Connecting with Sikhism, but white?

[dallysingh101]

17 hours ago, Guest Jack said:

Hello. I'm a white guy, born and raised in the USA, baptized and confirmed Catholic, however I never really could accept what Catholicism/Christianity teaches. I always felt like I was reaching for something "out there" to understand know God. I've read about/researched other faiths, such as Wicca, Islam, Hinduism, other secs of Christianity, and for a while I studied Buddhism. But again, these always left me wanting more. They spoke about God, "The Divine", creator, etc, but they always spoke of different ways to identify with God, spoke about all these rituals to get closer to God, but those things feel inadequate to me. Reading the Guru Granth Sahib pulls something deep inside of me. At least, for me, it explains God in terms that I'm able to understand and connect with, and Sikhism, from what I've read, shares the same moral/ethical/world views that I do.

My only worry/concern is appropriating the culture of Sikhs. While I very much admire the ten Gurus and the immense struggle they and the people who lived during there time (and of course the struggle that Sikhs, and black/brown people and other people of color, still go through today), I will never be able to identify with that struggle because of my racial position in life, which I accept, but does that mean I'm not able to follow the words of the Gurus? I'm a solitary person, so I don't think I would go to Gurdwara, and I don't think I would ever be baptized/ take the 5 K's. I enjoy being a lay person, appreciating what the Guru Granth Sahib says, and experiencing/knowing God. I just want to have a relationship with God, and I know that means more than just reading from the Guru Granth Sahib, and I'm hoping with time I'll be able to do more with my faith.

I guess I'm posting this to get an idea if there's any white people on this forum who are Sikh, or if any black/brown or other people of color on here have had experiences with white people in the Gurdwara and if those experiences were satisfactory or cringe worthy?

Be careful of 'Sikhism' which (to me and many others) appears to be a construct that developed under colonial rule, where elements of Sikhi were appropriated and manipulated to create a system which made colonial rule easier and surreptitiously brought in various outside victorian, protestant ideas to the unlettered rural masses of Panjab.

Sikhi is different and requires patience and strength and isn't spelled out for you in simplistic, dualistic notions. You have to experience it. 

The way of life was for everyone, not limited to any one race or community.  

[Guest daas guest singh]

32 minutes ago, puzzled said:

Welcome to sikhi:-)

Thanks,been in this great Panth for about 4-5 yrs now .Absolute Bliss.Chardikala

 

34 minutes ago, puzzled said:

Yh she does really gd videos, really gd videos for someone who is new to sikhi. Explains everything really well.

agreed.Have u given ur suggestions in the latest vid which was asking for suggestions 

[Guest daas guest singh]

25 minutes ago, dallysingh101 said:

Be careful of 'Sikhism' which (to me and many others) appears to be a construct that developed under colonial rule, where elements of Sikhi were appropriated and manipulated to create a system which made colonial rule easier and surreptitiously brought in various outside victorian, protestant ideas to the unlettered rural masses of Panjab.

Sikhi is different and requires patience and strength and isn't spelled out for you in simplistic, dualistic notions. You have to experience it. 

The way of life was for everyone, not limited to any one race or community. 

agreed totally 

[dallysingh101]

Another important thing re: the reception you might get from certain sections of the community/in Gurdwaras:

I'm from a Panjabi background and grew up single parent in a time when it really was considered....I don't know what the word I should use here is? 

In anycase, I fully understand why this (the single parent thing) is something a lot of the community were/are hawkish about. I understand why this is considered seriously undesirable. But be that as it may, (from my perspective) you don't really have much choice about these things, you just find yourself in them. Hukam. (For the record, believe it or not, this way of growing up can have some positives and benefits especially in terms of developing resilience in life and self-reliance). All this has probably made me mentally stronger and more streetwise than I would have been otherwise. 

Growing up, there were times when the reception I got from some of the sangat at the Gurdwara wasn't exactly friendly. There was a time when I was younger when I might of felt alienated enough to stay away for a bit, although I was continually trying to develop my understanding through reading throughout this (youtube weren't around then).

Now I don't know what experiences converts will have, I imagine they may get mixed ones. But the point I'm trying to make is that (for me) some degree of separation between people and Sikhi took place - and I believe for the better. Or else I could've let the negative experiences push me away from Sikhi (like I have seen happen to many, including in my own family), and I believe my life would have been infinitely poorer for this. 

This is no excuse for appalling behaviour by apnay by the way. Which is very concerning for some of us, because of the effect it has on cohesion. We can clearly see examples of the negative effects of inexcusable exclusionary attitudes in the villages of Panjab today. 

Just a heads up.  

This path was sealed by divinity in the form of a saint-soldier. By it's own admission it is "finer than a hair, sharper than the edge of double-edged sword" so if you go through any tough stages - take them with your chin up.