Posts Tagged ‘ Sikh ’

Reflections on an interfaith service in Zuccotti Park

November 20, 2011
By

Katherine Clark, Reuters, Nov.16, blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2011/11/16/occupy-sacred-space-reflections-on-an-interfaith-service-in-zuccotti-park/

A small group of diverse religious and community leaders gathered in Zuccotti Park this past Sunday to lead an interfaith service at Occupy Wall Street. Organized by staff at the Interfaith Center of New York, we had asked the participants – representing Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh traditions — to meet on Zuccotti’s northeastern steps for the afternoon service. These services have been taking place at the park in Lower Manhattan every Sunday for the past few weeks, so we thought we could easily meet up by the Interfaith Center sign there.

It was not so easy after all. Upon arriving, we saw tha t claiming a spot amidst the abundance of tents and other Occupy activities would require a tremendous amount of patience and creativity. Our sign was lost amidst notices for the community library, the “basics of anarchy” pamphlet table, a laughter yoga session and a gentleman sporting a multi-colored outfit and sign proclaiming, “Outer Space or Bust; Goodbye Earth People.” Eventually, however, we found one another. Within a few minutes, an interested crowd gathered on the steps. Our makeshift sacred space began to take shape.

Hindu monk Rasanath Das opened the service with a standing meditation, providing a rare moment of peace amid the clamor of surrounding mic checks, drums, chants and street noise. The meditation set the tone for an inspiring service that featured leaders from a variety of faith traditions – Rev. Dr. Traci West (United Methodist), Dr. Tejal Kaur (Sikh), Rev. Earl Kooperkamp (Episcopalian), and Annie Rawlings (Presbyterian) — each of their messages being amplified through the “human microphone.” Since real amplifiers aren’t permitted in Zuccotti Park, speakers at Occupy Wall Street to deliver their message in succinct sentences that the surrounding crowd repeats, allowing a wider audience to hear.

Some 36 hours after our interfaith service had concluded, the New York Police Department (NYPD) evicted everyone from Zuccotti Park. The space was vacant for the first time in two months. There are those who hope that this movement is based solely on geographical location and that dispersing protesters and dismantling their tents will have the same effect on their ideals.  This is not the case for the Occupy movement, or for the multi-faith leaders who stand in solidarity with it. To quote countless Twitter feeds since Tuesday morning, “you cannot evict an idea whose time has come.”

Read the complete article here.

Shining Light on the Festival of Lights

October 23, 2011
By

Padma Kuppa, Patheos, Oct.20, www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Shining-Light-on-the-Festival-of-Lights-Padma-Kuppa-10-21-2011.html

We all look the same in the dark. But it’s better to shine light on our nation of glorious differences.

My neighbor’s daughter always knows when Diwali is: it’s when my Christmas lights go up. Diwali is also known by other names, such as Deepavali, or in English, the Festival of Lights. It is a holy day for Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, with a different religious significance for each faith tradition. For ethnic Hindus, the various stories associated with it depend largely on their respective regional and cultural customs. It is celebrated across the land where it originated by almost everyone—similar to how Christmas is celebrated here in America.

Deepavali means a row of lights. Traditionally, deepa or diya, small clay lamps filled with oil, were lined up in rows in front of one’s home. Informational articles abound, such as this one from Hinduism Today. Many do not cover the myriad of stories and traditions surrounding Diwali—or only focus on one way of celebrating it, such as the understanding that the Hindu New Year is celebrated the day after Diwali, which is true only for a segment of the Hindu population. A popular story centers around the story of Rama, the avatar of Vishnu and successful hero of the epic the Ramayana, who is said to have returned from exile on this no-moon night. The light of the lamps illuminated the way for the virtuous hero to return home after he vanquished Ravana, the evil king who abducted Rama’s equally virtuous wife Sita. Rama is the Prince of Ayodhya and is perceived as the embodiment of all that is dharmic. Lighting the lamps is a metaphor for the victory of all that is good and just over all that is evil and unjust. Light is also knowledge, shining so that there is no room for the darkness of ignorance.

Read the complete article here.

Sikh Faith Often Misunderstood

September 19, 2011
By

Joe DSowd, Plainview, Sep.16, plainview.patch.com/articles/sikh-faith-often-misunderstood

In the Western World, members of the Sikh faith are misunderstood, often thought of as a sect of other faiths, local members say.  To counter those misconceptions, the Sikhs are very open about their beliefs and conduct regular community outreach programs.

Read the complete article here.

Unite against religious violence, says Interfaith Network

July 31, 2011
By

Ekklesia, Jul.27, www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/15162

The Interfaith Network in the UK has urged religious groups to unite against violence and prejudice following the murder of 76 people in Norway last week. They condemned the killer’s claim to be motivated by Christianity and his promotion of hostility to Muslims.

The network, which seeks to promote dialogue and understanding between people of different faiths, pointed out that “the individual arrested in the wake of these terrorist acts has offered a rationale rooted in opposition to multiculturalism and to the presence of Islam in Europe. He has claimed a justification based, in part, on what he sees as Christian belief”.

They suggest that incidents such as this have a “direct relevance” to all working for good interfaith relations, because “where terrorists justify their actions with reference to positions which they call religious, this reflects ignorance and breeds suspicion and mistrust”.

The signatories to the network’s statement acknowledge that religious teachings can be used to justify brutal acts of violence. But they insist that such acts “have no place in any society”. They add, “in the United Kingdom, people of different faiths coexist as part of one society”.

The Interfaith Network links 200 member bodies including national representative bodies of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian faiths.

They concluded, “We are committed, as people of faith, to discerning our shared values and building on these – alongside all people of goodwill – to strengthen our society”.

Read the complete article here.

Can you try a religion for a month?

July 3, 2011
By

Catrin Nye, BBC News, Jul.3, www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13989013

People usually think of religion in terms of a lifetime of commitment, but could you learn anything from trying one out for a month?

The call to prayer sounds from Eyup Mosque in Istanbul and local Muslims gather on the marble square outside for prayer. Men on one side, women the other, they crowd on mats for the Friday ritual.  Among them this week though are a few faces looking less than confident about what comes next.  Barbra Taylor, from Hawaii, and Terry Goldsmith, from Bury, Greater Manchester, are two of them. They’re not Muslim, but guests for nine days.  This is part of “Muslim for a Month” – a programme from social enterprise group The Blood Foundation where participants get to “test-drive” a religion.

But the organisers say it’s been a tough ride. The title “Muslim for a Month” has put many people off, with some parts of the travel industry refusing to promote it because of the unease surrounding Islam in some quarters.  “Sufi for a month” is going to start running as an alternative and plans for “Sikh for a week” are underway.

Read the complete article here.

Learning From My Neighbors: A Sikh’s Interfaith Journey

June 14, 2011
By

Tarunjit Singh Butalia, Huffington Post, Jun.9, www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-tarunjit-singh-butalia/interfaith-journey-reflections_b_872653.html

While growing up as a kid in northern India in the early 1980s, I fondly remember one of my best friends in high school, Sher Ali Khan. He was a devout Muslim.

While in 9th grade, Sher Ali called me over to his home for the Islamic festival of Eid. The food at the table was overflowing and beautifully decorated. But a dilemma faced me soon. All the meat on the table was halal — a special religious technique of preparation of meat in the Islamic faith that I as a Sikh was forbidden to eat, due to the Sikh Rehat Maryada (Principles of Sikh Living). So I chose to stay a silent vegetarian that day partaking only of vegetables and sweets.

A couple of months later, he was over at our home for dinner and we had cooked meat without any religious preparation. Since the meat was not halal, Sher Ali became a vegetarian for that meal.

At that time I thought that our religions were getting in the way of our friendship. But as I reflect on it now, it seems that we were learning how to negotiate our religious differences.

In 1989, I came to the United States to pursue my Ph.D. degree. The first question I asked myself was, “Do I even want to continue being religious?” After significant introspection, the answer became clear: yes, I wanted to be religious. But this was followed by another question: “What religious tradition should I be a part of?”

I remember approaching a local member of the Catholic clergy asking for his advice on what religious path to consider pursuing. His response surprised me. He asked me to look deeply into the faith I had grown up in and asked me to come back to him after giving my faith one more chance.

As you may have guessed by now, I never went back to that priest. But I am indebted to him for his advice. Here was someone from another religious tradition that helped me to grow in my own religious tradition. His advice on spirituality transcended the boundaries of religion.

Today, as I reflect on my friendship with my Muslim high school friend and the Catholic spiritual adviser, it is clear to me that the many diverse religions of the world are complimentary to each other and not in competition with each other.

Read the complete article here.

Muslims back Christian electrician over van cross

April 23, 2011
By

Nick Fagge, Daily Mail, Apr.20, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1378704/Muslims-backing-Christian-electrician-persecuted-cross-van.html#ixzz1KLJMQPxB

Hindu, Muslim and Sikh leaders last night offered support to electrician Colin Atkinson who faces the sack for making a stand over his Christian beliefs.

The religious leaders joined former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey to demand that the 64-year-old grandfather be allowed to mark Easter by displaying a tiny palm cross in his work van.

Mr Atkinson has been thrown out of his workplace and fears he will lose his job at Wakefield District Housing (WDH) because he refuses to remove the cross.

Christian leaders have condemned his treatment as ‘scandalous’.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey described Mr Atkinson’s case as ‘an outrage’.

And last night Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs added their voices to the uproar.

Read the complete article here.

Expert says faith groups play an environmental role

April 2, 2011
By

Fredrick Nzwili, ENInews, Mar.29, www.eni.ch/featured/article.php?id=4808

Religious denominations and people of faith play crucial roles in caring for the environment and mitigating the effects of climate change, according to the head of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC).

“[Faith groups] will not be able to answer the scientific questions of climate change, but they can change the way we behave. I think we can address it. It will not happen fast, but will happen sustainably,” Martin Palmer, ARC’s general secretary said in Nairobi.

Each faith group is developing a plan depending on its strength, according to ARC. For example, faith retreat centres are looking at food sourcing, Lutheran and Shinto members are exploring their impacts on forests, Sikhs are concentrating on water pollution because that is where their land is suffering, Jews are looking at community supported agriculture and Buddhists in Shanghai are cleaning the river.

Read the complete article here.

Justice department backs Sikh inmate

March 17, 2011
By

Richard Yeakley, Christian Century, Mar.16, www.christiancentury.org/article/2011-03/justice-department-backs-sikh-inmate

The Justice Department has filed suit against California prison officials on behalf of a Sikh inmate who says his religious freedom was violated when officials punished him for not cutting his beard.

Sukhjinder Basra, incarcerated at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo on a drug offense, was punished for refusing to shave his beard in accordance with prison grooming policy.

Read the complete article here.

Religious Teachings On Community Service

March 15, 2011
By

Huffington Post, Mar.14, www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/14/giving-back-how-you-and-t_n_832401.html

A Jewish Teaching on Service (Isaiah 58:6-8)

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

A Muslim Teaching on Service (Surah 93)

I call to witness the early hours of morning, And the night when dark and still, Your Lord has neither left you, nor despises you. What is to come is better for you than what has gone before; For your Lord will certainly give you, and you will be content. Did He not find you an orphan and take care of you? Did He not find you perplexed, and show you the way? Did He not find you poor and enrich you? So do not oppress the orphan, and do not drive the beggar away, And keep recounting the favors of your Lord.

A Jain Teaching on Service (from Tattvarthasutra 5.21)

Rendering help to another is the function of all human beings.

A Baha’i Teaching on Service (from Abdu’l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha, p. 84)

One amongst His Teachings is this, that love and good faith must so dominate the human heart that men will regard the stranger as a familiar friend, the malefactor as one of their own, the alien even as a loved one, the enemy as a companion dear and close.

A Christian Teaching on Service (Matthew 25: 34-40)

Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”

A Hindu Teaching on Service (from Bhagavad Gita 3.10)

At the beginning, mankind and the obligation of selfless service were created together. “Through selfless service, you will always be fruitful and find the fulfillment of your desires”: this is the promise of the Creator….

A Sikh Teaching on Service (from Guru Granth Sahib, page 286)

“The individual who performs selfless service without thought of reward shall attain God’s salvation.”

A Humanist Teaching on Service (Margaret Mead — Anthropologist)

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

A Buddhist Teaching on Service (from Itivuttaka 18)

If beings knew, as I know, the fruit of sharing gifts, they would not enjoy their use without sharing them, nor would the taint of stinginess obsess the heart and stay there. Even if it were their last bit, their last morsel of food, they would not enjoy its use without sharing it, if there were anyone to receive it.

This is the complete article from the Huffington Post.  Thanks to Eboo Patel for drawing my attention to it on Facebook.