Divisions within Sikhism

Everywhere we look, we come across the same problem, DIVISION.

Be it Gurdwara's divided on caste, maryada (code of conduct/practice), or political views. Our most prized organisations, institutes and authorities are all divided along personal differences and vested interests.

One group declares it’s control and another comes and counters it.

Damdami Taksal has three factions, Buddha dal recently broke into two factions after the death of Jathedar Santa Singh (former head of Buddha Dal), Tarna Dal is been used by a number of splinter Nihang groups, AKJ has its problems, Our political voiced is a divided house with over a dozen Akali Dals (Sikh Political Party in Punjab) and don't even get me started on Gurdwara authorities. (SGPC, AGPC, DSGMC) Even our Jathedars of Thakt's are not on speaking terms, every now and even. Some Khalistani’s don’t event talk amongst each other.

It's come down to the extent of People or organisations claiming to be fighting for the same cause are attacking each other, by accusing others of been fakes, government agents or traitors. Personal recognition and support bases have taken a preference over the well being of our community.

Gurdwara’s are divided on anti-Sikh issues like caste, be it Ramgharia, Singh Sabha (confusingly said to be a Jatt Gurdwara, even though Singh Sabha Movement wasn’t led by Jatts), Ravidassisa, Kabirpanthi’s, Namdev’s, Taksali, Nihang, even Khalistani and non-Khalistani are ways in which we are labelling our Gurdwara’s if they are not labelled already.

Some refuse to sit on chairs in langar hall, whilst others wont go to a Gurdwara if it has a Photo of Sant Bhindranwale.

Young Sikhs, espically in Britain show themselves as AKJ, or Taksali Singhs before Sikhs of Sri Guru Granth Sahib JI, such is the state of our community today. Affiliation with Sikh groups appears more attractive than being a Sikh on it’s own.

The lack of openness with successions and declarations of new leaders allows others to claim a hijacking of a Jathebandi, some-how giving them the right to declare themselves as leader of the same group. Seeing multiple Dastarbandi’s (initiations) of people as the “new leader” of a group is rather embarrassing and disappointing.

Our Political Leaders are a divided house that many would rather see destroyed altogether. Allegations and counter allegations, no encouragement of Gurmat and sikhi, no encouragement to the youth to become amritdhari’s, no sponsored gurmat camps, espically in Punjab by political leaders, but now even abroad.

They all come to solicit our votes but they wouldn’t hold an amrit sanchar?

Where does this leave our youth? Confused, disengaged, ignored, neglected, rejected and disheartened.

I could go on writing, but you get the picture. We are a divided house and the only way of unifying is, through Sarbat Khalsa. The collective decision making power of the Sikh Nation.

Church Bankruptcies - Are Gurdwaras Next?

Something i found on www.Thelangarhall.com

Posted by Maple Leaf Sikh in Economy, General, News, Politics on 12 23rd, 2008 | 4 responses

During this holiday season of hard times, not even houses of God have been spared. Some lenders believe more churches than ever have fallen behind on loans or defaulted this year. Some churches, and at least one company that specialized in church lending, have filed for bankruptcy. Church giving is down as much as 15% in some places, pastors and lenders report.

An article in today’s Wall Street Journal highlights the financial pressures being faced by many churches across America. From my perspective, there’s two implications for Sikhs here, one a threat and the other an opportunity.

“There have been too many churches with a ‘build it and they will come’ attitude,” says N. Michael Tangen, executive vice president at American Investors Group Inc., a church lender in Minnetonka, Minn. “They had glory in their eyes that wasn’t backed up with adequate business plans and cash flow.”

The threat comes in areas where there are more gurdwaras than the community can support. Most cities across North America have multiple gurdwaras not because of market analysis and strategic planning, but usually because a particular group doesn’t like the results of a gurdwara election and choose to take their ball and bat (or their degh and tegh) elsewhere. This stubbornness often results in small gurdwaras that do not have the critical mass of regular attenddees required to have a thriving sangat. Yes, all you need is a Sikh and their Guru to have a sangat, but you really do have to question gurdwaras that have only four people in the diwaan, namely the three ragis and the sevaadar attending to Guru Granth Sahib.

This also begs the question of whether non-historical gurdwaras in the Diaspora have a natural lifecycle. If the Sikhs have all moved out of a downtown area to the suburbs, does it make sense to still keep the original Gurdwara running or allocate the resources to where they’re better needed? Its probably my own ignorance, but I don’t know of any gurdwaras in the West that have been deliberately closed down for good reason.

On the flip side, perhaps this is also an opportunity for Sikhs. In communities where the Sikh population is rapidly growing, a pre-existing house of worship in residential/commercial area seems a whole lot better than the abandoned industrial warehouse which are certainly the norm in Canada.

The financial problems are crimping a church building boom that began in the 1990s, when megachurches multiplied, turning many houses of worship into suburban social centers complete with bookstores, gyms and coffee bars.

Many Sikh youth lament the need for gurdwaras to evolve beyond just houses of worship to become more like community centers that serve the spiritual and social needs of the Sikh community. Perhaps this may be just our chance to buy one fully furnished complete with an expresso bar for cha and jalebis.

Source - http://thelangarhall.com/archives/1675

Opening Statement

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh,

I opening meeting was one with different backgrounds, interests and experiences. A opening agenda was finalised by the 15 attending members.

1) Start engagement with local schools and children at our local gurdwara's.

2) Contact, inform and involve Gurdwara's in our programme by addressing sangat and committee members.

3) Develop a Parchar (Preaching) network for future events.

4) Starting this blog.