Can A Gurudwara Run Independently Without Any Involvement From The Political Sikh Bodies?

[liveandletlive]

Akal Takht = Sadi Jind Sadi Jaan

We are 1 Panth and all come under the guidance of Akal Takht. The Panth is supposed to control the Akal Takht.

[Tera]

^ That sums it up.

[Deletedkp]

^ That sums it up.

That sums up what? We are 1 panth and that come under the umbrella of Akal thakat?

Well, not doing the best of jobs are they, how many of the smaller sects have split away from this 1 panth because they have slightly diffrent ways of practising the Sikh faith. In my opnion even the Goray Sikhs of America will have a diffrent apprach to the Sikh faith and will probably spilt from the main stream. The Panth you are mentioning is getting smaller by the day, you need accept that SIkhs are only by name.

[Tera]

What do you mean by smaller sects? If you talk of like the naamdharis for example, then they do not fall under the Panth.

If you talk of jathebandia like Taksalis etc then I think you'll find that although there are minor differences between them, they have not split away. They do not go against the Panthic Maryada and all fall under the Akal Takht.

You can look at it in whichever way you like. I see the Panth getting stronger, more youth coming into Sikhi, more parchaar being done. They are many many amazing Gursikhs out there that live & breath Sikhi - Dhan Guru, Dhan Guru Pyarey.

[chatanga]

I do understand about the authorial role of Akal Thakat but why should we need such body to have a say on what we do in the west. There is cultural differences and laws within the west are very different too.

For.e.g. If the local Sikh community in my town decided to open a Gurdwara and all funding has come from the local community, what right does Akal Thakat have.

There are not just cultural differences between the west and the east. Even within the east there are different cultures. There are many different cultures within india, but cultural differences is no reason to say that we can/should ignore Sri Akal Takht Sahib authority. It is the denial of the Guru Panth, which is saying that Miri-Piri is no not needed. This is not even good for Sikhs to be thinking this, let alone saying it. Even Thinking this "what right does Sri Akal Takht have " is paap.

Sri Akal Takht Sahib does not get involved in any Gurdwara unless a dispute or complaint is brought before it.

The underlying problem in our community is outlined in kphulls post above that if the local community has done everything what right to others have? For a long time, Sikhs have began to think this is "our" gurdwara, and not the panth's, or the Guru's. Ours alone, for no-one else to have a say in or decide anything. So if we made it, we can do what we want. But just as a man who builds his own house is still subject to the laws of that country concerning his house, the same is with the Gurdwara, that it is still subject to the supreme governing authority, like it or not.