Sikhism Christianity Theory and Practice

www.SikhingTruth.
com
Correcting a Skewed
View of Sikhism by a
Christian Fanatic
www.SikhingTruth.com
Page 1 of 46
1 Contents Page
1 Contents Page.............................................................................................................. 2
2 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 5
3 Worship of God in Sikhism ........................................................................................ 6
3.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the worship of God................................ 6
3.1.1 Quote 1 – all life is sacred........................................................................... 7
3.1.2 Quote 2 – devotional worship is the way to God........................................ 7
4 Oneness of humanity................................................................................................... 7
4.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the oneness of humanity...................... 7
5 True pilgrimage........................................................................................................... 9
5.1 SikhingTruth response regarding pilgrimage ............................................... 9
6 Symbols are useless .................................................................................................. 10
6.1 SikhingTruth response regarding 5K’s ........................................................ 10
7 Abstinence of alcohol and meat................................................................................ 14
7.1 SikhingTruth response regarding alcohol and meat................................. 14
8 Honest living............................................................................................................. 15
8.1 SikhingTruth response regarding honest living ......................................... 15
9 Ignore trivial matters................................................................................................. 16
9.1 SikhingTruth response regarding trivial matters ...................................... 16
10 No religion - just human ....................................................................................... 16
10.1 SikhingTruth response regarding trivial matters ...................................... 16
11 Idol worship and the Sikh holy scripture .............................................................. 17
11.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the holy book ....................................... 17
12 Physical violence is permissible only as a last resort ........................................... 17
12.1 SikhingTruth response regarding physical violence ................................. 17
13 Sikhism stands for freedom of religion................................................................. 18
13.1 SikhingTruth response regarding freedom of religion ............................. 18
13.1.1 Christian example 1 .................................................................................. 18
14 All religions are different paths to God ................................................................ 19
14.1 SikhingTruth response regarding different paths to God........................ 19
15 One God – One holy book – One congregation.................................................... 19
15.1 SikhingTruth response regarding one God – one holy book – one
congregation ............................................................................................................... 20
16 Helping the poor and needy .................................................................................. 20
16.1 SikhingTruth response regarding helping the poor and needy............... 20
17 Simple places of worship ...................................................................................... 20
17.1 SikhingTruth response regarading simple places of worship.................. 21
18 Importance of humility ......................................................................................... 21
18.1 SikhingTruth response regarding humility ................................................. 21
19 Reading of scripture .............................................................................................. 22
19.1 SikhingTruth response regarding scripture reading ................................. 22
19.1.1 Cure of Multiple Myeloma through God’s Word (Gurbani) ............. 24
20 Greed Part 1 .......................................................................................................... 25
20.1 SikhingTruth response regarding greed part 1.......................................... 25
21 Greed Part 2 .......................................................................................................... 25
Page 2 of 46
21.1 SikhingTruth response regarding greed part 2.......................................... 26

21.1.1 Canadian hospital named after Guru Nanak ..................................... 27
22 Outward appearances do not matter...................................................................... 28
22.1 SikhingTruth response regarding outward appearances ......................... 28
23 Life is worth more than bricks and mortar ................................................... 29
23.1 SikhingTruth response regarding life.......................................................... 29
24 Blind leading the blind? .................................................................................... 30
24.1 SikhingTruth response regarding blind leading the blind ....................... 30
25 Whole life to be lived holy ............................................................................... 30
25.1 SikhingTruth response regarding living Sikhi............................................. 30
26 All paths can lead to God ................................................................................. 31
26.1 SikhingTruth response regarding paths to God......................................... 31
27 Sikhism is a paraphrase of Hinduism? ............................................................. 32
27.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Hinduism ............................................... 32
28 Teachings to be taught in local languages .................................................... 33
28.1 SikhingTruth response regarding teaching in local languages ......................... 33
29 Sikhism is the ultimate truth ........................................................................... 34
29.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Sikhism as the ultimate truth............ 34
30 Were all Gurus equally divine.......................................................................... 36
30.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the Gurus .............................................. 36
31 Pilgrimage is useless.......................................................................................... 36
31.1 SikhingTruth response regarding pilgrimage ............................................. 36
32 Origin of the mantra Waheguru....................................................................... 36
32.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the origin of Waheguru mantra......... 37
33 God is fearless .................................................................................................... 37
33.1 SikhingTruth response regarding God is fearless...................................... 37
34 Focus and discipline is important is prayer and spiritual practice ........... 38
34.1 SikhingTruth response regarding focus and discipline ............................ 38
35 Sikh place of worship is open to one and all ........................................................ 38
35.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Sikh place of worship.......................... 39
36 Material things are maya....................................................................................... 39
36.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Maya....................................................... 39
37 Righteous living makes one fearless and strong ........................................... 39
37.1 SikhingTruth response regarding fearlessness .......................................... 40
38 Sikhism provides an egalitarian power base ................................................. 40
38.1 SikhingTruth response regarding egalitarian power base ....................... 40
39 Sikhism can make a useful contribution to world politics.......................... 41
39.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the contribution of Sikhism to world
politics ......................................................................................................................... 41
40 Spiritual knowledge should be available to all............................................. 41
40.1 SikhingTruth response regarding spiritual knowledge............................. 42
41 Idol worship is useless ....................................................................................... 42
41.1 SikhingTruth response regarding idol worship .......................................... 42
42 Honesty and inner purity is important ........................................................... 43
42.1 SikhingTruth response regarding honesty and purity .............................. 43
43 The 5 beloved = Guru ........................................................................................ 43
Page 3 of 46
43.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Sikhs and their Guru ........................... 43

44 Remaining cool and collected is important................................................... 44
44.1 SikhingTruth response regarding coolness................................................. 44
45 Be happy and cheerful ...................................................................................... 45
45.1 SikhingTruth response regarding happiness .............................................. 45
46 Look on the inside of a person......................................................................... 45
46.1 SikhingTruth response regarding looking on the inside of a person ..... 46
47 Conclusions regarding Sikhism ............................................................................ 46
Page 4 of 46
2 Introduction
The following questions were posted by an Indian Christian who seems to have
misunderstood major elements of the Sikh way of life and its eternal message
to humanity. So we have posted answers to questions posed by our colleague.
Everything in blue are comments or statements from our Christian colleague/s

Everything in black is our response
As a summary the answer which forms a major element to all the questions
relates to the application of the spiritual Sikh way of life by some Sikhs in their
personal lives. The fact that the submitter recognizes the high principles and
values set by the Sikh way of life is truly brilliant! However our Christian friend
simply fails to understand the simple fact that the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev
Ji are not automatically made lower because some members of the Sikh
community do not practice the spiritual lifestyle in the way it should be
practiced. Also every faith group will have members which do not follow the
teachings of their respective faiths. However, it would be ridiculous to judge
the teachings of a faith by observing the habits of non-practicing members of
the community.
Sikhism is a modern, practical and rational way of life with many unique
insights into the kingdom of God. We examine some of these insights in this
essay.
Page 5 of 46
3 Worship of God in Sikhism

Statement by a Christian:
“Now one of our sikh brother gived comment that Sikhs believes in one God
and they worship Him only. 100 out of 100 Sikhs they have pictures of 10
Guru's, Gurudwara's and saint's at their homes, shops, working places and in
Gurudawara's . Every morning and evening they bow their heads (matha tikna)
before that photos and worship them and not only that they teach their
children's also how to bow their heads before them. Now 90 out 100 Sikhs go
to mandir, mazar's and other places and they worship them. And now if you go
to Gurudawara's there you will see a Nishan Sahib. That Nishan sahib's Hight is
to high, and it shows you that where Gurudawara is but people bow their
heads before that also. Even if you go to some saints, Sikhs bow their heads
before them too. Here bowing head means matha tikna in gurmukhi. Those
who are new in Sikhisim they don't know about this or may be they didn't
realize yet. But slowly slowly they will see one day. Even those who are
religious Christians for example Catholics, worship photos of Jesus, Mother
Marry and they have idols of them in Cathlic Churches. Muslims worhip Mazar's
and Hindu's worship Idol's. I am not writting this to offend you or any one else.
I am writting it to let you know that stop judging others and start judging your
self. First you have to correct your own house.”
3.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the worship of God

Sikhs do indeed keep pictures of their Gurus and Saints in Gurdwaras, their
homes, in necklaces etc but these are simply reminders of the great sacrifices
and teaching given by the Sikh masters. This in itself is not a bad thing and
indeed anything that reminds us of God and doing good for society is beautiful.
Pictures of the Gurus are no less than spiritual tools because they can provide
inspiration, strength and encouragement to live a spiritual lifestyle.
But it is simply untrue that a large percentage of Sikhs bow their heads before
pictures or idols. There will of course be some Sikhs who do bow their heads
before a picture but even then if they do bow before a picture and at the same
time they have love for the immortal God within their hearts then even they
are still walking the path of truth. The important element about developing a
relationship with God is to enshrine love within our hearts. Without love and
devotion you could remove all pictures and idols and still not attain God
consciousness!
Also, just because there are Sikhs that do not practice Sikhism correctly does
not lower the status of Sikhism in any way. The principles of Sikhism provide
the quickest route to Godhead because it provides the essence of all spiritual
traditions.
Page 6 of 46
Some quotes from the Guru Granth Sahib regarding idols and love are below:
3.1.1 Quote 1 – all life is sacred

“You tear off the leaves, O gardener, but in each and every leaf, there is life.
That stone idol, for which you tear off those leaves - that stone idol is lifeless.
||1||In this, you are mistaken, O gardener. The True Guru is the Living Lord.
||1||Pause||Brahma is in the leaves, Vishnu is in the branches, and Shiva is in
the flowers. When you break these three gods, whose service are you
performing? ||2||The sculptor carves the stone and fashions it into an idol,
placing his feet upon its chest. If this stone god was true, it would devour the
sculptor for this! ||3||”
(Guru Granth Sahib page 479)
3.1.2 Quote 2 – devotional worship is the way to God

“I do not pick leaves as offerings, and I do not worship idols. Without
devotional worship of the Lord, service is useless. ||2||I worship the True
Guru; forever and ever, I surrender to Him. By such service, I find peace in the
Court of the Lord. ||3||”
4 Oneness of humanity
Theory: a casteless society
Practice: Sikhs have divisions of Jatts, Mazbhi, Bhape, & others. Continual
discrimination against mazbhi & other lower caste members. Caste pride of
Jatts. There are even different gurudwaras for the different castes
4.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the oneness of humanity

The lives of the Gurus and teachings which they have left humanity are enough
to suggest that the spiritual message of Sikhism is that people of the world
should consider themselves as one family:
“Recogise the human race as one family” – Guru Gobind Singh
The Gurus also included divine revelation from people of different religions,
ethnic groups and castes into the Sikh Holy Scripture to show that true
spirituality is a path for one and all.
Caste in Indian society is very much a cancer on society and heavily engrained
within the Indian mind and it affects Christian Indians, Muslim Indians, Sikh
Page 7 of 46
Indians, Buddhist Indians etc. So this is not an issue restricted to Sikh Indians as
implied by our Christian friend.
The Guru Granth Sahib says:

“Recognize the Lord's Light within all, and do not consider social class or
status; there are no classes or castes in the world hereafter”
“You are constant in each and every heart, and in all things. O Dear Lord, you
are the One.”
“From water, He created the three worlds; in each and every heart He has
infused His Light.”
“No one should be proud of his social class and status. He alone is a Brahmin,
who knows God. ||1||Do not be proud of your social class and status, you
ignorant fool! So much sin and corruption comes from this pride.
||1||Pause||Everyone says that there are four castes, four social classes.
They all emanate from the drop of God's Seed. ||2||”
So caste has nothing to do with Guru Nanak's teachings. Many Sikhs (Indian and
and non-Indian Sikhs) do follow the true teachings of Guru Nanak and are
completely against the caste system and all forms of injustice caused by this
cancer on society.
In addition, it is unfortunately true that some Sikhs have built Gurdwaras on a

caste basis, however even these Gurdwaras serve free food (langar) to all
regardless of caste, race, social status, sexual orientation, religion etc. It’s just
that the management committees of these institutions will contain people from
a specific segment of the Indian community.
Sikhs that still follow the caste system break one of the basic principles of the
Sikh lifestyle which is to recognize and accept all people of the world as one
family, however as mentioned earlier this in no way lowers the modern outlook
of Sikhism because Sikhism rejects all forms of injustice and inequality.
Finally, it is odd that a Christian is finding fault with Indian Sikhs with regards
to caste inequality even though it has nothing to do with the Sikh lifestyle and
overlooking the fact that the Christian religion and the teachings enshrined
within the bible have encouraged and been responsible for the following.
Please see the "Not so nice teachings of Christianity" article
• Slavery
• Murder
Page 8 of 46
• Rape
• Ritual human sacrifice
• Sexism
5 True pilgrimage
Theory: Sikhs say places of pilgrimage eg: mecca for muslims & ganges river
for hindus are useless
Practice: Sikhs have various places of pilgrimage in India, especially the
Golden Temple
5.1 SikhingTruth response regarding pilgrimage

Places of pilgrimage can be great sources of healing and inspiration and there is
no doubt that the Golden Temple, Mecca, the Vatican can have a positive
impact on the spirituality of an individual. However the impact on our
spirituality will vary depending on our focus.
The key driver for our spiritual transformation here is not that we go to a place
of pilgrimage but instead it is our intention to walk the path of truth. So it is
this intention and commitment of the heart and soul which is the true
pilgrimage. This is why Sikhism prescribes a daily spiritual practice because in
essence a practicing Sikh performs a pilgrimage of the heart and soul every
day.
“Hearing the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is equal to millions of cleansing
baths. Meditating on it is equal to millions of worship ceremonies. Hearing the
Word of the Lord's Bani is equal to giving millions in alms. To know the way,
through the Guru, is equal to millions of rewards. ||3|| Within your mind,
over and over again, think of Him, and your love of Maya shall depart. The
Imperishable Lord is always with you. O my mind, immerse yourself in the
Love of the Lord. ||4|| Working for Him, all hunger departs.”
“Pilgrimages, austere discipline, compassion and charity - these, by

themselves, bring only an iota of merit. Listening and believing with love and
humility in your mind, cleanse yourself with the Name, at the sacred shrine
deep within. All virtues are Yours, Lord, I have none at all. Without virtue,
there is no devotional worship.”
“The Guru is the Sacred Shrine of Pilgrimage, the Guru is the Wish-fulfilling
Elysian Tree. The Guru is the Fulfiller of the desires of the mind. The Guru is
Page 9 of 46
the Giver of the Name of the Lord, by which all the world is saved. The Guru is
All-powerful, the Guru is Formless; the Guru is Lofty, Inaccessible and Infinite.
The Praise of the Guru is so sublime-what can any speaker say? ||3||”
“The sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage are contained in the constant

worship of the feet of the Exalted Guru. Cruelty, material attachment, greed
and anger are the four rivers of fire. Falling into them, one is burned, O
Nanak! One is saved only by holding tight to good deeds. ||2||”
So it is not sinful to go to a place of pilgrimage or a holy shrine. It is just that

the Sikh Gurus are highlighting the fact that the true pilgrimage is an internal
one.
6 Symbols are useless

Theory: applying tilak on forehead, or ashes on body by hindus, and saffron
robes by buddhists is useless
Practice: sikhs wear the 5 k’s (turban, sword etc.)
6.1 SikhingTruth response regarding 5K’s

The rejection of useless symbols in Sikhism started with Guru Nanak Dev Ji
when he refused to wear the sacred Hindu thread. The sacred thread
symbolizes the caste system and it is believed by Hindus that the thread is one
of the strongest weapons in his repertoire, to fight fear and seek
enlightenment.
Guru Nanak gave the following statement when he was asked as to why he
refused to wear the thread:
“Make compassion the cotton, contentment the thread, modesty the knot and
truth the twist. This is the sacred thread of the soul; if you have it, then go
ahead and put it on me. It does not break, it cannot be soiled by filth, it
cannot be burnt, or lost. Blessed are those mortal beings, O Nanak, who wear
such a thread around their necks.”
So indeed our Christian colleague is correct in indicating that useless symbols

have no place in Sikhism. However the misunderstanding that has occurred is to
assume that the 5K’s are symbols! The truth is that the 5K’s and the turban all
have practical functions in addition to symbolic meaning. So the 5K’s are useful
tools (due to their functions) in helping a Sikh to live the truth and providing
service to humanity. The functions of the 5K’s and the turban are as follows:
Page 10 of 46
Sikh Item Function
Kachera (knee
1) Its underwear! Most people wear underwear in the modern
length white
world. But this was not the case historically
under wear tied
2) The knot of the Kachera is the Gurus Knot. It provides the
with a draw
wearer with one last conscious action in the instance that
string)
he/she may be about to commit adultery
1) The Kara is worn on the “action” hand i.e. left for left
handed people and vice versa. It acts as a consciousness
activation tool.
Kara (iron 2) A big Kara can be used as a defensive instrument if the need
wristlet) should arise.
3) Iron on the body is considered good for the aura
4) The body is able to absorb iron through the skin. Similar to
copper wristlets used by people with rheumatic aches and
pains
Kirpan (small 1) The Kirpan is kept as a defensive instrument in case the need
sword) should arise to defend oneself or a member of the public
2) The Kirpan is used to bless Parshad
1) A small comb wooden comb kept in the hair to comb the hair
Kangha (small twice daily. The comb is made of wood as this provides a
wooden comb) healing touch and is better at preserving hair.
2) The Kangha as it is used also massages the scalp which helps
to relieve stress
1) Ornamental function - Nature has decorated a man with a

beard and a moustache to differentiate between a male and
Kesh (uncut hair)
a female. A good example from the animal kingdom is a lion
with its majestic mane.
2) Physical function - Just like the skin, the hair helps to
synthesize vitamin D from sunlight and other more subtle
Page 11 of 46
forms of cosmic energy. It also helps to supply the piturary

gland (located in the head) with phosphorous. Phosphorous is
an element which is used in meditation by the aforesaid
gland. The hair on our body regulates body temperature and
our eye lashes, nostril hairs and ear hairs help to keep out
dust particles.
3) Psychic function - when our bodies are not required to
devote constant energy to re-growing hairs we would daily
cut from our face, legs, head, and under arms, etc.
(depending on gender) we have greater psychic energy
reserves and resources at our disposal.
4) Psychological function - People generally cut their hair to
look good for other people, and although everyone wants to
look sexy and cool, a Sikh is encouraged to impress God and
Guru and not bother so much about the opinions of everyone
else. Keeping hair therefore encourages us to become less
vain and more God orientated.
5) Spiritual function - Sikhs maintain long hair by coiling them
up into a knot (joora) at the top of the head above the crown
chakra (7th chakra). This helps to focus the creative energy
of the body and spirit on the 7th chakra, which is our link to
divinity. The channelled energy helps to provide better
mental focus, and brings a meditative mind to everything we
do. By pulling the hairs together at the crown, it also
decreases the movement of the skull bones, creating a
natural cranial adjustment, which increases mental
equilibrium. This holds equally for women and men, giving
balance, strength, and clarity.
1) Clean Hair - Wearing a turban helps to maintain long hair

more easily by keeping it tied and clean.
2) Cranial Adjustments - The human skull is not solid, but
instead is made up of 26 bones. The alignment of these
bones affects our health and our mental condition.
Osteopathic Doctors have developed a science of cranial
Turban adjustments, which can be used to treat many general and
specific health problems. This science comes under the
category of alternative medicine like Acupuncture. Now
when a turban is tied properly, it applies various pressures to
your skull. This is obvious, but the effect of this is that it
adjusts the bones of the skull and keeps them aligned
throughout the day. It helps to contain and maintain the
integrity of the skull. It essentially provides you with a free
cranial adjustment, something which an Osteopathic Doctor
Page 12 of 46
will charge you for.

3) Spiritual Elevation - When we meditate we try and focus our
mind, and consequently we slow our thoughts and produce a
stillness of the mind. The only problem is that when we stop
meditating our mind slowly starts becoming erratic again and
we slowly loose this stillness and calmness. These good
vibrations escape out of our tenth gate which is located in
our head. Wearing a turban helps to keep these good
vibrations in for longer. This is achieved because the turban
puts force on the pressure points of the head which causes
the energy to rise upwards, towards the crown chakra (7th
energy centre) and consequently protects your crown chakra.
A good way of thinking of a turban is like a glove. When its
cold outside we put gloves on our hands to help keep the
heat in. When we wear a turban it helps to keep the good
vibrations in. Of course if you don’t meditate then you have
no good vibrations to keep in, so meditation is obviously a
pre-requisite.
4) works as a deed magnifier i.e. if a Sikh does good things
those deeds are visible more to other people and conversely
if a Sikh performs bad deeds then those actions are again
magnified
The following quotes from the Guru Granth Sahib highlight the importance of
devotion and the Naam in any spiritual practice, irrelevant of the symbols and
rituals performed by an individual. The symbols of various traditions are not
necessarily rejected:
“O Nanak, without the True Name, of what use is the frontal mark of the
Hindus, or their sacred thread? ||1|”
“Some fast and take vows, and wear malas. Some apply ceremonial tilak marks
to their foreheads. I am meek; I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
||5||Some work spells using the miraculous spiritual powers of the Siddhas.
Some wear various religious robes and establish their authority. Some perform
Tantric spells, and chant various mantras. I am meek; I serve the Lord, Har,
Har, Har. ||6|| One calls himself a wise Pandit, a religious scholar. One
performs the six rituals to appease Shiva. One maintains the rituals of pure
lifestyle, and does good deeds. I am meek; I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord,
Har, Har, Har. ||7||I have studied the religions and rituals of all the ages.
Without the Name, this mind is not awakened. Says Nanak, when I found the
Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, my thirsty desires were satisfied, and
I was totally cooled and soothed. ||8||1||”
Page 13 of 46
You rub your body with sandalwood oil, and place basil leaves on your
forehead. But you hold a knife in the hand of your heart. You look like a thug;
pretending to meditate, you pose like a crane. You try to look like a
Vaishnaav, but the breath of life escapes through your mouth. ||1||You pray
for hours to God the Beautiful. But your gaze is evil, and your nights are
wasted in conflict. ||1||Pause||You perform daily cleansing rituals, wear two
loin-cloths, perform religious rituals and put only milk in your mouth. But in
your heart, you have drawn out the sword. You routinely steal the property of
others. ||2||You worship the stone idol, and paint ceremonial marks of
Ganesha. You remain awake throughout the night, pretending to worship God.
You dance, but your consciousness is filled with evil. You are lewd and
depraved - this is such an unrighteous dance! ||3||You sit on a deer-skin, and
chant on your mala. You put the sacred mark, the tilak, on your forehead. You
wear the rosary beads of Shiva around your neck, but your heart is filled with
falsehood. You are lewd and depraved - you do not chant God's Name.
||4||Whoever does not realize the essence of the soul -all his religious actions
are hollow and false. Says Baynee, as Gurmukh, meditate. Without the True
Guru, you shall not find the Way. ||5||1||
So the 5K’s and the turban are there to develop our spirituality and provide
service to humanity where required (such as protection).
7 Abstinence of alcohol and meat

Theory: abstinence of alcohol & meat
Practice: Sikhs are among the highest consumers of alcohol & meat in India
7.1 SikhingTruth response regarding alcohol and meat

That's their loss. However practicing Sikhs do abstain from alcohol, drugs,
tobacco and meat. The actions of non-practicing Sikhs, in no way lowers the
teachings of Guru Nanak.
Again, this is odd coming from a Christian because Christianity like Sikhism
teaches that the physical body is the “Temple of God” however it does not
have a bar on any of the aforementioned products.
Also Sikhs would in no way suggest comparing Christianity with Christians who
break the Ten Commandments such as adultery or sex before marriage. The
actions of non-practicing Christians have no bearing on Christianity and the
teachings of Jesus.
Page 14 of 46
8 Honest living
Theory: honest living
Practice: many sikhs, even religious leaders are corrupt. Some gurudwara
leaders demand money from followers by saying ‘you promised such & such an
amount’, when they didn’t
8.1 SikhingTruth response regarding honest living

Sikhs are only human beings and as with all groups of people there are good
apples and bad apples. However to suggest that bad people are unique to
Sikhism is ridiculous! Also to suggest that this lowers or invalidates the
teachings of Guru Nanak is also ridiculous.
Honest living is one of the beautiful principles of the Sikh lifestyle and it should
be followed by all people following a spiritual practice.
“There are so many entanglements for the soul. Only as Gurmukh do we find
the Gate of Liberation. Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is
truthful living. ||5||”
Out of interest we have listed some “religious” Christian groups which have
been involved with corruption and money scandals:
The Associated Baptist Press - www.abpnews.com on April 3, 2001 reported

that:
"About half of Baptist organizations contacted by the independent newspaper

Baptists Today would not disclose salary information for their top executive.
Three Southern Baptist Convention entities said policies allowed them to
release only salary ranges.
Presidents Albert Mohler of Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and Kenneth

Hemphill of Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, declined to provide
any information on compensation. New Orleans Seminary did not return
numerous phone calls regarding the salary of President Charles Kelley.
However, the IRS requires all colleges and universities to report the salaries of
the top five paid staff members, Brumley explained."
Does this lower the teachings of Jesus?
Page 15 of 46
9 Ignore trivial matters

Theory: not to bother about trivial matters, but important things in life
Practice: much disagreement about chairs in gurudwaras to the point of
violence
9.1 SikhingTruth response regarding trivial matters

Absolutely, Sikhs should not bother too much about the trivial matters in life
and instead our consciousness should be focused whole heartedly on God and
Guru.
The directive issued from the Akal Thakat was for Sikhs to go back to basics
and so in this sense it was a great directive. However, small elements within
the Sikh community made an issue out of something for their own political
agendas. This issue has nothing to do with Sikhism. It is unfortunately Politics.
Again all Christian, Muslim and Hindu groups suffer from political agendas.
Christians and Muslims are easily the worst when it comes to politics and the
results are usually disastrous. A great example of Christian politics is Northern
Ireland. How many people have died in the name of Christianity in this one
place alone?
As a side note, the chairs and tables debate was over a few years ago.
10 No religion - just human

Theory: no hindu or muslim, but only human
Practice: Sikhism is now a third option, besides hindu & muslim
10.1 SikhingTruth response regarding trivial matters

Sikhism is not a religion in the traditional sense of the word. It is a spiritual
practice and its spiritual technologies and unique insights into the Kingdom of
God can be used by people of all religions and cultures. This is why the Gurus
had both Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and Jain disciples because these individuals
were using the eternal principles of the Guru Granth Sahib within their own
respective religious traditions.
This is why there are many people from many religious traditions who follow
Guru Nanak Dev Ji and believe in the principles and follow the spiritual life
style taught b the Sikh Masters.
Sikhism is something that you as a Christian can use to get better and fuller
insights into the Kingdom of God.
Page 16 of 46
11 Idol worship and the Sikh holy scripture

Theory: idol worship is forbidden & considered as useless
Practice: obeisance to the holy book, and prayer toward images of gurus
11.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the holy book

Some Sikhs may bow to pictures of the Guru, but they will be in the minority.
For the Sikhs that do bow even that is fine so long as they have love for God
and Guru within their hearts.
Finally the Guru Granth Sahib is the word of God. Sikhs bow before the word of
God for respect because this is the technology that Sikhs use to connect to
Anhad Bani or Naam.
The Guru Granth Sahib is not itself an item of worship.
12 Physical violence is permissible only as a last resort

Theory: after all efforts have failed, it is righteous to draw the sword
Practice: violence is often the first option of settling disputes
12.1 SikhingTruth response regarding physical violence

Indeed Sikhism is a practical religion and the belief in drawing the sword as a
last resort (instead of turning the other cheek) ensured the survival of the Sikh
community together with the survival of all the other diverse religious and
cultural traditions that make India great. If it had not been for the Sikhs and
their military tradition then the whole of India would be an Islamic republic
(created by force).
Now on to the next part of the statement which says “violence is often the first
option of settling disputes”. If we look at the percentage of Sikhs in jail in
either India, USA, UK or Canada we find that they number much less
proportionally than the major communities within these countries. So this
comment is simply baseless.
Incidentally it is probably worth noting that the most violent crimes in

America, Canada and the UK have been committed by people who would
profess the Christian faith. Finally if we just take a quick look at Northern
Ireland we find that violent Christians have been killing each other for a few
hundred years in the name of Religion and yet both Catholics and Protestants
follow the same book!
What does that say about the teachings of Jesus?
Page 17 of 46
13 Sikhism stands for freedom of religion

Theory: Gurus fought for & sacrifices their lives for religious freedom
Practice: persecution of splinter groups eg. Radha soami & nirankaris & against
converts to Christianity. Hostility towards Hindus at times of unrest
13.1 SikhingTruth response regarding freedom of religion

Guru Tegh Bahadur gave his life to protect the right of Hindus to practice their
religion freely. So religious freedom is the birth right of every human being and
Sikhism has played a useful part in helping to maintain that freedom for
peaceful people.
Now it is true that there are a small minority of Sikhs who have an ill will
towards some sects like Radha Soami’s. However this is only a minority
community and in no way belittles the great principles of Sikhism and the
examples set by the Sikh Gurus. Also groups like Radha Saomi’s do a great
service to humanity by helping to spread the knowledge and principles of Guru
Granth Sahib to all corners of the world (albeit under a different brand!).
In addition Christians have for a long time wanted to gain in roads into the Sikh
community and covert Sikhs to Christianity and usually any means of conversion
are acceptable. Christians have held very few ethics and morals with regards to
converting people to Christianity and tactics have included murder, getting
people addicted to intoxicants like alcohol or drugs, lying or just being
disrespectful. Take for example the following nicer example of Christian
conversion tactics:
13.1.1 Christian example 1

Christians interrupt Sikh Funeral in the US, seek converts
San Jose, Feb. 29, 2004
“The American GI Forum Hall was packed with hundreds of mourners as
members of the huge Sikh community of the Bay Area gathered for the funeral
service of Hari Singh and Satnam Singh, two of the three people, who were
killed by a gunman in a high-profile attack the previous Sunday. Speaker after
speaker came up to address the grieved for their lost loved ones and prayed
for their families.
However, members of Indian Christians United (ICU) took this advantage of the
Sikh community in mourning as an opportunity to convert them. Brother
Younis Masih and two other Punjabi converts walked on top the stage and
announced they would be playing a gospel song. Younis then walked to his
harmonium, one sat down with a tabla, and the third held a Bible.
Page 18 of 46
In the following minutes, the Christian converts inappropriately began singing

to Christian songs, preaching the virtues of Christianity over Sikhism and read
two passages from the Bible. Younis spoke in fluent Punjabi in an attempt to
convert as many Sikhs as possible.”
14 All religions are different paths to God

Theory: teaches that all religions are different paths to the same God
Practice: constant denigration of beliefs & practices of other religions
14.1 SikhingTruth response regarding different paths to God

Indeed people from different religious traditions can achieve Godhead. The
Guru Granth Sahib is probably the single greatest proof of the respect that
Sikhs and Sikhism hold for people from different religions, cultures and castes
because the Guru Granth Sahib contains a varied mixture.
It is very rare to find Sikhs who disrespect either the beliefs of religious
practices of other religions because this breaks the fundamental principle of
compassion in Sikhism.
In fact it is Christians who throughout history have shown more intolerance

towards other communities and other religious traditions than any other
religious group in the world (possibly even more than Muslims). Examples of
Christian achievements are examined in detail later.
As a side note we do not feel that we are here denigrating Christianity in the
next part of this essay. We are simply showing Christianity in it full light. You
can then decide whether Christianity is the peaceful, tolerant and rational
religion which it is made out to be especially by newly converted Indians.
As a summary though Christianity has supported:

• Anti-Semitism and the holocaust
• Ethnic wars
• Anti Gypsyism
• Crusades
• Forced conversion and genocide of entire communities of people
15 One God – One holy book – One congregation

Theory: one God, one holy book, one congregation
Practice: rival committees fighting for votes during committee elections
Page 19 of 46
15.1 SikhingTruth response regarding one God – one holy book –

one congregation
• God has always been one
• There is only one Sikh scripture
• All of humanity is to be regarded as one family
No problem so far! So we need to ask what the practice part of the statement
has to do with the theory in this instance i.e. rival committees fighting for
votes? Politics has nothing to do with God, scripture treating humanity as one
family.
16 Helping the poor and needy

Theory: spending money on the poor
Practice: spending much money on legal battles for rival committee groups
16.1 SikhingTruth response regarding helping the poor and

needy
There have been a small number of cases where the Sikh community has had to
spend money on legal costs due to internal disputes or people misusing the
Gurdwara resources.
In these instances it is absolutely necessary to spend money on legal costs to
ensure that bad characters are removed from managing Sikh institutions which
have been set up to serve humanity.
This does not lower the stance of Sikhism with regards to giving one tenth of
time and income to charity and spending money on the poor. Sikhs can not and
should not be indifferent to injustice caused by either members of their own
community or non-Sikhs and if that means taking up issues with the courts of
law then this step needs to be taken. We do not turn the other cheek!
Also there are many Sikh groups that are bringing many positive changes to
society out there such as the Global langar programs, Sikhnet with its seva
central etc. So may the seva continue unto infinity!
As a final note, many Christian groups go to legal battle too. Does this mean it
has something to do with the teachings of Jesus?
17 Simple places of worship

Theory: simple places of worship
Practices: gurudwaras adorned with many fancy decorations
Page 20 of 46
17.1 SikhingTruth response regarading simple places of worship

Simplicity is definitely a beautiful thing. But at the same time there is
absolutely no harm in making beautiful places of worship which inspire people
to praise and worship God. The point is that even when God provides us with
wealth, we should always lovingly remain with the spirit and chardee kala of
God.
“O Nanak, meditate forever on the One, who is worthy of meditation. ||1||

By His Grace, you wear silks and satins; why abandon Him, to attach yourself
to another? By His Grace, you sleep in a cozy bed; O my mind, sing His Praises,
twenty-four hours a day. By His Grace, you are honored by everyone; with your
mouth and with your tongue, chant His Praises. By His Grace, you remain in
the Dharma; O mind, meditate continually on the Supreme Lord God.”
As a side note, it is a fact that the largest owner of real estate in the world is
Christianity. So this would most definitely apply to Christians!
18 Importance of humility
Theory: practice humility
Practice: very proud, egotistic. During the khalistan movement, it was often
stated that the turban is higher than the hindu cap
18.1 SikhingTruth response regarding humility

Humility is one of the most important elements of spiritual practice. The
Harmander Sahib (Golden Temple) is built lower than the surrounding buildings
to highlight this important quality.
Also the Guru Granth Sahib says:
“Listening and believing with love and humility in your mind, cleanse yourself
with the Name, at the sacred shrine deep within. All virtues are Yours, Lord, I
have none at all. Without virtue, there is no devotional worship.”
“In deep humility, I fall at the Feet of the Perfect True Guru. The Guru is the
Honor of the dishonored. The Guru, the True Guru, brings approval and
applause. I am never tired of praising the Guru, who unites me with the Lord
God. ||2||”
Page 21 of 46
“Modesty, humility and intuitive understanding are my mother-in-law and

father-in-law; I have made good deeds my spouse. ||2||Union with the Holy is
my wedding date, and separation from the world is my marriage. Says Nanak,
Truth is the child born of this Union. ||3||3||”
We have looked all over the internet to try and find at least one Sikh source
which quotes that “the Sikh Turban is higher than the Hindu Cap”. However we
could not find any! So we can only assume that this is false propaganda against
the Sikh community.
However if we even give the benefit of doubt to the above “practice”

statement and assume that it was indeed true that some Sikhs said the above,
then it must be said that those Sikhs made a statement contrary to the
principles of Sikhism and the teachings of the Gurus.
Again, we don’t want to sound like a broken record but just because some Sikhs
break Sikh principles does not lower the teachings of Sikhism.
19 Reading of scripture
Theory: nanak said that reading books or scriptures will not save you
Practice: sikh holy book is read from cover to cover in an assumption that it is
a holy thing to do.
19.1 SikhingTruth response regarding scripture reading

This is a great question posed by our Christian friends and shows a great
misunderstanding. The Guru Granth Sahib says that if we do anything dharmic
(spiritual) but at the same time if we don’t let go of our pride, our greed, our
corruption and our duality (i.e. saying one thing and doing another) then
reading scripture will be of no benefit because it cannot penetrate our inner
being:

“After all their reading, the Pandits, the religious scholars, and the
astrologers argue and debate. Their intellect and understanding are
perverted; they just don't understand. They are filled with greed and
corruption. Through 8.4 million incarnations they wander lost and confused;
through all their wandering and roaming, they are ruined. They act according
to their pre-ordained destiny, which no one can erase. ||3||It is very difficult
to serve the True Guru. Surrender your head; give up your selfishness.
Realizing the Shabad, one meets with the Lord, and all one's service is
accepted. By personally experiencing the Personality of the Guru, one's own
personality is uplifted, and one's light merges into the Light.”
Page 22 of 46
“The greedy people serve others, instead of the Lord, although they loudly
announce their reading of scriptures. They are burnt to death by their own
corruption; they are not at home, on either this shore or the one beyond.
||3||In attachment to Maya, they have forgotten the Father, the Cherisher of
the World.”
“As it pleases You, Lord, please save and protect me. Without You, O my
Husband Lord, who else is there for me? ||3||Reading their books over and
over again, people continue making mistakes; they are so proud of their
religious robes. But what is the use of bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage,
when the filth of stubborn pride is within the mind?”
So this is why the Sikh way of life is so critical to spiritual development because
every day a Sikh is required to practice truthful living, humility, control the
passions, work hard and develop a relationship with God. Sikhism is about living
spirituality with an experience of God and not just mere talk and theory.
“No one is saved by mere talk and speech, nor by reading loads of books. The
body does not obtain purity without loving devotion to the Lord. O Nanak,
never forget the Naam; the Guru shall unite us with the Creator. ||8||9||”
“Keeping your fasts, reciting your prayers, and reading the Kalma, the Islamic
creed, shall not take you to paradise. The Temple of Mecca is hidden within
your mind, if you only knew it. ||2||That should be your prayer, to administer
justice. Let your Kalma be the knowledge of the unknowable Lord. Spread your
prayer mat by conquering your five desires, and you shall recognize the true
religion. ||3||”
“Subduing ego, practice pure actions. ||7||Chanting, meditation, austere

self-discipline and the reading of the Puraanas, says Nanak, are contained in
surrender to the Unlimited Lord. ||8||6||”
So what state of mind must a devotee develop when receiving Naam (the holy
spirit)? The answer is the fourth meditative state of mind. The other 3 are
waking, sleeping with dreams and sleeping without dreams.
Page 23 of 46
“What is the point of reading, studying and debating, if one loses his roots? In
the fourth state, there is intuitive balance; the Gurmukhs gather it in.
||6||The Naam, the Name of the Formless Lord, is the treasure. Through
intuitive balance, understanding is obtained.”
Finally when we listen to scripture especially Gurbani then we are not to listen
with our heads. This is not the Sikh way. Sikhs are encouraged to listen to
Gurbani with their hearts and it is this form of listening which is holy and
beneficial and connects Sikhs to Naam (the holy spirit).

“Listening-pain and sin are erased. ||9|| Listening-truth, contentment and
spiritual wisdom are obtained. Listening- is like taking your cleansing bath at
the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage. Listening-reading and reciting, honor is
obtained.”
“But you gain nothing by reading and studying, O mad-man, if you do not gain
the understanding in your heart. ||2||Allah is hidden in every heart; reflect
upon this in your mind. The One Lord is within both Hindu and Muslim; Kabeer
proclaims this out loud. ||3||7||29||”
Finally it needs to be mentioned that the Guru Granth Sahib is not a mere
book. Bhai Nand Lal Ji explains this experience beautifully:
“For a man with “I” ego, Siri Guru Granth Sahib is only a book. For the truth
seeker it is the Sat Guru in another of his forms. For an enlightened soul it is
the living, awake Siri Guru Nanak Sahib himself”
The Guru Granth Sahib is the living Guru Nanak himself and this is why Sikhs ask
for healing from the Guru Granth Sahib which is called Naam Therapy. There
are many people that have been healed of incurable diseases and in the true
spirit of Sikhism this healing of the body and mind is open to one and all.
19.1.1 Cure of Multiple Myeloma through God’s Word (Gurbani)

The following text is taken from Guru Nanak Healing mission website. There
are a fll set of medical report for each of the cases.
http://www.gurunanakhealing.com/srkan/cancer_cured.htm
“The cure of Shri Vasu Bhardwaj is nothing short of a miracle where medical
science failed to cure the case of Multiple Myeloma in an advanced stage, the
grace of Shri Guru Granth Sahib has completely healed him. This deadly
Page 24 of 46
disease had afflicted him in the worst form. The parameters for the disease
revealed it to be in severe form. His repeated examinations confirmed relief
and he is continued to be normal till this review. He is enjoying good health
now without any problem. The reports showed high B-2 Microglobulin,
Monoclonalgammopathy and metastasis into the bones. He had his treatment
for nearly two years with downhill course of his health. The doctors had
clearly told him to be prepared for the approaching death. At that state of
health when he was unable to support himself, he visited Sri Darbar Sahib
[Golden Temple], Amritsar. He listened to Gurbani recitation for 48 hours on a
stretch. He was fully cured in this time. He could walk of his own and eat full
meals. He is under regular check up and his repeated examinations confirmed
permanent cure for so many years by now. This is the best example of cure for
a person who does not understand much of Gurbani, and still he stands cured.
He was cured in 2002 and is under regular check up.”
In summary the Guru Granth Sahib is a gift from God and is the living Guru
Nanak Dev Hi himself. Listening to Gurbani with your heart is one of the
quickest ways to attain Naam and complete your spiritual evolution.
20 Greed Part 1
Theory: not to be greedy for money or material things
Practice: Readers of the holy scripture are told to read for only half and hour,
but end up reading for many hours, simply because more money ends up in
front of them
20.1 SikhingTruth response regarding greed part 1

The reading of the scripture is performed either by volunteers or by Granthis
who have their needs taken care off by the Gurdwara. The donations which are
made to the Guru Granth Sahib are not given to either the volunteers or the
Granthis.
However we personally do feel that people who commit themselves fully in

Sikhism and work as caretakers of our institutions (e,g. Granthis) should be
paid half descent wages for their service assuming they are correctly qualified.
This is unfortunately not the case at the moment.
21 Greed Part 2
Theory: not to be greedy for money or material things
Practice: worshippers bow down and donate spare change, but pray to God to
make them millionaires.
Page 25 of 46
21.1 SikhingTruth response regarding greed part 2

Most religions suggest that it is somehow bad or a sin to ask God for material
things. Asking for material things is not in itself a bad thing and is not
necessarily the same as greed.
“O Lord of the world, this is Your lamp-lit worship service. You are the
Arranger of the affairs of those humble beings who perform Your devotional
worship service. ||1||Pause||Lentils, flour and ghee - these things, I beg of
You. My mind shall ever be pleased. Shoes, fine clothes, and grain of seven
kinds - I beg of You. ||1||A milk cow, and a water buffalo, I beg of You, and a
fine Turkestani horse. A good wife to care for my home -Your humble servant
Dhanna begs for these things, Lord. ||2||4||”
“The bowl of duality and selfishness breaks. He who remains detached amidst
the traps of attachment, Prays Nanak, I am the slave of that one. ||20||1||”
So it is fine to ask for millions so long as we keep the love of God within our
hearts and minds, remain detached from the material world and so long as we
try and give back a portion of our blessed wealth back to his creation. The
recommended charitable donation is 10% of ones time and money.
With regards to greed the Guru Granth Sahib says:
“This foolish mind is greedy; through greed, it becomes even more attached to
greed. The evil-minded shaaktas, the faithless cynics, are not attuned to the
Shabad; they come and go in reincarnation. One who meets with the Holy True
Guru finds the Treasure of Excellence. ||1||”
“The dogs of greed are with me. In the early morning, they continually bark at
the wind. Falsehood is my dagger; through deception, I eat the carcasses of
the dead. I live as a wild hunter, O Creator! ||1||I have not followed good
advice, nor have I done good deeds. I am deformed and horribly disfigured.
Your Name alone, Lord, saves the world. This is my hope; this is my support.
||1||Pause||”
“Whatever is seen, shall pass away. Abandon the intellectualizations of your

mind. ||1||Pause||Like the mad dog running around in all directions, the
greedy person, unaware, consumes everything, edible and non-edible alike.
Engrossed in the intoxication of sexual desire and anger, people wander
through reincarnation over and over again. ||2||Maya has spread out her net,
Page 26 of 46
and in it, she has placed the bait. The bird of desire is caught, and cannot find
any escape, O my mother. One who does not know the Lord who created him,
comes and goes in reincarnation over and over again. ||3||”
So attaching ourselves to Naam is the best way towards Godhead and wealth is
not necessarily a hindrance.
We conclude finally that there are many Sikhs who give thousands of pounds to
charity. How else have Sikhs built such large temples around the world? Also
the following is a great example of Sikh generosity and giving:
21.1.1 Canadian hospital named after Guru Nanak

Toronto, March 11, 2005
William Osler Health Centre (WOHC) is paying tribute to the Canadian Sikh
community by naming the new hospital's emergency department after the
religion's founder.
"Guru Nanak Emergency Services Department is a name that recognizes the

size, scope and contributions to our society by the Sikh community living and
working in our hospital's catchment area," said Bryan Held, WOHC Board Chair.
"This is a fitting and lasting tribute to the Canadian Sikh and South Asian
community, We look forward to a long and healthy relationship with them."
At the same time, Navjeet Mangat, a WOHC foundation board member, said an
aggressive grassroots funding campaign has been launched in the Sikh
community this week with the goal of raising $10 million.
So far, $914,000 has been collected in a short amount of time, said Mangat,
adding he wouldn't be surprised if the Sikh community surpasses their target.
However, the naming of the emergency department is not a direct result of the
fundraising effort.
"It's a two way street. If the hospital recognizes the importance of the
community itself, I think we have to look at that as an opportunity to show
our appreciation," he said.
The idea for the department's name was suggested to the board last April by
one of the hospital's doctors, Bajinder Reen. A Sikh sub committee was also
created by three of WOHC's hospital foundation board members, including
Mangat, to help promote more community participation.
Page 27 of 46
"It was formed as a working group with an open door policy (that has now)
grown to about 10 members," he said.
"As important a role as government plays in funding health care, being a part
of Brampton as citizens (makes) it's necessary for us to do whatever we can
within our own means to ensure our children, seniors and residents get the
service they need and walk away feeling good about their experience."
So far, the Sikh sub committee has helped generate significant donations
including:
• $500,000 from Harpreet Sethi, a local contractor who had two of his
children born at WOHC hospitals;
• $250,000 from Guru Nanak Community Services Foundation;
• $160,000 from the Sikh sub committee members.
"Brampton is one of the greatest cities in the world and we have to do

whatever we can to make sure all these institutions provide excellence at a
world class level and that's what it's really about," said Mangat.
According to 2001 Statistics Canada information, the Sikh religion is the third
largest in Brampton behind Catholic and Protestant.
Mangat hopes the Sikh community's efforts spark more donation efforts in
Brampton. Under the public private partnership (P3) funding formula being
used to build the new hospital, the community has to raise 30 per cent of the
building's total cost of $536 million. (Brampton Gaurdian)
22 Outward appearances do not matter

Theory: appearances of outward forms do not matter to God
Practice: to look holy, some Sikhs wear long beards and turbans (the 5 K’s),
and look down on others who do not conform to their appearance
22.1 SikhingTruth response regarding outward appearances

Sikhism is not about looking holy for anyone else. Practicing Sikhs do wear the
full bana (5K’s and the turban) which we have already talked about earlier in
the essay. All the elements of bana help us to maintain our body temples and
live within the will of God.
The bana of course together with the spiritual lifestyle is not the end within
itself. The “end” is a complete and wholesome evolution of the soul to Sach
Khand which is the 5th and final spiritual realm of pure consciousness.
Page 28 of 46
The most important element of spiritual practice is most definitely inward

transformation. The Guru Granth Sahib says:
“The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam; they eradicate selfishness and conceit
from within. They are pure, inwardly and outwardly; they merge into the
Truest of the True. O Nanak, blessed is the coming of those who follow the
Guru's Teachings and meditate on the Lord. ||4||5||38||”
“In the midst of children, spouse and relations, some still remain detached;
they are pleasing to Your Will. Inwardly and outwardly, they are pure, and
they are absorbed in the True Name. ||3||”
“If one were to wash his heart inwardly, like the stone idol which is washed on
the outside, his filth would be removed, his soul would be cleansed, and he
would be liberated when he departs. ||2||”
Now we have also come across Sikhs who may wear bana and in doing so they
think of themselves as being better than non-bana wearing Sikhs. We feel sorry
for these people because they have confused tools used to help them on their
spiritual evolution with the actual end of the journey.
Once again it must be mentioned that the observation of some Sikhs not living
Sikhi does not negate the usefulness of bana or indeed the principles of
Sikhism. We have also met many pride infested religious Christians who truly
believe that there is no salvation except through Christ. In fact this small
minded and bigoted view of spiritual evolution is the foundation of
Christendom! So who are the real bigots?
23 Life is worth more than bricks and mortar

Theory: humans life is worth more than temples made of bricks & mortar
Practice: sikhs take the lives of those who tear down their temples (revenge
on hindu’s after the golden temple was attacked)
23.1 SikhingTruth response regarding life

There is no doubt that life is more sacred than bricks and mortar. However, the
people who tore down the Akal Thakat (temporal seat of Sikhism) and who
riddled the Golden Temple with bullets were also responsible for the massacre
of 1000’s of devotees who were peacefully celebrating a Sikh festival. So the
people who tore down the sacred Sikh shrine were also responsible for taking
the lives of innocent civilians.
Page 29 of 46
If Sikhs gave divine justice to these sick minded individuals then we say “good
work!” At the same time if there were some misguided Sikhs who took the lives
of innocent Hindus then we say “shame on you”. If you can show us some solid
examples (even one) of the latter then that would be great.
The answer to the above question would also not be complete if we fail to look
at the murderous nature of Christians throughout world history. However we
have saved this for the second half of the essay.
24 Blind leading the blind?

The original true spirit of Sikhism has been long gone from the sikh
community, and this religion, like many others will continue on its downward
spiral to mere formalism and man-made teachings & structures, which will
save no one. THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND.
24.1 SikhingTruth response regarding blind leading the blind

The spirit of Sikhism is very much alive amongst practicing Sikhs and is growing!
The Mughals and Afghans predicted the same in the past and tried to wipe out
the Sikhs. The high caste Hindu hill chiefs wished the same but they were also
proven wrong. Now some newly converted Christians are predicting the same
too.
In fact for the first time Sikhism is finally developing solid traction in many
parts of the western world and across all parts of South America and recently
Africa.
Also, according to the following website, Christians form 32% of the world
population and they are on the decline, which we are not surprised about.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/worldrel.htm
25 Whole life to be lived holy

Theory: whole life to be lived holy
Practice: go to gurudwaras on Sunday mornings, then on Sunday night they
drink beer and tell dirty jokes
25.1 SikhingTruth response regarding living Sikhi

Sikhs do not go round “bible bashing” people. Everyone has the free will to live
the spiritual lifestyle if they want.
Page 30 of 46
What you are referring to above is cultural Sikhs i.e. Sikhs who do things
because it is routine for them. There is very little spiritual progression for such
people because they will go to the Gurdwara, chat with a few mates, eat some
langer and go home!
The above would be like comparing a “Christian” who goes out on a Friday
night to get drunk, brings home a couple of women and has a great time.
Repeats the same on Saturday and drags himself to a church on Sunday.
The difference between Sikhism and Christianity is that Sikhism actually

provides a recommended structure for spiritual growth including waking up at
Amrit vela (between 3am and 6am), a shower, bani mediation etc. Whereas for
95% of Christians, Christianity is simply going to the church on Sunday!
26 All paths can lead to God

Theory: believe that all paths lead to God
Practice: by the claims of some sikhs – other holy books are not the word of
god
26.1 SikhingTruth response regarding paths to God

All paths can lead to God so long as key spiritual practices are observed such as
humility, controlling the passions etc. The belief aspects of any given religion
such as a belief in Judgement day, angels etc has no relevance with regards to
salvation because the important aspect is love for the Lord.
Now with regards to the holy scriptures of other religions, Sikhs do believe that
originally the word of God had been given such as the bible or the Quaran.
However the versions which we have today are not the original word of God
and so they must be rejected because we no longer know what is man-made
and what is the word of God.
As an example of man made words of God we have provided the story of

creation from Genesis later in the essay and highlighted the many scientific
inaccuracies of this section of the bible. So the question arises if the story of
genesis has so many errors then can we accept the rest of the bible as being
the word of God?
The Sikh scripture has only ever had two versions and both of these were
compiled and signed off by the Sikh masters as being the absolute correct word
of God, word for word, letter for letter!
Page 31 of 46
However just because Christians may not have the authentic word of God does
not deny them or the communities from the Kingdom of God. Anyone with love
for God has access to God consciousness.
27 Sikhism is a paraphrase of Hinduism?

Theory: Sikh philosophy is a paraphrase of Hinduism
Practice: Sikhs continue to deny their Hindu foundations – to the point of
separatism
27.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Hinduism

If Sikhism is a paraphrase of Hinduism then it must also be stated that
Christianity is just a paraphrase of Judaism because the family of Jesus was
Jewish.
Sikhism is a uniquely revealed religion which was indeed prophesied within

some Hindu scriptures.
In the Hindu epic the Rig Veda

(i) In Mandala 7, Ush 5, Mantra 5 and Chapter 6
"when in the world the sinful ways will be on the rise and noble behavior will
vanish, as the disappearance of the moon when on its wane on the darkest
night, there will appear Vishnu as a prominent Prophet from the Keshatra Clan
and will manifest in consecutive form through 10 Prophets to bring back the
ways of virtue to the ailing world."
(ii) In the same Vedas, in another part even in the name NANAK and the clan he
belongs to is recorded thus
"For the preaching of religious ways and the earning of good karma, there will
manifest Guru NANAK from the clan of the Veithees"
In the Bhavekhath Purana which means "future foretelling". There are

numerous places in this famous Hindu epic where the advent of Guru NANAK is
directly alluded to
"The Guru of the prophets, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiv ji is God almighty himself.
This very Creator will manifest itself as a human, in the form of one whose
name will be NANAK”
However, Sikhism is the newest message for humanity and with this it is
important that it is simply not lost or confused as being a part of something
else e.g. Hinduism or Islam.
Sikhism provides unique insights into the Kingdom of God and some unique
esoteric tools for personal development. This is primarily why Sikhs have
Page 32 of 46
chosen to consider Hinduism as a brother Dharma. Some of the unique aspects

of Sikhism include:
• Oneness of God (known by different names such as Allah, Jehovah, Ram etc)
• Complete gender equality between men and women
• Unity of humanity
• Unity of all revealed religions
• Importance of service to humanity such as feeding the hugry (langar) etc.
28 Teachings to be taught in local languages

Theory: teachings are to be taught in the local languages – not some dead
languages like Sanskrit
Practice – old Punjabi is used in gurudwaras. Many younger Punjabis as well as
local non-punjabis (usually English speaking) cannot understand what is taught
28.1 SikhingTruth response regarding teaching in local

languages
I think what the author means here is that the Guru Granth Sahib is read in its
original language as opposed to people from the stage speaking in old Punjabi!
The Guru Granth Sahib has been written in Naad which means that simply
listening to Gurbani with an open heart has the power to heal incurable
diseases and connect us with Naam (holy spirit). But this only works when it is
read in its original form. This Naad is lost if a translation of the Guru Granth
Sahib is read.
Nevertheless in countries outside of India, you will now find translations of the
Guru Granth Sahib being displayed in English as the Gurmkhi version is read and
Spanish versions of the Guru Granth Sahib are increasingly being used by the
steadily growing South American Sikh communities. There are also an
increasing number of programs for youth in English
SikhitotheMax is an electronic tool which is currently being used in big

Gurdwaras around the western world to display Gurbani in English. There is
also www.sikher.com which aims to provide translations and transliterations in
10 different world languages.
You can also obtain Nitnem (daily prayers of the Sikhs) in a number of Indian
languages including Sindhi, Gujarati, Marathi, Assamese, Bengali and Urdu from
the following Sindhi Sikh group.
http://www.prantik.com/chellarampublications/publications.htm
Page 33 of 46
29 Sikhism is the ultimate truth

Theory: Sikhs claim Sikhism to be the ultimate truth
Practice: Sikhs cannot answer adequately as to who had the truth before
Nanak. It seems as if God was only interested in our spiritual welfare after the
1600’s and then only in Punjab/northern India. What was going on for
thousands of years before Nanaks time – where was Wahiguru? Asleep?
29.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Sikhism as the ultimate

truth
Sikhism contains all the important spiritual keys and should be considered as
the essence of all spiritual traditions and religions.
“The essence of all religion is the Lord's Name alone. It abides in the minds of
the devotees of God. Millions of sins are erased, in the Company of the Holy.
By the Grace of the Saint, one escapes the Messenger of Death.”
“So many forms of religion have been described; the whole world is practicing
them. What actions will bring emancipation, and total perfection? ||2||One
may distinguish between good and evil actions, and listen to the Vedas and the
Puraanas, but doubt still persists. Skepticism continually dwells in the heart,
so who can eradicate egotistical pride? ||3||Outwardly, he washes with
water, but deep within, his heart is tarnished by all sorts of vices. So how can
he become pure? His method of purification is like that of an elephant,
covering himself with dust right after his bath! ||4||With the rising of the
sun, the night is brought to its end; the whole world knows this. It is believed
that with the touch of the Philosopher's Stone, copper is immediately
transformed into gold. ||5||When one meets the Supreme Philosopher's
Stone, the Guru, if such pre-ordained destiny is written on one's forehead,
then the soul blends with the Supreme Soul, and the stubborn doors are
opened wide. ||6||”
“When the five virtues were reconciled, and the five passions were estranged,
I enshrined the five within myself, and cast out the other five. ||1||In this
way, the village of my body became inhabited, O my Siblings of Destiny. Vice
departed, and the Guru's spiritual wisdom was implanted within me.
||1||Pause||The fence of true Dharmic religion has been built around it. The
spiritual wisdom and reflective meditation of the Guru has become its strong
gate. ||2||So plant the seed of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O friends, O
Siblings of Destiny.”
Page 34 of 46
Now with regards to who had the truth before Nanak, Sikhs believe that there
have been many prophets including Jesus, Buddah, Krishna, Ram, Mohammad
etc. However with time the essence of Dharma has been lost and so Guru
Nanak Dev Ji came in Kalyug to save humanity. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the
Prophet for the CURRENT AGE and teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji are the MOST
RELEVANT for the current age.
This is what the Guru Granth Sahib says regarding other prophets:
“The Pandits, the religious scholars who recite the Vedas, with the supreme
sages of all the ages, sing.”
“The four castes and the six Shaastras sing His Glorious Praises; Brahma and
the others contemplate His Virtues. The thousand-tongued serpent king sings
His Praises with delight, remaining lovingly attached to Him. Shiva, detached
and beyond desire, sings the Glorious Praises of Guru Nanak, who knows the
Lord's endless meditation. KAL the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru
Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga. ||5||He mastered Raja Yoga, and
enjoys sovereignty over both worlds; the Lord, beyond hate and revenge, is
enshrined within His Heart. The whole world is saved, and carried across,
chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Sanak and Janak and the others sing
His Praises, age after age. Blessed, blessed, blessed and fruitful is the sublime
birth of the Guru into the world. Even in the nether regions, His Victory is
celebrated; so says KAL the poet. You are blessed with the Nectar of the Lord's
Name, O Guru Nanak; You have mastered Raja Yoga, and enjoy sovereignty
over both worlds. ||6||In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, You were pleased to
deceive Baal the king, in the form of a dwarf. In the Silver Age of Traytaa
Yuga, You were called Raam of the Raghu dynasty. In the Brass Age of Dwaapur
Yuga, You were Krishna; You killed Mur the demon and saved Kans. You
blessed Ugrasain with a kingdom, and You blessed Your humble devotees with
fearlessness. In the Iron Age, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, You are known and
accepted as Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Das. The sovereign rule
of the Great Guru is unchanging and permanent, according the Command of
the Primal Lord God. ||7||His Glorious Praises are sung by the devotees Ravi
Daas, Jai Dayv and Trilochan. The devotees Naam Dayv and Kabeer praise Him
continually, knowing Him to be even-eyed. The devotee Baynee sings His
Praises; He intuitively enjoys the ecstasy of the soul. He is the Master of Yoga
and meditation, and the spiritual wisdom of the Guru; He knows none other
except God. Sukh Dayv and Preekhyat sing His Praises, and Gautam the rishi
sings His Praise. Says KAL the poet, the ever-fresh praises of Guru Nanak are
spread throughout the world. ||8||”
Page 35 of 46
So the truth has been revealed many times but it was not recorded by the
Prophets themselves and so over time the truth has been mixed with falsehood.
However Sikhism is unique in this respect because the Guru Granth Sahib Ji was
written and approved by the masters themselves.
30 Were all Gurus equally divine

Theory: all gurus were equally holy/divine
Practice: the last nine gurus, as well as the other mystics writings provide
nothing new to add to Nanak’s teachings
30.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the Gurus

This is an odd connection between the theory and practice?! The same divine
light has been flowing through all the Gurus so we would not expect the
message to be different. However the lives of the Gurus have also provided
unique examples of learning in addition to the wonderful Gurbani which they
have given us.
This odd point does not nullify the relevance of Sikhism as the religion for the
current age.
31 Pilgrimage is useless
Theory: pilgrimages are useless
Practice: a book on Sikhism written by sikhs stated that sikhs are to visit at
least 5 takhts in their lifetime (book – what is Sikhism, by B.P Kaur)
31.1 SikhingTruth response regarding pilgrimage

We have already touched on pilgrimage earlier in part 5. There are a number of
Sikh scholars who write about Sikhism but who never consult the authentic
teachings of the Guru enshrined within Guru Granth Sahib. We can just
conclude by saying that visiting Harmander Sahib or any of the Thakats
(Gurdwaras with historical significance) is purely an optional choice left to
every Sikh.
32 Origin of the mantra Waheguru

Theory: Origins of the word Wahiguru. V= Vishnu H= Hari G= Gobind R=ram.
VaHiGuRu – the consonants are the first letters of the hindu gods – vowels
added in between.
Practice: Denigration of Hindu gods
Page 36 of 46
32.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the origin of Waheguru

mantra
The above derivation of the Waheguru Mantra is taken from Bhai Gurdas Vaars.
The full text is as follows:
“In Satyug, Visnu in the form of Vasudev is said to have incarnated and ‘V’ Of
Vahiguru reminds of Visnu. The true Guru of dvapar is said to be Harikrsna and
‘H’ of Vahiguru reminds of Hari. In the the treta was Ram and ‘R’ of Vahiguru
tells that rembering Ram will produce joy and happiness. In kalijug, Gobind is
in the form of Nanak and ‘G’ of Vahiguru gets Govind recited. The recitations
o f all the four ages subsume in Panchayan i.e. in the soul of the common man.
When joining four letters Vahiguru is remembered, The jiv merges again in its
origin.”
Bhai Gurdas – Vaar 1
Sikhs believe that the entire creation is an extension of God in some form and
creation in all its many forms should be respected.
“You are constant in each and every heart, and in all things. O Dear Lord, you
are the One.”
“From water, He created the three worlds; in each and every heart He has
infused His Light.”
If there are Sikhs that disrespect any incarnations of God then that is their bad
Karma. But again this is not something that lowers the teachings of Guru Nanak
Dev Ji.
Finally, most Sikhs would definitely recommend no idol worship, which is the
most common way that our Hindu brothers and sisters worship God.
33 God is fearless
Theory: have a fearless God
Practice: fear of being swamped by the hinduising of Punjab
33.1 SikhingTruth response regarding God is fearless

God is known by many names including Jehovah, Raam, Allah, Waheguru. This
is described as the unity of God i.e. that God is one but known by any names.
Page 37 of 46
This is the first point I would like to highlight because Christians have the
ridiculous idea that “your” God is different to “my” God.
God has existed before religions, before the Earth etc. God introduced Sikhism
to planet Earth and if he wants to take it away he can and the same applies to
Christianity.
Sikhs do have a duty to enlighten the world regarding the unique insights into
the Kingdom of God and so they have tried their best to keep the original
teachings in their original form. There are Hindus in India who are trying to
bring Sikhs into the Hindu fold so it is important to be vigilant regarding subtle
conversion tactics used by mischievous people. This of course also applies to
some Indian Christians who try and make ridiculous and unfounded statements
regarding Sikhism.
34 Focus and discipline is important is prayer and

spiritual practice
Theory: Guru Nanak refused to bow down at Muslim worship & even laughed as
the imam (Islamic prayer leader) was thinking about his horses newborn foal –
therefore his prayer was unacceptable
Practice: I have hear during prayer time at gurudwara, some Sikh women
asking each other about ‘how to cook eggs or chicken’, and others (men) talk
of politics, young men also eyeing out young girls.
34.1 SikhingTruth response regarding focus and discipline

This scenario occurs with all communities. You can take as much or as little out
of life as you choose. You have the free will to try and lead a Dharmic life or
not. The story of Guru Nanak which you have provided is absolutely applicable
to any Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus in their respective places of
worship.
Again I must congratulate you so far for highlighting the great teachings of
Guru Nanak Dev Ji!
35 Sikh place of worship is open to one and all

Theory: acceptance of all to Gurdwara regardless of racial or religious
background Practice: So many times I have seen many people turned off due to
the rude responses by some sikhs – mainly village type old women who
indicated that the white person or Muslim person shouldn’t be there. These
newcomers never come back.
Page 38 of 46
35.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Sikh place of worship

We have seen this with some of the uneducated older generation too. It is
simply un-Sikh to not accept one and all within Sikh places of worship. The
younger generation of Sikhs that practice Sikhism have a much better
appreciation of the principles of Sikhism and indeed we believe that this will be
an excellent catalyst for the propagation of Sikhism around the world.
Incidentally I have been to churches where I have not felt welcome in the
slightest and have even been laughed at because they had never seen a brown
person wearing a turban. I have also been told that I will burn in hell if I do not
become a Christian. Although this later observation is not a cultural quirk i.e.
people not practicing Christianity correctly, it is in fact the foundation stone of
Christianity.
36 Material things are maya

Theory: material things are maya (another thought of hindu origin)
Practice: eagerness to rapidly accumulate wealth. Lottery tickets, cheating,
misuse of gurudwara funds. Jatts viciously fighting over land
36.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Maya

Maya is a common term used within all the Indian Dharmas including Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. It is incorrect to suggest that it is solely Hindu
in nature because it is just a characteristic of truth and as Sikhism expounds
truth it is used within Sikh philosophy to describe an aspect of truth.
In Sikhism, there is absolutely no objections to accumulating wealth. The

important thing to remember is to do it truthfully and to always remain
detached from Maya and attached to Naam.
To suggest that Sikhs as a whole are money minded, cheating, land fighting
people is a shocking lie! Did Jesus teach you to make up stories and spread lies?
If he didn’t then don’t do it!
37 Righteous living makes one fearless and strong

Theory: righteous living to make one fearless and strong
Practice: having a form of godliness, but proving its power useless
Page 39 of 46
37.1 SikhingTruth response regarding fearlessness

Ahh yes, the beauty of righteous living is that everything we do in life becomes
blessed. The godliness that arises within a Gurmukh with the power of Naam is
truly amazing!

“She is the most beautiful among women; upon her forehead she wears the
Jewel of the Lord's Love. Her glory and her wisdom are magnificent; her love
for the Infinite Lord is True. Other than her Beloved Lord, she knows no man.
She enshrines love for the True Guru. ||6||”
“Meeting with the True Guru, they receive the fruits of their destiny, and
egotism is driven out from within. The pain of evil-mindedness is eliminated;
good fortune comes and shines radiantly from their foreheads. ||11||”
The above quotes from Gurbani refer to the halo which is depicted around the
heads of all saints and prophets of all time. This same halo surrounds the heads
of those Gurmukhs who become one with Naam.
An excellent example of Sikh godliness is the Seva at the Harmander Sahib

(Golden Temple) which alone feeds 35,000 people per day (4,000,000 per
annum). How many other communities dedicate themselves to non-judgmental
service of humanity in this way?
38 Sikhism provides an egalitarian power base

Theory: egalitarian in its power base
Practice: self appointed judges at the akhal takht who summon ‘renegades’ to
their ‘holy’ presence to answer a spiritual error
38.1 SikhingTruth response regarding egalitarian power base

There is no doubt that Sikhism was founded on an egalitarian power base. We
also think that the current set-up with self appointed judges is anti Sikh. The
sooner this gets dissolved the better. But again once again you have simply
highlighted an eternal truth taught by Sikhism that Christianity with its massive
level of priestly hierarchy could never compete with!
Page 40 of 46
39 Sikhism can make a useful contribution to world

politics
Theory: the book ‘globalisation & khalsa’ & ‘asia in the 21st century’ both
written by Dr Sawraj Singh, state that the khalsa path or principles of Sikhism
could solve the political problems of the world through mutual respect
Practice: first show that this works in Punjab & in local western gurdwaras –
where they argue over the issue of chairs
39.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the contribution of

Sikhism to world politics
The principles of Sikhism can indeed be very useful in promoting world peace.
In 2004 at the World Parliament of Religions, the biggest Interfaith event in the
world the Sikh community setup a temporary Gurdwara offering free food and
prayers to the thousand of people that attended from around the world. The
Langar or community kitchen is just one tool for bringing people of many
different religious and cultural traditions together.
Comments from some non-Sikh British colleagues included:
“One of the highlights has to be the lunches. The British Sikhs, with fabulous
generosity, offer everyone free food called Langar.You walk into a huge tent
and take your shoes off, put a white cloth on your head and sit on the floor in
long lines. The assembly line efficiency is staggering - one person brings you a
plate, the next a spoon, the following a dish, another delicacy from the next,
then water, and so on. When we first went in I glanced about me and smiled at
seeing people of all faiths sharing together. We asked one of the serving staff
where he was from, 'Leicester' came the answer - we're going back tomorrow
for lunch armed with a microphone!”
In fact the contribution of the Sikh community was so overwhelming at the

largest Interfaith event in the world that the next day the local newspapers
read “The Interfaith Event Run by the Sikhs”.
Just as a side note the issue of tables and chairs was resolved a number of
years ago :0)
40 Spiritual knowledge should be available to all

Theory: spiritual knowledge should be taught to all Sikhs
Practice: few Sikhs actually know what is in their holy book
Page 41 of 46
40.1 SikhingTruth response regarding spiritual knowledge

Great point regarding spiritual knowledge. There are many groups of Sikhs like
us that are working to educate people from all walks of life regarding the Sikh
lifestyle.
41 Idol worship is useless

Theory: idol worship & reverence for man-made things are useless
Practice: laying the guru granth to sleep at night, and awakening it in the
morning – a ritual practiced in gurudwaras. This guru, the granth, doesn’t
speak, or hear, & has no power of its own. It’s totally dependant on humans.
What would happen if a dog ran into a temple and pissed on the granth. The
‘guru’ would be utterly defenseless. What would we do then!
41.1 SikhingTruth response regarding idol worship

The Guru Granth Sahib is the most subtle Guru and it is a living consciousness.
If the Guru Granth Sahib was not living then it would not be able to heal people
from incurable diseases. Scientific evidence of healing incurable diseases with
medical reports can be found at www.gurunanakhealing.com
When a Gurmukh reads Gurbani with his/her heart, then it is the Gurbani which
teaches the Gurmukh about the meaning. The Gurbani will literally speak back
to you but we are not talking about an acoustic voice, we are talking about an
inner voice.
Bhai Nand Lal Ji explains this experience beautifully:

“For a man with “I” ego, Siri Guru Granth Sahib is only a book. For the truth
seeker it is the Sat Guru in another of his forms. For an enlightened soul it is
the living, awake Siri Guru Nanak Sahib himself”
So as the word of God is a living consciousness but simply in the body of a book,
instead of in the flesh during the time of the human Gurus, Sikhs will place the
Guru Guranth Sahib to rest at the end of the day and open it up in the morning.
Finally just for completeness of answering all questions, if we take your

example of a dog, somehow getting into Gurdwara, somehow getting past a
Granthi and somehow not connecting with Bani and doing his business then that
body of the Guru Granth Sahib would be cremated.
Page 42 of 46
42 Honesty and inner purity is important

Theory: honesty & inner purity/cleanliness count and is worthy
Practice: most sikhs show that only outer cleanliness is important. You cannot
touch their holy books without first washing your hands. They want to be
clean on the outside, but are rotten within
42.1 SikhingTruth response regarding honesty and purity

Our cleanliness is indeed important. Sikhs wash their hands before touching
Guru Granth Sahib as a mark of respect. However there is no doubt that inner
cleanliness is of much higher value than outer cleanliness. We have already
mentioned several quotes from the Guru Granth Sahib regarding this subject so
we will not repeat this here. Obviously to suggest that all Sikhs are “rotten
within” is just a laughable statement made by a person who has little spiritual
wealth.
43 The 5 beloved = Guru

Theory: panj pyare (5 beloved ones) have power. 10th guru said that where
there are 5 sikhs – I am there with them
Practice – while hindus wear dhotis around their waists, Sikhs wear their
dhotis on their heads. One dhoti, two dhotis, three dhotis, four To make panj
pyare, we will need one more. Jesus said ‘where there are 2 gathered in my
name, I am among them’. Seems that Jesus has more power than the 10th
guru.
43.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Sikhs and their Guru

Jesus most definitely did not have more power than the Sikh masters because
Jesus could not create another Jesus!
The whole uniqueness and freshness of Sikh Dharma is that the disciple became
the Guru and the Guru became the disciple. When Guru Gobind Singh Ji said
that there is no difference between me and these 5 Punj Pyare he meant it!
You see actually being with someone and becoming someone are 2 different
things. For Christians, Jesus will always remain the shepherd and his disciples
will always remain the sheep. In Sikhism the Guru became the disciple and the
disciples became the Guru.
Finally we should conclude by saying that when Jesus was on the cross he is
reported to have said, “O Lord Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?”. However when
Guru Arjan dev Ji Maharaj was tortured for 5 days and 5 nights which included
being boiled alive and sitting on a red hot plate with hot sand poured over the
head Guru Ji simply said “O Lord your will is sweet to me”. In addition if you
look at the martyrdom of the Sikhs with Guru Tegh Bahadur before he was
Page 43 of 46
beheaded they were tortured in infinitely more painful methods than Jesus and
they simply said “Satnam”, meaning “Truth is Eternal”.
So who is at a higher spiritual power? Guru Maharaj or Jesus? The answer is

obvious but it depends if your ego can handle the truth.
44 Remaining cool and collected is important

Theory: one must stay cool calm and collected at all times
Practice: many sikhs suffer from high blood pressure. The tighter the turban –
the angrier they get. Advice: take the turban off, lighten your burdens, you’ll
have less weight on your head & your blood pressure will drop.
44.1 SikhingTruth response regarding coolness
Amongst many things which our friend has written about, the causes of high
blood pressure is yet another one of those “niche” topics which seems to be
outside of his understanding.
Blood pressure is a measure of the force that the blood applies to the walls of
the arteries as it flows through them. It's normal for blood pressure to increase
when you exert yourself, or when you feel stressed or anxious. But if your
blood pressure is consistently higher than normal at rest, this is high blood
pressure, also known as hypertension.
There are 2 types of high blood pressure which include:
Primary hypertension
More than 9 in 10 people with high blood pressure have what's called 'primary'
or 'essential hypertension'. This means that there's no single clear cause of it.
Although the exact cause of high blood pressure isn't fully understood, it's
known that some factors to do with your lifestyle can contribute. These
include:
• smoking
• your family history
• obesity (being very overweight)
• drinking a lot of alcohol - especially if you binge drink
• a lack of exercise
• your diet
Secondary hypertension
Page 44 of 46
Around 5 in 10 people with high blood pressure have 'secondary hypertension'.

This means your condition can be linked to a recognised cause - in fact, it may
be a symptom of another underlying disease or factor such as:
• kidney disease
• endocrine disease
• narrowing of the aorta
• steroid medicines
• the contraceptive pill
• pregnancy, which can cause pre-eclampsia
For those folks who do suffer from hypertension we would recommend early
morning meditation on Gurbani, some Kundalini Yoga and Pranayama, eating
moderately, avoiding alcohol, smoking and meat and doing some Seva.
Basically following the Sikh lifestyle will keep you healthy, wealthy and wise!
Don’t bother following the advice of our Christian doctor he doesn’t know what
he is talking about :0)
45 Be happy and cheerful

Theory: be happy & cheerful at all times
Practice: seen any Sikh weddings recently. They all look sad, as if they’re at a
funeral
45.1 SikhingTruth response regarding happiness

My friend you have most definitely never been to a Sikh wedding!!!
46 Look on the inside of a person

Theory: look on the inside of a person, not the outside.
Practice: political alliances come first. If some Hindu or Muslim is holy, they
are nothing, but if a friend or fellow Punjabi is rotten to the core, he is still
khalas – pure. Most religions have failed their users, such as Churchianity,
Islam, Hindu, Sikh, & Judaism. But Buddhism seems to be the only one without
self-righteous idiots running about. Beware of all self-righteous gurus. Anyone
can wrap a dhoti round their head, grow a beard, and babble on with some
wise words, and automatically become a guru, either in India or in America.
We are careful today, but why were we not careful during the Sikh gurus time
– like someone else has written, just another family business. Sikhism has lost
its vitality it once had. What a shame, especially that it’s the worlds youngest
religion. You would think its energy would still be going by now, but like all
false religions its all spent up by those corrupt leaders, who are rotten to the
core.
Page 45 of 46
46.1 SikhingTruth response regarding looking on the inside of a

person
Absolutely Sikhs say the same thing. It’s a shame that in the theory you state
look on inside and the in the practice you go off on one about outer
appearances! What a hypocrite!
Over the last 30 years, Sikhism has been gaining some real traction around the
world so don’t be too surprised if in the next 20 years you have some white,
Chinese, black Sikhs teaching your children about Sikhism, Yoga and spiritual
life. Sikhism is very much alive and it always has been amongst practicing
Sikhs. May the Chardee Kala continue unto infinity!
47 Conclusions regarding Sikhism

We have never seen such a ridiculous array of questions in one go, but as
always we have enjoyed answering them. Now we get to move on to
Christianity and its practice and theory over the last 2000 years. Enjoy the rest
of the essay!
Page 46 of 46

Sikhism Christianity Theory and Practice

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Sikhism Christianity Theory and Practice

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

www.SikhingTruth.

21.1 SikhingTruth response regarding greed part 2.......................................... 26

43.1 SikhingTruth response regarding Sikhs and their Guru ........................... 43

Everything in blue are comments or statements from our Christian colleague/s

3 Worship of God in Sikhism

3.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the worship of God

3.1.1 Quote 1 – all life is sacred

3.1.2 Quote 2 – devotional worship is the way to God

4.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the oneness of humanity

“Recogise the human race as one family” – Guru Gobind Singh

The Guru Granth Sahib says:

In addition, it is unfortunately true that some Sikhs have built Gurdwaras on a

5.1 SikhingTruth response regarding pilgrimage

The Guru Granth Sahib says:

“Pilgrimages, austere discipline, compassion and charity - these, by

“The sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage are contained in the constant

So it is not sinful to go to a place of pilgrimage or a holy shrine. It is just that

6 Symbols are useless

6.1 SikhingTruth response regarding 5K’s

So indeed our Christian colleague is correct in indicating that useless symbols

Sikh Item Function

1) Ornamental function - Nature has decorated a man with a

forms of cosmic energy. It also helps to supply the piturary

1) Clean Hair - Wearing a turban helps to maintain long hair

will charge you for.

7 Abstinence of alcohol and meat

7.1 SikhingTruth response regarding alcohol and meat

8.1 SikhingTruth response regarding honest living

The Guru Granth Sahib says:

The Associated Baptist Press - www.abpnews.com on April 3, 2001 reported

"About half of Baptist organizations contacted by the independent newspaper

Presidents Albert Mohler of Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky., and Kenneth

Does this lower the teachings of Jesus?

9 Ignore trivial matters

9.1 SikhingTruth response regarding trivial matters

10 No religion - just human

10.1 SikhingTruth response regarding trivial matters

11 Idol worship and the Sikh holy scripture

11.1 SikhingTruth response regarding the holy book

The Guru Granth Sahib is not itself an item of worship.

12 Physical violence is permissible only as a last resort

12.1 SikhingTruth response regarding physical violence

Incidentally it is probably worth noting that the most violent crimes in

What does that say about the teachings of Jesus?

13 Sikhism stands for freedom of religion

13.1 SikhingTruth response regarding freedom of religion

13.1.1 Christian example 1

In the following minutes, the Christian converts inappropriately began singing

14 All religions are different paths to God

14.1 SikhingTruth response regarding different paths to God

In fact it is Christians who throughout history have shown more intolerance

As a summary though Christianity has supported:

15 One God – One holy book – One congregation

15.1 SikhingTruth response regarding one God – one holy book –

16 Helping the poor and needy

16.1 SikhingTruth response regarding helping the poor and

17 Simple places of worship

17.1 SikhingTruth response regarading simple places of worship

The Guru Granth Sahib says:

“O Nanak, meditate forever on the One, who is worthy of meditation. ||1||

18.1 SikhingTruth response regarding humility

Also the Guru Granth Sahib says:

“Modesty, humility and intuitive understanding are my mother-in-law and

However if we even give the benefit of doubt to the above “practice”