did not ask anyone to leave their religion and join sikhism. Hence it was never a missionary activity.

That is your personal belief. I don't share it with you and believe that evidence seems to point at a contrary situation, especially as Sikhi became more and more revealed through successive mohalas. They may not have explicitly said 'leave your previous religion' but the implications of the parchaar meant exactly that.

There was an active drive to push the message of Sikhi and encourage people to adopt it. This endeavor, by both the Gurus and other appointed Sikhs (masands prior to their corruption), was very successful going by contemporary and near contemporary accounts.