Do you actually follow your faith or is it your own prejudice and thinking?
One day I was on clubhouse and was listening to a colleague describe her childhood in the UK being an Asian belonging to Sikh Community.
Hearing, that Daughters birth wasn't celebrated/ welcomed and parents kept trying till they have a boy, completely baffled me, as someone who is raised as Sikh and quite proud of the faith I practise, which is all about equality, this was a shock to my system and values I practise.
I spend some time thinking about my friend's word “ Sikh community in west midland have this attitude”. It led me to introspect and read more and also contact some of the scholars as my experience of Sikhism growing in India was very progressive as we followed the principles of equality, community service, fearlessness and inclusive way of living. Also, my parents always wanted a daughter and had two daughters my sister and me.
My Sikh friends and my upbringing came from a place of trust in kids, give them wing to fly make them fearless, Imbibe the values of honesty, respect and equality. Hence the statement made by my colleague didn't sit right with me to a point I wanted to disassociate with that thinking.
On spending good time analysing the situation, I reached a conclusion that it was not actually Sikhism but a community that scummed to social pressure and was following practices that were actually the complete opposite of Sikhism. Also, it had nothing to do with Sikhism it was their own prejudices and choices, which in this case are not aligned to the faith they assume to follow.
You would wonder why am I writing about this, As someone who believes in the teaching of equality that is the essence of my faith, I felt disappointed, shocked, appalled that someone was calling them Sikhi principles and promoting thoughts that are shambolic and not at all associated with the faith teachings and Values.
Note to me — it's the social norms that people follow and has nothing to do with the faith that beautifully promotes equality and progressive thinking of Fearless, inclusiveness, community spirit and a positive, buoyant and optimistic attitude. In short, it has nothing to do with Sikhi and Gurbani but their individual thinking.
