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Salaam Alekum Satwinder, Thanks for the links. They took me back a few years to when I was traveling through the Middle East and Asia to the night we spent in the golden temple at Amritsar and were made to feel *very* welcome, as I was made to feel everywhere from Jordan to Nepal. Wherever and whenever I had a problem with my motorbike I would search out the local Sikh mechanic to be sure of an excellent and honest repair job. I owe you guys a lot. Unfortunately since Tuesday it has been reported on the BBC that 2 Pakistani taxi drivers have been shot in NYC and that yet another 16 Palestinians have been murdered in Palestine (that is on top of the 800 so far this year). I just hope that all of this hatred stops and that all people of whatever race, creed or religion can get past this bloodlust unscathed. Unfortunately I think we might be on the eve of more deaths of innocent women and children again at the hands of Americans (who is right and who is wrong?). Let's hope I am wrong. Ciao Chris XML/XSL Portal http://www.bayes.co.uk/xml > -----Original Message----- > From: Satwinder Mangat [mailto:smangat@a...] > Sent: 14 September 2001 19:08 > To: xml-dev@l... > Subject: Hate crimes against Sikh Community...... > > > > Sorry for using this bandwidth to educate ourselves about > Sikh religion. The followers of Sikhism are called Sikhs > (people with beard and turban) and now have become target of > hate crime since last few days. Sikhs are neither Muslims nor > Hindus and have nothing to do Osama bin Laden. > > For slides on Sikhism and its history: check out > > http://www.maboli.com/seva/sikhi/index.htm > > Please forgive me if you think I shouldn't have this e-mail > to this mailing group. We are a global society and learning > about each other will make this world a peaceful place to > live. If you agree, please share information about Sikhism > with family and friends so that innocent Sikhs don't become > target of hate crimes because of their visible identity. > > Thanks > Satwinder Mangat > > ============================================================== > ============== > ================= > > SIKH COMMUNITY DENOUNCE THE TERRORIST ATTACK, HELD PRAYERS.... > > Sikh community in America would like to join their fellow > Americans in condemning the horrific acts that took place on > the morning of September 11, 2001. Sikhs are saddened by the > tremendous loss of life from these actions, and their > thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims. > Sikhs pray that the United States Government is able to > swiftly bring those responsible for these atrocities to justice. > > Since many Americans commonly mistake Sikhs for followers of > Islam, or associated with Osama Bin Laden because of turban, > there are reports of violent attacks directed against members > of the Sikh community. Sikh community request Amercian fellow > citizens to educate themselves about Sikhism so that innocent > Sikhs don't become soft target of hate because of their > visibile identity. Sikhs are neither Muslims nor Hindus and > has nothing to do with Osama Bin Laden. > > The Sikhism originated in Punjab state of India about 500 > years ago. The brief introduction to Sikhism is given below. > Check www.sikhs.org, www.maboli.com www.sikhnet.com, > www.sikhmediawatch.com for more details on Sikhism. > > All Sikh Americans extend their prayers and solidarity to > those who have been affected by this devastating act of > terrorism, and hope that the diverse members of our nation > can come together as one in this time of national crisis. > > ============================================================== > ============== > ================== > > Introduction to Sikhism > ======================= > > A way of life and philosophy well ahead of its time when it > was founded over 500 years ago, The Sikh religion today has a > following of over 20 million people worldwide. Sikhism > preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of God at all > times, truthful living, equality of mankind, social justice > and denounces superstitions and blind rituals. Sikhism is > open to all through the teachings of its 10 Gurus enshrined > in the Sikh Holy Book and Living Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib. > > Who and What is a Sikh? > ======================== > > The word 'Sikh' in the Punjabi language means 'disciple', > Sikhs are the disciples of God who follow the writings and > teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus. The wisdom of these > teachings in Sri Guru Granth Sahib (holy book) are practical > and universal in their appeal to all mankind. > > "I observe neither Hindu fasting nor the ritual of the Muslim > Ramadan month; Him I serve who at the last shall save. The > Lord of universe of the Hindus, Gosain and Allah to me are > one; From Hindus and Muslims have I broken free. I perform > neither Kaaba pilgrimage nor at bathing spots worship; One > sole Lord I serve, and no other. I perform neither the Hindu > worship nor the Muslim prayer; To the Sole Formless Lord in > my heart I bow. We neither are Hindus nor Muslims; Our body > and life belong to the One Supreme Being who alone is both > Ram and Allah for us." (Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Granth Sahib, > Raga Bhairon pg. 1136) > > "Any human being who faithfully believes in: (i) One Immortal > Being, (ii) Ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind > Singh, (iii) The Guru Granth Sahib, (iv) The utterances and > teachings of the ten Gurus and, (v) the baptism bequeathed by > the tenth Guru, and who does not owe allegiance to any other > religion is a Sikh." (Reht Maryada, Sikh Code of Conduct) > > Philosophy and Beliefs > ======================= > > - There is only One God. He is the same God for all people > of all religions. The Sikhs will worship only God. They will > not set up any idols, gods, goddesses or statues for worship > nor shall they worship any human being. > > - Basic tenents of Sikhism are: > a) Honest labour and work (Kirat Karna) are the > approved way of living ones life. It is considered honourable > to earn ones daily bread through honest work and not by > begging or dishonest means. > > b) Sharing with others (Vand Chhakna) is also a social > responsibility. The individual is expected to help others in > need through charity. > > c) Community service (Seva)is also an intergral part of > Sikhism. The free community kitchen (langar) found at every > gurdwara (Religious place of > Sikhs) and open to people of all religions is one expression > of this community service. > > - The soul goes through cycles of births and deaths before > it reaches the human form. The goal of our life is to lead an > exemplary existence so that one may merge with God. Sikhs > should remember God at all times and practice living a > virtuous and truthful life while maintaining a balance > between their spiritual obligations and temporal obligations. > > - The true path to achieving salvation and merging with God > does not require renunciation of the world or celibacy, but > living the life of a householder, earning a honest living and > avoiding worldly temptations and sins. > > - Sikhism condemns blind rituals such as fasting, visiting > places of pilgrimage, superstitions, worship of the dead, > idol worship etc. > > - Sikhism preaches that people of different races, > religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God. It > teaches the full equality of men and women. Women can > participate in any religious function or perform any Sikh > ceremony or lead the congregation in prayer. > > - Sikhism stressed the full equality of women, rejecting > female infanticide, permitting widow remarriage and rejects > purdah (women wearing veils). > > - Normal Family life (Grasth) is encouraged, celibacy or > renunciation of the world is not necessary to achieve > salvation. The devotee must live in the world yet keep his > mind pure. He must be a soldier, a scholar, a saint. > > > History and Practices > ===================== > > The founder of the Sikh religion was Guru Nanak who was born > in 1469. He preached a message of love and understanding and > criticized the blind rituals of the Hindus and Muslims. Guru > Nanak passed on his enlightened leadership of this new > religion to nine successive Gurus. The final living Guru, > Guru Gobind Singh died in 1708. > > During his lifetime Guru Gobind Singh established the Khalsa > order (meaning 'The Pure'), soldier-saints. The Khalsa uphold > the highest Sikh virtues of commitment, dedication and a > social conscious. The Khalsa are men and women who have > undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who strictly follow > the Sikh Code of Conduct and Conventions and wear the > prescribed physical articles of the faith. One of the more > noticeable being the uncut hair (required to be covered with > a turban for men) and the Kirpan (ceremonial sword). > > Before his death in 1708 Guru Gobind Singh declared that the > Sikhs no longer needed a living and appointed his spiritual > successor as Sri Guru Granth Sahib, his physical successor as > the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh felt that all the wisdom needed > by Sikhs for spiritual guidance in their daily lives could be > found in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Eternal Guru of the > Sikhs. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is unique in the world of > religious scriptures because not only is it accorded the > status of being the spiritual head of the Sikh religion, but > besides the poetry of the Gurus, it also contains the > writings of saints of other faiths whose thoughts were > consistent with those of the Sikh Gurus. > > Sikhism does not have priests, which were abolished by Guru > Gobind Singh. The Guru felt that they had become corrupt and > full of ego. Sikhs only have custodians of the Guru Granth > Sahib (granthi), and any Sikh is free to read the Guru Granth > Sahib in the Gurdwara (a Sikh temple) or in their home. All > people of all religions are welcome to the Gurdwara. A free > community kitchen can be found at every Gurdwara which serves > meals to all people of all faiths. Guru Nanak first started > this institution which outline the basic Sikh principles of > service, humility and equality. > > The most significant historical religious center for the > Sikhs is Harmiandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) at Amritsar in > the state of Punjab in northern India. It is the > inspirational and historical center of Sikhism but is not a > mandatory place of pilgrimage or worship. All places where > Sri Guru Granth Sahib are installed are considered equally > holy for Sikhs. > > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > The xml-dev list is sponsored by XML.org > <http://www.xml.org>, an initiative of OASIS <http://www.oasis-open.org> The list archives are at http://lists.xml.org/archives/xml-dev/ To subscribe or unsubscribe from this elist use the subscription manager: <http://lists.xml.org/ob/adm.pl>
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