Visitors to our Community – an Interfaith Dialogue
Today was a very interesting day. The US State Department has been hosting an International Visitor Tour “Promoting Interfaith Dialogue”. The tour consists of about 12 Muslim religious leaders, one priest from the Coptic Orthodox Church, 3 translators, and some aides. The purpose of this tour is to bring together people in our communities around the country to participate discussions about religious freedom and interfaith dialogue. The group of people were from all over the middle east (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen).
Sikh Dharma International is part of the Council of International Relations and was invited to host them here in our community for a morning dialog. It was an interesting experience sharing with each other about our different religions. Different people spoke about the Sikh religion, origins, beliefs, practices, etc; and they did the same about Islam and Christianity (as practiced by the coptic church).
After the dialog they came to our Gurdwara and sat down with the rest of the community for Langar. After langar we gave them a tour of the Gurdwara and had some more discussions about the different Sikh/Muslim practices. It was all very educational for us all. I think they will definitely remember us when they head home.
I realized a few things. First, I don’t know that much about other religious practices. Second, it is easy to form an opinion about a religion/people without knowing much. The media here does such a bad job, and basically makes it seem that all Muslims are extremists. Each religion has it’s fanatics and extremists (even Sikhi). Would you want someone to judge Sikhi based on those few?
It is important that we take the time to educate ourselves about the other people around us and their religious beliefs. I think our sangat does a really good job at building bridges between the Sikh community and others. I was just imagining someone from the SGPC trying to host something like this and how bad it would probably turn out. You really have to have a certain open mindset and walk the fine line of respect and diplomacy. The key is focusing on commonality and not the differences. More often people get stuck in the differences in practices/beliefs and this only separates us rather than uniting.
So…another day of learning and sharing here in our little Espanola. Even though we are a small town there always seems to be something going on.
Ps. I would have taken pictures but the I think the state department wants to keep things quiet for whatever reason. Otherwise I would have had some pics to show.
12 Responses to “Visitors to our Community – an Interfaith Dialogue”
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Sat Sri Akal!
Truth hurts.
But it hurts so good!
Hanji Bhaji!
Your comments and my degree of good hurt.
[Tongue firmly placed in cheek]
[1] I was just imagining someone from the SGPC trying to host something like this and how bad it would probably turn out.
[1] OUCH!
[2]You really have to have a certain open mindset and walk the fine line of respect and diplomacy.
[2]OUCH! OUCH!
[3] The key is focusing on commonality and not the differences.
[3] OUCH!OUCH!OUCH!
[4] More often people get stuck in the differences in practices/beliefs and this only separates us rather than uniting.
[4]OUCH!OUCH!OUCH!OUCH!
Knocked out on the floor!
Jagwinder Singh Sidhu
Headway School
Jagwinder Singh…sorry I didn’t get you. Are you saying I am being judgemental of the SGPC? I sure am, and with reason. If any of you have seen some of the practices, politics, then you will relate. I wouldn’t entrust the SGPC for doing something like interfaith dialogs. If an issue like alowing WOMEN (yeah…the other gender) to do Kirtan and seva in Harmandir sahib cannot be worked out (which seems a no brainer to most) then I don’t think I can have much confidence in their “leadership”.
Sorry. This is a sore spot and frustration for me. I have had many meetings with different SGPC leadership and have left quite frustrated. It’s seems to be mostly politics and power…rather than truly being Sikhs of the Guru. Overall I don’t think they are bad Sikhs but just seem to be stuck in a different age and not willing to change. I guess this is part of the change that will happen over time as the new generation of Sikhs grows older.
This meeting is a wonderful development in human society. This rarely happens but the times are really squeezing our Islamic family to finally reach out to the world.
Remember, even our Guru contains the writing of Kabir and Farid……Sufi Saints from Islam origin. In spite of the infighting found inside religions, we see that this will have to change….soon.
The Guru even states thath the pure practice of consciousness is the core of religions, but the Kal Yug very few practice this.
The Guru says so perfectly, the only way to God in this age is by singing God’s name…in the company of the disciplined ones.
This is a great message for ALL.
a secret mission by the State Department? this is such a good thing why are they so mum about it? so to not upset the right wing?
i think we all have to learn a lot about eachother (from different religions). but that’s only going to happen if we’re willing to teach one another. otherwise if the information is pushed to us by the media it’ll never be perfect or unbiased.
i just mentioned it on someone else’s blog but why don’t sikhs(leadership and average sikhs who have the means to do so instead of doing a bollywood movie) do documentaries of the history of sikhi in order to educate us and the others? i don’t mean to be picky but that lady did a documentary on the LA sangat for BBC2 and did an awesome job. why can’t anyone do it for a historical purpose? i guess it’s not sexy enough. but do it as a seva.
i would love to take on this project but i don’t know anything about working the camera(and other lame excuses…actually i’m going to try if i get to go(in punjab) in a couple of months). and i’m pretty sure there’re sikh students out there in journalism classes and others for whom this would be an awesome project. c’mon valerie!
notice i stayed away from calling on you Gurumustak!:)
Seems like the new SGPC President Avtar Singh is bringing quite a change, disciplining lazy workers that are late for work, not allowing SGPC workers to be photographed with government elected officials, proper Sikh dress code, and who knows may be women seva be next. But I think, it is up to the Jathedars of five Takhats than SGPC. I am wondering, did anyone at the Espanola community ask the Jethedars when they were visiting a few months ago (when you posted pictures of them playing golf). I am just curious what exactly is the reasoning behind all this. The reasons I have read (uncleaniness etc.) don’t justify for me.
I think Sikh community all over is going thru an internal revolution of sort for the past few years. In a few years, things probably will be a lot different. Things are looking really good for future (it is not a numerological prediction, but just optimism)
Re: Secrecy… I think this visit was kept “low profile” to protect the muslim clerics themselves. After all, the USA isn’t very well thought of around the world at this point in time. I don’t think the US Gov’t has another hidden agenda with regard to this trip.
…..G
G, I wasn’t trying to suggest that there was a hidden agenda. What i was saying was that the agenda is a good one and they should publicize it more. it seems like this govt. can’t do anything right these days.
compared to the palestinian parents donating their dead son’s organs to israelis who killed him…this(muslim clerics doing interfaith dialogue) wasn’t much of a leap. meaning no one in this world hates the US more than Palestinians hate Israel. no one put those parents in the FBI witness protection program after their peace gesture. i think it’s dumb to underestimate the goodness in people’s hearts.
for the record i consider myself a republican and i would’ve voted for bush if someone had held a gun to my head and forced me to vote but i didn’t because i didn’t believe in either of the candidates.
I sincerely wish one of you at the Sikhnet(Sevadaars) should get elected/selected in the SGPC board. We need intellect, hard work and total submission to Vaheguru. Its sad to see the state of Sikhs in India these days, why?I don’t need to explain this.
I would move to Espanola NM in a second given a chance. Spending life among Gursikhs, Naam Simran, learn and teach at the same time… Satnam!
Anyways, the service and brotherhood you are providing, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Guruka Ji, i got a bit carried away, it’s such an emotional topic…but this administration is just…
10 more marines got killed today.
i want to go see Syriana…has anyone seen it?
Gill, not to be cheesy but that’s the place i wanted to go visit (with a camera) (where the sahibzadais got bricked).
I have being hearing of family and friends, but cannot find any article or pictures of proof, though punjab radio is saying it is so. So ask the sangat does anyone know it is true that at Gurudwara Fatehgarh Sahib at Sirhind the following has taken place,
That the site where Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh were orded to be bricked bricked alive, and ultimately obtained martydom has been destroyed. I have heard that the spot, where the historical wall stood, has been cleared away
Secondly that the site, Mata Gujri expired (which I believe was a deep freezing cold well) has been filled up, and bricked over.
Thirdly that all this has been done by the spgc, and akalis.
I sincerely hope that it is just rumour…..Anyway I will be going to punjab in january, so I’ll also try and see with my own eyes………..Anyway here is all I could find on the net
http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/martyrs/matagujari.html
At Fatehgarh Sahib, near Sirhind, there is a shrine called Gurdwara Mata Gujari (Thanda Burj). This is where Mata Gujari spent the last four days of her life. Ahout one kilometre to the southeast of it is Gurdwara Joti Sarup, marking the cremation site. Here, on the ground floor, a small domed pavilion in white marble is dedicated to Mata Gujari. The Sikhs from far and near come to pay homage to her memory, especially during a three-day fair held from 1113 Poh, Bikrami dates falling in the last week of December.
Sat Shri Akal!
Just back from Amritsar, so i have to catch up on the blog. I just wanted to ad, here in Belgium we are pretty busy with interfaith dialogue and meditation. In our group are catholics, protestants, muslims, bahai’s and sikhs ( any other religion in the region is welcome too) The moments when we meditate ( pray) together are overwhelming. Everybody from his path gives one prayer or thought about a certain item ( the names of God, peace, our body is a temple, the creation etc), then we go in meditation.
Every one of us has now and then a not so nice reaction from narrowminded co-believers. But we continue anyhow.
We try to visit each other houses of worship and pray there.
I am quite sure that to know each other(and to make the effort to know) is te best base for understanding. There is a level where suddenly it is not so important anymore from which background one is coming, only The One ( Ek Omkar)in front is important.
So everybody over there grap these chances and discover Him in everyone.
love
manpreet
in response to this…
“That the site where Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh were orded to be bricked bricked alive, and ultimately obtained martydom has been destroyed. I have heard that the spot, where the historical wall stood, has been cleared away
Secondly that the site, Mata Gujri expired (which I believe was a deep freezing cold well) has been filled up, and bricked over.
Thirdly that all this has been done by the spgc, and akalis.
I sincerely hope that it is just rumour…..Anyway I will be going to punjab in january, so I’ll also try and see with my own eyes………..Anyway here is all I could find on the net”
I think its rubbish as the wall is inside gurdwara(that gurdware is huge) in fatehgarh sahib. i went there like 13yrs ago when i was in india. the well (bauli) cannot be filled either as it has so much water still and its preserved properly by local sikhs. its near gurdwara. its covered from top you enter it from side “its damn slippery” and exteremely cold water. Don’t believe everything which is published on internet :(
gurfateh
bhupinder singh