common misconceptions about Sikhi (rituals, Buddhism, beliefs, experience, worship)

[lilithu]

Namaste Yall! Hopefully, there are some Sikhs in RF that can help me. I am helping to develop a workshop aimed at fostering greater understanding and respect between people of different faiths in the workplace. This issue is very important to me and I would like to do the best job I can. And I could use your help. My question to you is: what in your experience, are the most common and/or most harmful misconceptions about Sikhi that you've encountered from non-Sikhs? Your responses will help me to focus the workshop more effectively.

Thanks!
-lilith

[Sikhism]

misconceptions:
1) you just said namaste, sikhs (typically baptised) will greet others by saying WAHEGURU JEE KA KHALSA, WAHEGURU JEE KEE FATEH, other not baptised sikhs may also greet others by saying SAT SRI AKAL, however the saying the first greeting is the guru's wish
2) sikhism is not similar or a sect of hinduism (annoying because we have more differeneces)
3)about not being the same as hindiusm, we have many different beliefs: sikhism believes in one god, against rituals and superstitions, no other is worthy of worship apart from god, and etc
4)western people may think of us as some middle eastern muslims, when the 10th true guru (Guru Gobind Singh) gave us an unique identity.
5)only a minorty of ALL sikhs are bapatised i.e follow the guru's code of conduct (rehat), many sikhs have become westernised for e.g. by drinking, cuting hair, these are no-nos in sikhism. however there are still many baptised sikhs following rehat and keeping the guru's identity

if you have any other queries or are confused about certain things in sikhism, please feel free to ask.

[anders]

Welcome, Sikhism!

One of the most common misconceptions, found in many otherwise reliable encyclopaedias, is that Sikhism was founded as an effort to unite Islam and Hinduism. The differences you’ll find from even a casual study rather gives the impression that it emerged as a reaction towards those religions.

Some people think that anybody wearing a turban is a Muslim. False. There’s a reliable Wikipedia page on turbans.

[lilithu]

Namaste Sikhism,

'namaste' is the standard greeting that I use. I did not mean for it to be specifically addressing Sikhs. I started similar posts in the Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism forums the same way.

Thank you for your response! It is good to see some activity in the Sikhism forum and I hope you find your interactions on RF to be fruitful.

[Singh]

good points Sikhism.

lilithu if u need more info check out www.sikhnet.com

[michel]

Namaste Singh,

As I notice that this is your first time on here, I thought I would take the opportunity to Welcome you to Religious Forums;



I hope that you would feel able to introduce yourself to the other members of the forum, by posting on:- Are you new to ReligiousForums.com?



Please feel free to ask questions, if you have any. You might like to check out our article with links for our newer members; from there, there is also a link to the forum rules which you ought to look at.

I hope you will enjoy this forum, and look forward to seeing your posts.

Michel

[Spiritual Sikh]

How many times have you asked me who was the sage of Karamsar
See the Tears of the River Satluj and do not ask after the ocean.

[Spiritual Sikh]

How many times have you asked me who was the sage of Karamsar
See the Tears of the River Satluj and do not ask after the ocean.

[Ramacharaka]

Originally Posted by anders

Welcome, Sikhism!

Sikhism was founded as an effort to unite Islam and Hinduism. The differences you’ll find from even a casual study rather gives the impression that it emerged as a reaction towards those religions.[/size]

Yes exactly! It also emerged during the 1500's or so, the time of the protestant reformation of Christianity. the Jeudo-Christian-Islamic tradition in theology is known as the "One god" tradition, and hinduism as the "many god" tradition. since islam sometimes warns against some in Jewish thought of not accepting new prophets and religious traditions, and as some christians wait still in vain for the second coming (stupid even if it was supposed to be in the form of reincarnation like that of the sikh gurus) probably because of the predicted Jewish Messiah that was Jesus but to some never came. As all good people should accept all religious traditions, Sikhism is the great Unitarian faith. The Guru Granth is a truly awesome religious text, sadly obscure as sikhism is probably as known as most protestant denominations.