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The Path to a Sikh Renaissance


TejS
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Guest Jacfsing2

I like a lot of what you said, except the Khalistan point, I feel that as a community we can't do these things unless Punjab is Sikh-centered, (or even Punjabi-centered), to the point where Punjab can build their own institutions. Also, Sikhs need to be brave and independent, so I disagree with removing the warrior mentality.

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15 hours ago, TejS said:

 

  • Increase our numbers through procreating more children or adopting children and raising them into the Sikh faith, and marrying out (i.e. bring spouses from other faiths/ethnicity into the Sikh fold through reason and willingness, not force like love jihad)

Yes! The only prospect I see in Punjab is a non-sikh majority Punjab. That will not be very different from the Muslim-majority Punjab we observe, it's obvious like Pakistani Punjabi Muslims, most Punjabi Hindus, Jains tends to prefer urdu/hindi (respectively) over Punjabi.

 

 

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On 24/08/2017 at 9:07 AM, TejS said:

The Path to a Sikh Renaissance 

I feel that we are in a dire need of a Sikh Renaissance, where Sikhs will be able to contribute to the world at their zenith. I believe we were heading to that point during Maharaja Ranjit's time but it dwindled from there on. 

I think that we as a community need a re-emergence, and realizing it and bringing it into reality should be our main and only priority for now. Hearing and seeing the Sikh youth in Punjab being gripped by drugs, and in certain parts of the Western world becoming unmotivated, and failing in life is disheartening to see. 

I think through the following steps, we can emerge as a powerful force, however it will take extreme strife. 

Here is what I think is needed:

  • Sikhs need to spiritually reconnect with Sikhi
  • Become entrepreneurial by creating new industries or by taking control of existing ones, as a means of gaining great economic resource which can then be channeled to the Sikh cause, think Bill Gates & Mark Zuckerberg type of entrepreneurial success and economic gain
  • Put the Khalistan movement on the back burner for now, as it is only damaging and polarizing the community, and instead build ourselves up to a formidable level where we have a respected global image and can command power; and then bring back the movement through calculated ways and not martyrdom
  • Refocus on being a Sikh, and not a Sikh-Hindu, and pledge allegiance to the Sikh cause by being a united community - agreeing on our future goals, this can only be done by having more parchariks like Jugraj Singh, and supporting them through economic resources which in itself can only be provided by entrepreneurial Sikhs mentioned in my second bullet point
  • Having to set milestones and future goals such as Sikhs winning Nobel Prizes, Oscars, Pulitzer Prizes and etc.
  • Encouragement for meaningful learning and education ( this is the need of the moment, why is it that most of the Sikh youth hates pursuing education, especially Sikhs from Punjab?); we need more Sikhs aiming for the Rhodes Scholarship
  • Branch out into more reputable fields/industries - i.e. Science, Engineering, Medicine, Politics, Academia, Arts/Media, Technology, Business (this honestly is the crux of the Renaissance and I can see some of it already taking place in the Western world); I say this because most Sikhs join the Indian Army and most go for soldier as an occupation, but we need to step back and stop putting our lives on the line and instead need to focus on educating and securing our community through personal development
  • Evolve and be more open - accept Sehajdari and Mona Sikhs as a part of the community, the more the merrier
  • Immigrate from Punjab to the Western world (however through legal means and with the intent of gaining meaningful education, i.e. studying at esteemed institutions in America/England/Canada and not some merit-less community colleges, and gaining reputable jobs), as this will allow Sikhs more global exposure and opportunity
  • Increase our numbers through procreating more children or adopting children and raising them into the Sikh faith, and marrying out (i.e. bring spouses from other faiths/ethnicities into the Sikh fold through reason and willingness, not force like love jihad)
  • Be clear in our focus, respect other communities, but do not advocate their causes (such as the Sikh Coalition standing up for Muslims and Hindus, this is not benefiting us)
  • Reap the benefits of the system, and do not fight it or challenge it for the meantime, however retain allegiance to the Sikh cause (make use of the IITs in India, and Medical Colleges, and the student scholarships that send worthy students to Ivy Leagues); I think the Parsis have been most successful in this
  • Become role models,and in turn inspire Sikh youth, and establish an encouraging network (often times the Sikhs that do attain success, are extremely averse against helping other Sikhs - this is wrong, as we need to create a community that encourages and supports individual success such as the Jewish people)
  • Stop riding the coattails of our ancestors, and instead create new sagas of success in the present-day
  • Shed the warrior mentality, and instead uphold a warrior spirit, but put on a thinking cap so that communal decisions can turn out to be effective ones, and not ones that are conducted in the heat of the moment, which ultimately lead to little gain and more damage
  • Revise Judeo-Christian influenced English translations of the GGS and translate the GGS into other major languages (Arabic, Russian, Chinese, French, Spanish) and Indo-Aryan languages (Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Marwari/Rajasthani, Bihari, Nepali) to make Sikhism more accessible and understandable for those interested

Although I may have repeated myself a few times, this is what I came up with at the moment.

Feel free to criticize, discuss and contribute your thoughts about improving the Sikh community.

Apologies in advance, if I've offended anyone.

Interesting post my friend but I don't think  a so called 'Sikh renaissance' characterised by the attributes described are either desirable or even realistic.

A fundamental premise in the points you have made is that there is a homogeneous socio-religious group of people with  common goals. The Sikh community has never been such a community, in the past this didn't matter and the plurality of sikh identities was just accepted.. These days some misguided individuals want to create the type of organised religious  structures and definitions akin to those of dominant abrahamic religions..

A renaissance however is a good word to use for sikhi...

As guru sahib has told us the truth expressed in bani is a truth that has existed since the beginning of time... A renaissance is not a constructed goal you can't consciously make it happen.. You have to create the environment for it to thrive in..

 a actual 'renaissance'.  is  would have very little to do with the political dimensions you have mentioned.. I would have to disagree with that the last Sikh renaissance was during maharaja Ranjit Singh time. 

Renaissance is a cultural expression, the creativity involved in writing bani, the creation of new musical forms, the progression of metaphysical philosophy, Gurmukhi script, these days the most 'hard core believers' actually want to ape, Christian or Islamic organisational structures..  

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