albcan Posted July 3, 2014 Report Share Posted July 3, 2014 solutions to Sikh youth who have bin turned off by gurdwaras attacking the drug abuse amongst Sikhs in india and the west this gangster wannabe culture some Punjabi youth pick up on were they try hard to be black gangsters Sikh girls being vulnerable to muslims cause the parents don't know how to raise strong confident daughters with strong morals 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaikaara Posted July 4, 2014 Report Share Posted July 4, 2014 There is a cloud of arrogance in their minds ..We did this ..We did that ..Hindu identity bashing etc... Haume is the worst enemy, this has made them engage in hatred against others and forget their own selves . I have spoken to some guys with this attitude , arrogant about their identity and smoking weed . They are wannabe Don Quixote types and it is high time when apne stop poking their noses in other's asses and turn to clean their own ass which smells worst. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatanga1 Posted July 7, 2014 Report Share Posted July 7, 2014 there are too many problems to be tackled by all of us. as I have said before we need to look at parts of Sikhi/Sikh community, where we know we can start to make a difference. By working on certain aspects which we are good at or have an interest in, we may be able to change things, rather than try to correct each and everything wrong in the panth at once. The first step, that we really need is to acknowledge and tolerate those strands of Sikhs/Sikhi that is different from our own thinking. this is from a topic i posted on ss a long time ago : Just an idea I had, and I hope these words can express it, but when I look around at younger Sikhs today, those who follow Sikhi, to any extent seem to be into everything and anything Sikhi. I was thinking about this, cos I have been like this in my younger days, but now have realised that there are so many areas to work in, for the betterment of the panth, that it is impossible to do every one. Rather than be a jack of all trades and expert in none, i made a decision to look at what things in the panth can be improved and do sewa specifically for that. So i made a decision to work on 2 main projects only for the future, whilst supporting any others i can. Since I have been doing it, i have felt that there has actually been progress, and would like to impress on the Sikhs here that maybe there could be an issue(s) that they feel strongly about and devote themselves to that practically and prioritise that. Here are some areas in which attention is required, please feel free to add others: Sewa in your local gurdwara, ie specifically,langar, education, community awareness Gurmat Sangeet Shastarvidiya SIkh heritage around the world, esp Pakistan, and certain states in india SIkh manuscripts, which are rotting/hidden away, which could be brought before world-wide sangat, and translationed into english Human Rights Fundraising Charity work Sikh political issues in the western world on community or national scale Important annual events in the Sikh calendar Sikhi camps Forgotten traditions within the panth International world days (examples of this are world literacy day, sept, and world book day in march) With some of these, people who are reluctant to do sewa for the panth, because of their personal commitment to their Sikhi, (meaning they may not be keeping kes etc) there are still areas in which they can still provide sterling assistance to the Panth. if you wish to read the rest of discussion: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/72671-what-is-your-sewa/?hl=%2Bwhat+%2Byour+%2Bsewa 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mannmere Posted July 8, 2014 Report Share Posted July 8, 2014 (edited) solutions to Sikh youth who have bin turned off by gurdwaras attacking the drug abuse amongst Sikhs in india and the west this gangster wannabe culture some Punjabi youth pick up on were they try hard to be black gangsters Sikh girls being vulnerable to muslims cause the parents don't know how to raise strong confident daughters with strong morals Education is the answer to all these problems. Educating the parents and their youth. Sikh parents should open up a club where parents and youth can meet up and talk, talk and talk. In other words have a dialogue with each other. Gurdwara is NOT A PLACE FOR THIS! Parents have to be taught that they no longer can treat their daughters in a subservient fashion. They need to be sensible about equal rights and demonstrate them to their children of both sexes. NO PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT PLEASE! Girls will rebel. They will fall for the very first one that comes along and shows some respect and love even if it is fake and trap them! What is happening to the sikh girls is the fault of the sikh community itself and the parents. Edited July 8, 2014 by Mannmere 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatanga1 Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 Education is the answer to all these problems. Educating the parents and their youth. Sikh parents should open up a club where parents and youth can meet up and talk, talk and talk. In other words have a dialogue with each other. Gurdwara is NOT A PLACE FOR THIS! The gurdwara is a place of education, so why not use the gurdwara to educate Sikhs about real issues affecting Sikhs? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 I think I actually understand Manmere's point. I think the time of using Gurdwaras like you mention above past a few decades ago. Back then, the majority of people from Sikh backgrounds would regularly attend. Now we have large groups of disconnected people some of whom see the Gurdwara as a narrow minded place, due to past experiences or misconceptions. The role and function of a Gurdwara in the 21st century diaspora, where 3rd/4th generations are not remotely like the original immigrants or even the 2nd generation is a really pertinent subject. Personally I think having nurseries, tuition centres, vocational training, gyms, exam preparation classes is the way to go. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mannmere Posted July 9, 2014 Report Share Posted July 9, 2014 The gurdwara is a place of education, so why not use the gurdwara to educate Sikhs about real issues affecting Sikhs? Gurdwara Sahibs are a place for worship and educating the congregation about God and spirituality. When we go to the Gurdwara we are supposed to be focused on God so we can concentrate on what the Guru is saying. Why don't they teach this to the people that attend the Gurdwaras? All we hear is non stop chit chat going on everywhere we look and if this is not bad enough we notice children running about like no one's business. There is so much noise inside the Gurdwaras that it is impossible to focus your mind on the Guru or collect your thoughts and do His simran. We don't live in huge mansions and we all need a place for silence and calm so we can clear our minds of jumbled up thoughts and focus on God. The Gurdwaras should make some kind of provision for those people that just want to sit quietly and meditate on the the Guru. Gurdwaras are not taking this responisibilty very seriously and no wonder everyone is lost and disconnected. I love going to the Gurdwara but there is too much commotion going on everywhere you look. Once I was watching Professor Udoke delivering a lecture inside the Gurdwara Sahib and I just could not believe what I saw. He was lecturing on the Sikh history and communicating very sophisticated and well researched information to the sangat present there. This reminded me of when I was at university. I noticed everyone was listening to him but no one and I repeat, no one was taking any notes or even had a pen/pencil and a notepad in their hands. They were listening very intently and I only hoped they will remember everything when they left. People would have benefited more if he had done this lecture in college or university environment where people would have made notes to look up and recap later on. They would have learned so much and hopefully passed it on to someone else. Unfortunately, I did not see anyone taking any notes and the women had their little children, bless them, in their laps or sitting near them or just lying down which they had to keep an eye on all the time! The lecture was very academic and I wonder if they remember everything he said. What I am trying to say is that Gurdwara is not the place for everything. If I had been at the Gurdwara that day it would not have been ideal for me to sit down and listen to his lecture because I would not have come prepared with a pen and a notepad that day. Besides, it is difficult to concentrate when there is so much noise going on everywhere. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalsingh101 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 (edited) I'm of an opposite opinion to the last post. I think Gurdwaras should encompass more than just spiritual matters, although this should be one of their key roles. I think we also need to address economic/employment issues, wider family problems and actually cover the whole range of issues concerning healthy human and social development. We would have quiet sections just for simran too. Edited July 10, 2014 by dalsingh101 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatanga1 Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Gurdwara Sahibs are a place for worship and educating the congregation about God and spirituality. Bhaji, Gurdwaras are more than that. They are a place to educate people about political,social, national and international issues as well. By losing this dimension of the gurdwaras, we are at the stage we are now. Elders who haven't got a clue on anything but doing endless akhand paths, and youngsters who have in large numbers semi-abandoned the path. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASJ Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 (edited) Mannmere, you have specified some valid points in your post but our Gurdwaras don't have plenty of space to allocate a room to each and every activity. They are sometimes built in houses or very old churches which have been lying vacant for years. It is difficult to have so many rooms on the premises. What's is wrong with people discussing politics or social issues inside the Gurdwara in the presence of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji? I know people have to be fully focused on what is being said but they can leave the children in the play areas if there are any allocated for this purpose. I am just wondering what if the pradhaans sahib jis discussed everything with the sangat first before planning anything? I have heard many times that the pradhans don't listen to anyone, they just do what they like. I was there when the Prof. was doing one of his lectures and I did find it very hard to concentrate. His lectures are very well researched and very academic and one really needs to take notes, you are right. To be honest I am one of those youngsters that 'abandoned the path' because there was no one to guide me and teach me about sikh dharam. If you saw me now you wouldn't think so. It took me a long time to discover sikhism and now I think I know a little bit more and feel so good. My knowledge about sikhism did not come from any of the Gurdwaras. I think youngsters abandon the path of Sikhee because of the inability of their parents and their parents' parents to pass it on to their children due to lack of understanding and illiteracy. I find it so thoroughly disgusting that majority of our elders are not punjabi literate. Edited July 10, 2014 by ASJ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chatanga1 Posted July 14, 2014 Report Share Posted July 14, 2014 I am just wondering what if the pradhaans sahib jis discussed everything with the sangat first before planning anything? I have heard many times that the pradhans don't listen to anyone, they just do what they like. In my experience, it has been so. the pradhans of our local gurdwara never discussed anything with the sangat. they think of themselves as jagirdars. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASJ Posted July 22, 2014 Report Share Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) The best solutions would be to ask people why they behave the way they do to let others have the inside knowledge of their behaviour. Edited July 22, 2014 by ASJ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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