VIEW ALL MANKIND AS ONE

1
VIEW ALL MANKIND AS ONE

• Sexuality Equality in Sikhism

2
Overview of Presentation

• History of Sikhism
• Generic Sikh Philosophy
• Visit To A Gurdwara
• Anglo - Sikh Relationship
• UK Laws and Sikh Population Statistics
• Sikh Groupings and Sects
• Sikh Philosophy on Equality and Sexuality
• Insights into Punjabi Indian Culture
• Common Objections to Homosexuality by Sikhs
• Concluding Remarks

2
3
History of Sikhism(1000AD 1700AD)
4
Background to Sikhism

• History of Sufism in the subcontinent
• spiritual or mystical Islam
• traced back to Ali, Mohammeds son-in-law
• Muinnyudin Chishti (1141 1240)
• Introduced Sufism to India
• Baba Farid (13th century)
• pir/saint worship
• tombs of saints revered
• similarity to Hinduism

5
Background to Sikhism

• History of the Bhakti Movement in Hinduism
• devotion more important than knowledge
• rejection of the caste system
• opposed by Brahmins
• worship of bhagats/saints
• similar to Sufi pirs
• Important North Indian bhagats in 15th Century
• Ravidas
• Kabir

6
Sikh Gurus (1st to 5th)

• Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469 1539)
• Founder of Sikhism
• Guru Angad Dev Ji (1504 1552)
• Perfected the Punjabi script of Gurmukhi
• Guru Amar Das Ji (1479 1574)
• Strengthened the importance of Langar, abolished
  Sati
• Guru Ram Das Ji (1534 1581)
• Founded Amritsar, composed the Laavan (marriage
  hymns)
• Guru Arjun Dev Ji (1563 1606)
• Sikh martyr, founded Darbar Sahib, compiled Sikh
  Holy Book

7
Sikh Gurus (6th to 10th)

• Guru Hargobind Ji (1595 1644)
• militarised Sikhism, Miri-Piri (temporal-spiritual
  ) ideals
• Guru Har Rai Ji (1630 1661)
• maintained the militaristic aspects of Sikhism
• Guru Har Krishan (1656 1664)
• child Guru
• Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621 1675)
• executed whilst protecting Kashmiri pandits
  (Hinduism)
• Guru Gobind Singh (1666 1708)
• founded the Khalsa, last living Guru

8
Sikh Gurus (11th/current)

• Guru Granth Sahib
• Sikh Holy Book
• First compiled in 1604 became Guru in 1708
• contains compilations of
• first 5 Gurus and the 9th Guru
• 15 Hindu Bhagats and Muslim Pirs, including
  Farid, Kabir and Ravidas
• 1430 pages
• treated as a living being
• respected as Guru by all Sikhs

9
Generic Sikh Philosophy
10
What is Sikhism?

• Sikh means Learner
• An individual who strives to understand and seek
  knowledge of eternal wisdom is a Sikh
• Sikhism is a philosophy (known as Gurmat) which
  can be followed by anyone
• Sikh philosophy explores eternal truth and our
  relationship with truth

10
11
Transcendent Nature of God (Nirgun)as set out in
the Mool Mantar

• There is one creative force
• This is the eternal truth
• Doer of everything
• Beyond fear
• Beyond revenge
• Beyond death
• Image of the Infinite, Unborn
• This awareness is the Gurus gift

12
Immanent Nature of God (Sargun)

• God exists throughout and within all animate and
  inanimate objects
• The Creation and the Creator are the same thing.
• From water, He created the three worlds in each
  and every heart He has infused His Light. SGGSJ
  p. 19

12
13
Golden Chain of Teachers

• Jesus, Buddha, Hari Krishna, Prophet Mohammad,
  Guru Nanak are all part of a golden chain of
  teachers.
• There are six schools of philosophy, six
  teachers, and six sets of teachings. But the
  Teacher of teachers is the One, who appears in so
  many forms. SGGSJ p. 12
• You God are Mach, Kacch and Bavan Avatar,
  Narsingha, Buddha you are the essence of the
  world. Dasam Granth SNM

13
14
Karma, Samsara Reincarnation

• Karma is the idea that we reap the fruits of our
  efforts. So attention is given to ones thoughts,
  words, deeds
• Samsara is the continual cycle of birth and death
  of life forms until merger with God is achieved.
• Reincarnation is the belief system of all Indian
  religions, gnostic Christianity, mystical Islam
  mystical Judasim
• Aim of life is to break the cycle of birth and
  death and achieve a state of eternal freedom
  (Mukhti)
• With an all-compassionate God there is no space
  for eternal damnation.

14
15
3 Golden Lifestyle Principles

• Naam Japna
• Meditation of Gods name
• Kirat Karna
• To earn an honest living and lead an honest life
• Living the life of a householder and raising a
  family (Gristi Jeevan)
• Wand Ke Chhakna
• Share ones wealth and time with others

16
Visit To A Gurdwara
17
Rooms In A Gurdwara

• Sikh place of is called a Gurudwara which means
  Doorway to the Guru
• Outside Gurdwara bright orange flag
• Darbar / Prayer Hall is where singing talks
  happen.
• scripture placed on a throne
• Individual with Chaur Sahib
• Langar hall communal kitchen usually serving a
  vegetarian indian meals to all visitors from the
  morning up until the late evening.

18
Rules In A Gurdwara

• Open to people of all backgrounds
• Remove shoes
• Wear modest clothing
• Cover head with a scarf or bandana
• Men and women sit on different sides of the
  prayer hall but usually mixed in the langar hall

18
19
Anglo - Sikh Relationship
20
Sikhisms relationship with Britain

• Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780 1839)
• Ruler of the Sikh Empire
• stretched from Afghanistan to China, and included
  Kashmir, most of modern-day Pakistan, and
  northern parts of India
• Patron of Sikh Arts
• covered the Darbar Sahib in gold, hence Golden
  Temple
• many items now in the VA Museum, South
  Kensington
• owned the Koh-i-Noor diamond
• Secular rule
• Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, and Europeans in
  government and army
• endowments to gurdwaras, mandirs and mosques

21
Sikhisms relationship with Britain

• First and Second Sikh Wars (1845-6, 1848-9)
• Annexation of Punjab by British Empire (1849)
• Sikh regiments formed within the British Army
• Maharaja Duleep Singh (1838 1893)
• exiled to Britain in 1854 first Sikh settler in
  Britain
• converted to Christianity
• court favourite of Queen Victoria
• lived near Thetford (Norfolk/Suffolk borders)
• reconverted to Sikhism in later years, but buried
  in Elveden Church due to fears that return of
  body to India for cremation could lead to unrest

22
Sikhism during the British Raj

• Development of distinct identity
• Sikh presence in British Army
• SGPC/Singh Sabha Movement
• Anand Marriage Act 1909 (in India)
• Amritsar Massacre of 1919
• Loss of fluidity of religion/beliefs
• Youngest son in Punjabi Hindu families often
  brought up as Sikh
• normal to worship at gurdwara, mandirs and pirs
  tombs
• codification of religious identity during British
  Raj

23
UK Laws Sikh Population Statistics
24
UK Laws Relating to SIkhs

• Definition of a Sikh in UK Law (Mandla v
  Dowell-Lee, 1983 case)
• Wearing Turbans on Motorcycles
  (Motor-Cycle Crash Helmets (Religious Exemption)
  Act 1976)
• Wearing Kirpan (Sword) at the Workplace and in
  Society (Criminal Justice Act 1988 and
  1996)

24
25
Global Sikh Population
26
Sikh Groupings Sects
27
Mainstream Sikhs

• 80 of Sikhs do not have long hair or wear
  turbans
• Some may be recognised by a metal bracelet on the
  left or right arm (if they wear one)
• Do not have any specific dietary requirements,
  but may avoid Beef.
• Generally educated people who like to drink!

28
Khalsa Sikhs

• Baptised Sikhs, as initiated by the 10th Guru
• Wear 5Ks/articles of faith
• Kara (bracelet) Kesh (uncut hair) Kachera
  (shorts/underwear) Kanga (comb) Kirpan (short
  dagger)
• Dietary lifestyle includes tee totalling,
  vegetarianism or avoid halal/kosher meat/Beef
• Perform 5-7 meditations per day
• Constitute small of Sikh community
• Control 99 of all Gurdwaras in the world

29
Namdhari Sikhs

• Recognised by their all white clothing (usually)
  and distinctive white turban style with folds at
  the front
• Follow a living master His Holiness Sri Satguru
  Jagjit Singh Ji
• Focus is on living a simple and pure lifestyle
• Strict vegetarians, teetotalers and keep long hair

29
30
3HO Yogi Sikhs

• Healthy-Happy-Holy org started by a living master
  called Yogi Bhajan
• Practise Kundalini Yoga
• Many work as yoga teachers, alternative health
  therapists
• Tend to be from non-Indian backgrounds
• Strict vegetarians, teetotalers and most follow
  5K discipline of Khalsa Sikhs

31
Asian Sikh Organisations

• Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC)
• Best known Sikh organisation
• Mini Sikh Parliament in India
• Controls gurdwaras in 3 states of India including
  Punjab , Haryana and Himachal Pradesh
• Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee
• Controls gurdwaras in Delhi
• Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee
• Controls gurdwaras in Pakistan

32
Western Sikh Organisations

• Network of Sikh Organisations
• Indarjit Singh OBE CBE
• Guru Nanak Nishkam Sevak Jatha (UK)
• Organised food at the 4th Parliament of World
  Religions in Barcelona
• Sikh American Legal Defense Education Fund
  (SALDEF) United Sikhs
• British Organisation of Sikh Students (BOSS)

32
33
Sikh Philosophy On Equality Sexuality
34
Humanity is One Family

• Manas ki jat sabhe ikhe pehchanbo
• Quote of 10th Guru Recognise all of mankind as
  one
• Na koi Hindu, na koi musalman
• Quote of 1st Guru There is no Hindu, there is
  no Muslim
• All are the same, all religions are merely
  different ways to God
• Janu jot na pucho jati agai jaat na hi
• Acknowledge the light of God in all and do not
  think of class or caste as there is no class or
  caste in the next world SGGSJ p.349

35
All Religions Are Valid

• 1st Guru - universalist approach to God
• 9th Guru - gave his life to protect Hinduism
• Interfaith Scripture - Mystical works of Hindus,
  Muslims and Sikhs incorporated
• Bhai Ghaniya - disciple of 10th Guru who
  administered water and aid to all injured
  soldiers following battles between Sikhs and
  Moghuls, regardless of religion

36
Equal Opportunities

• Langar
• Free kitchen open to all
• Disregard of Caste System
• Golden Temple has four entrances, showing it is
  open to all
• Gender Equality
• Opportunity for women to be involved with all
  aspects of service
• Sikhism had 4 women bishops in the 15th century
  under the Manji system of dioceses

37
5 Thieves

• Five thieves
• Similar to the 7 Deadly Sins of Christianity
• Kaam Lust
• Krodh Anger
• Lobh Greed
• Moh Attachment
• Hunkar Egotism
• Expectation is to manage these thieves rather
  than remove them completely

38
Kaam / Lust

• Excessive sexual interest
• Vices to be kept in check, to prevent it becoming
  an all-consuming passion
• References to kaam found in Buddhism, Hinduism
  and Jainism
• Hindu belief of sanyasi, or renouncement of the
  world, includes celibacy
• Buddhist monks practice celibacy
• Jains aspire to celibacy as part of spiritual
  progress
• No such prohibitions within Sikhism

39
Marriage in Sikhism

• Laavan
• Sikh Marriage Hymn, consisting of four stanzas
• Written by 4th Guru
• Describes two souls (the Bride) being married
  to God (the Groom), rather than of a man to a
  woman
• Sikh Marriage Act 1909 (India)
• Legalised the use of the Lavaan as a means of
  Sikh marriage
• Hindu circumambulation of fire was used prior to
  this

40
Punjabi and Indian Cultural Beliefs
41
Distinguishing Religion and Culture

• Sikhism
• liberal religion/belief system
• Punjabi society/culture
• highly conservative
• agrarian/feudal society
• misogynistic and patriarchal
• almost all Sikhs are ethnically Punjabi, leading
  to confusion as to the distinction between
  religion and culture

42
Punjabi Attitudes to Equality

• Caste System
• Rife in Punjabi society, with most marriages
  taking place along caste lines
• Gurdwaras sometimes based on caste lines, with
  low caste Sikhs having formed a distinct religion
  due to discrimination (the Ravidasia religion)
• Gender Equality
• High level of female infoeticide by way of
  selective abortion
• 876 female births to 1000 male births (Punjab
  census of 2001)
• Dowry system still practiced, despite being
  illegal
• Honour killings (extremely rare)

43
Punjabi Attitudes to Sexuality

• Homosexuality illegal in India
• Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code of 1860
  prohibits carnal intercourse against the order
  of nature
• Male dominated society
• Machismo/ Patriarchal society
• Homosexuality considered an affront to Punjabi
  machismo
• Homosexuality as a Western condition
• Viewed as such, despite history of homosexuality
  in the Subcontinent

44
Common Objections To Homosexuality by Sikhs and
Rebuttals
45
Objection 1

• A Sikh cant be gay because the panth has
  specifically outlawed it

45
46
Homosexuality Edict by Akal Thakat

• Akal Takht
• Established by 6th Guru as the temporal
  equivalent to the Darbar Sahib in Amritsar the
  throne of the eternal one
• Issued edicts during the time of the living Gurus
• Edict of 2005
• Head Priest issued edict forbidding same-sex
  marriages
• Edict issued in response to the Canadian Same-Sex
  Marriage Act which was going through Canadian
  Parliament and which stated that same-sex
  marriages would be allowed in places of worship
  where the religion does not object to same-sex
  marriages

47
Other Edicts of Akal Takht

• Partaking of Langar by sitting in lines on the
  floor only
• Not followed by all gurdwaras, especially those
  outside of India issue has led to violence in
  gurdwaras in USA
• Nanakshahi calendar
• Implemented by SGPC in 2003 solar calendar,
  similar to the Gregorian calendar
• Previous calendar was the Northern Indian
  Bikrami calendar, a solar calendar with
  lunar-based dates for festivals
• Bikranti still used by some sections of Sikh
  community, leading to different festival dates,
  most notably the recent 300th anniversary of the
  Sikh Holy Book becoming the present Guru

48
Rebuttal to Objection 1

• The Guru Granth Sahib says NOTHING about
  homosexuality it only mentions excessive lust
• The edicts of the Akal Takht are disputed by many
  Sikhs, and not all Sikhs follow those edicts,
  leading to a split in the religion
• The 2005 edict was made in the absence of
  consultation of learned Sikhs and without
  reference to scripture it was a knee-jerk
  reaction to the issue of homosexuality

49
Objection 2

• A Sikh cant be gay because its unnatural and
  Sikhism teaches to lead a natural life

49
50
Rebuttal to Objection 2

• The premise that homosexuality is unnatural is
  wrong
• Homosexuality is common in the animal kingdom,
  especially among herding animals and observed in
  1,500 animal species
• The types of species include everything from
  mammals like lions and killer whales to crabs and
  worms
• Four to five percent of the ducks and geese
  couples are homosexual and are often better at
  raising the young than heterosexual couples.

51
Objection 3

• A Sikh is only allowed sex for pro-creation.
  Homosexuals have sex for pleasure and that is
  wrong

51
52
Rebuttal 3

• Indian philosophy recognises that a human has 4
  major needs (char padarath) including
• Dharma - Faith
• Aartha - Weath
• Kaama - Fulfilment of sexual desires
• Moksha Salvation
• If it was only permissible to have sex for
  pro-creation then what of couples who cannot
  conceive? Does that invalidate the marriage or
  partnership?
• If a husband and wife cannot have a child for any
  reason, but continue trying to conceive, does
  that mean that they are not Sikh?

52
53
Rebuttal 3 (cont.)

• Excessive lust is not permitted within Sikhism,
  but there are no problems with sexual activity in
  moderation.
• If sexual activity without the purpose of
  pro-creation were forbidden in Sikhism, then Guru
  Nanak would not have stressed the importance of
  Gristi Jeevan
• The concept of Gristi Jeevan (life of a
  householder) is compatible with same-sex
  marriages as the parents can adopt children or
  have children by way of artificial insemination
• Non-fertile couples are not precluded from Sikh
  marriage.

53
54
Concluding Remarks
55
Sikh Attitudes to Homosexuality outside of India

• Depends on personal attitudes of Sikhs, and
  whether consider Jathedar of Akal Takht as
  supreme authority on Sikh issues
• Progressive attitudes held by the following Sikh
  groups
• Sarbat.Net
• Project Naad
• 3HO
• Sher Vancouver
• Canadian Sikh leaders apology for homophobic
  comments (2008) evidence of progress being made