"the Politics Of Neutrality"

[jagjit_waheguru]

waheguru ji kekhalsa, waheguru ji ke fateh

Pyare jio, this is a personal posting looking at points made on another thread by Veer Sikhi for Life. It is not meant to be towards any indivdual or group.

As young Sikhs, many of us have kept our kesh and come into sikhi. We have a certian outlook on sikhi. We are not caught in the dogma of groupism or tribalistic tendancies as many youths who have grown up in sikhi, and just accepted what their parents said. I think we all want sikhi to flourish and want a strong Guru Khalsa Panth.

Such is the nature of this tribalism in sikhs, that it effects its every pore in our punjabi society. It is ingrained in our gurdwaras, panthik movements, and now even youth, and even messageboards. Man is by nature tribalistic, and wants comfort in those he agrees with. Gurbani warns us to not judge others in their views, as we sit our our own groups and laugh at them.

Traditionally these groups have been AKJ, Damdami Taksal, Nihang, SGPC, Nanaksar, etc. But as I have seen in youth, anything can become a group, BOSS, SACA, Panchain, W!N, Sikh sangat, sikh awareness, AKJ.org, Tapoban, in fact everything we create.

Many sensitive youth rush to wards neutrality. I want to be neutral, I do not want to take sides. This is a natural reaction. There is only one neutrality in Sikhi, and that is the Siri Akal Thakht Sahib. Accept it or not, the Akal Thakht is the only common ground that binds everyone, and always will. As youth , no matter what our views we in our hearts must always accpet the first loyality is to it.

If we do this then it is fine. But I have seen over the years youth do not do this. They just do not want to have any associations with anything. People have associated me with AKJ, Sikh Missionary, & Akal Academy, and rightly so i do seva with them. I also have some books printed by Damdami Taksal. I am one of them people who do not care about being associated. If someone says to me, I am Taksali, Nanaksari, AKJ, or whatever, thats fine. We know where we stand. In fact I respect them more because at least they are honest about it. I have never asked anyone, but many just say to hint where they are, or see my reaction.

Many youth say, we are neutral. Often they think this is superior, or more Gurmat. What is more Gurmat orientated is not to get into the tribalistic tendancies or Groups, not being associated with them. Not to think my group is superior.

The problem is with neutrality is it has its own politics. These Gursikhs, many are very good friends of mine, say we are neutral because we want to just Naam jaap and do seva. So do I, but when it comes to seva i just get on with it. But they are so caught up with I cannot go here, and involve them, or do this, or say that, that I often laugh with them, that they are more into politics than anyone else. There is a politics of neutarlity, in fact more, otherwise how do you really know you are neutral?

There mind is obsessed with being neutral, how can they concentrate on Naam and seva. Similarly on the other side, others are so obsessed with their group, how can they concentrate on Naam and seva. The answer is to be Pure in your intentions to Naam and seva.

One example is Southall. It probably has the largest number of young Amritdhari youth in UK, but it is so lacking in local youth seva, such as not having camps. All other towns do it. Even Birmingham, the cauldron of Politics has many camps and alot for youth. Slough wilth all its Gurdwara politics problems is very active. But Southall, the youth are obsessed with this neutrality, so much, that they have become non-effective in seva to youth.

At some point everyone will be associated to something. Today it may be AKJ, Taksal, etc, tomorrow W!N, sikhsangat, or something else. Would you like it if tommorrow someone differentiated with you because you were involved in something else before? How do you not know in 3 years you will split into further groups, again looking for neutrality? Just say moderators abide by Akal tahkaht sahib, and no anti-any groups statements, simple as that.

Giani Amolak Singh ji is a fine example. He was assocaited with AKJ, NSJ, Akali dal, Sants, and much more. He did not care who he was working with, just that what they do is good for the Panth. He worked with everyone.

As youth, we should learn not to get into the tribalisms of these groups. I myself have found myself actively engaged in seva with groups like AKJ, Sikh Missionary,etc. Why? because after 10 years trying to do seva and bring change, I have realised it will take a lifetime to get to where these groups are now. The worldwide contacts, talented Gursikhs, and their mechanisms. The books I want to write, and message I want to spread I can do from within. Two groups in particular AKJ and Taksal, have a proud history. They need new youth to carry on that history. Do not run away from them, but learn from them. Both have their hearts in Shabad Guru. In 10 years, you the youth will be running them. Start something new, and in 10 years you may just achieve somethings, but from inside you can bring real change.

Just do not get involved in the tribalism, but use them with the Spirit of Bhai Fauja Singh and Baba Jarnail Singh Bindrawale, and work for the Guru khalsa Panth.

Just some things for youth to think about....

[Kudrat-Ke-Sab-Bande]

Waheguruji Ka Khalsa

Waheguruji Ki Fateh !!!!!!

This is so true. maybe some people might not agree with you, but they can have their own reasons.

Just do not get involved in the tribalism, but use them with the Spirit of Bhai Fauja Singh and Baba Jarnail Singh Bindrawale, and work for the Guru khalsa Panth.

Panth, Naam and Gursikhi should be our ultimate goal.

Bhul Chuk Maaf.

[Guest JSS]

i agree with jagjit singh ji....

i think the KEY take home message is that it's okay to associate with sangat of people you feel comfortable with...but do not use that association to JUDGE your fellow gursikhs...do not start believe becasue we do things one way, everyone else is wrong...that's when tensions build up and people start splitting up...i think we have to accept that people will have different interpretations of gurbani and sikhi...think about it..bhai randhir singh ji had a slightly different idea, sant kartar singh ji had a slightly different idea, baba harnaam singh ji had a slightly different aproach...but main thing they all respected and loved one another...i i disagree that "akal takt" is the common ground...no...the common ground SHOULD and has ALWAYS been our LOVE for guru ji...our faith in GURU ji has to be above all else...

i remember listening to Bhai Parminder singh ji's katha...

in it he said...a gursikh is he who upon seeing another gursikh cannot help but well up with tears of joy that he had such good fortune of meeting a fellow brother/sister...parminder singh ji used to say that it's okay to disagree on things....but he said..we should always remember that the person we are disagreeing with is also a sikh of the same father, the same mother...that person is also following hukams as best as he/she can..that person also matha teks to the same guru ji....

i think if we keep these really really SIMPLE thoughts in our minds, we'd notice that we'd judge each other less and wouldn't need this cry for neutrality becasue there would be no need for it...

[H4RPAL]

Great post. Its so true that it is not only the Jathebandis who are the tribes of today.

[GuruManeyoGranth]

WaheguruJeeKaKhalsa,WaheguruJeeKeeFateh

Fantastic Post

I really liked these bits:

What is more Gurmat orientated is not to get into the tribalistic tendancies or Groups, not being associated with them. Not to think my group is superior.

...when it comes to seva i just get on with it.

As youth, we should learn not to get into the tribalisms of these groups.

We should enjoy the company and take the best bits, as we see them, from the all branches of the Khalsa Panth. We should NOT get stuck into narrow-minded tribalism, as then we miss out on so much, both in terms of doing Seva with other Panthic groups, and learning from their knowledge of Sikhi. No individual has a monopoly on the Guru or the truth contained within the Guru.

Bhul Chuk Maaf

Waheguru