Sikhism Research Paper

The Sikhs are devotees to Sikhism, Sikhism is the youngest of the world’s religion with 25 million followers. Sikhism is only five hundred years old. The founder of Sikhism is Guru Nank, he was born in 1469. Guru Nank spoke a message of “Ek Ong Kar”: we are all one, created by the One Creator of all Creation. Guru Nank was the first of the ten Gurus in Sikhism. Throughout my research I have discovered what each Guru represents to the Sikh community and where Sikhism originated from. The appearance of Sikh devotees is a very important part of the Punjabi Sikh culture. Sikhs are very misunderstood in America and when people see images of Sikhs they are often mistaken for Muslims or terrorists, which often times leads to hate crimes. I’ll be focusing on the history of the Sikhism, Sikhs appearance, ethnocentrism, and cultural relativism. In the end I would like my audience to have an understanding of the Sikh religion, ethnocentrism, and cultural relativism.

In America, a Christian woman was one who embraced and promoted the virtues of true womanhood. Welter (1996) describes the four cardinal virtues a “true” woman should entail: piety, to be devoted to their religion acting as Eve working with God. Purity, to abstain from sexual activity and remain celibate until marriage. Female purity was a powerful thing that was used to keep men in control of their sexual needs and desires. Women who engaged in sexual activities prior to marriage were referred to as ʺfallen women”, unworthy of love, marriage, or motherhood. Submissiveness, to allow themselves to be dominated by their partner and actively responsive to their demands. “A really sensible woman feels her dependence. She does what she can, but she is conscious of her inferiority and therefore grateful for support” (Lavender, 1988). This implies

Religion plays a crucial role in the daily lives of millions of people. This is even more evident in India. Hinduism and Sikhism are two very prominent religions in this nation (Pinkham, 1967). These two religions are closely linked but also have many distinct practices. Issues of the position of women in society, attitudes towards the caste system, and methods of worship are critical aspects of both religions. Among the many distinct practices that are shared between the religions of Hinduism and Sikhism is the status of women. In Hinduism, women can attain a certain status in that they can either become a nun or

•Islam: According to the holy scripture, males and females are equal spiritually, as both males and females are

What is religion? There is much debate to the exact definition of religion but according to the book Introduction to World Religions, “It is commonly used to refer to those beliefs, behaviors, and social institutions that have something to do with speculations on any, and all of the following: the origin, end and significance of the universe; what happens after death; the existence and wishes of powerful, non-human beings such as spirits, ancestors, angels, demons, and gods; and the manner in which all of this shapes human behavior”(Partridge,10). Sikhism first came about hundreds and hundreds of years ago in a community where religious beliefs were split between Hinduism and Islam.

Christianity began to challenge these social normalities for women and allowed more freedom for them in its earliest days. In the early days of christianity, we begin to see a breakthrough for women, specifically in the roles of wives and widows. The view of women, along with their roles and expectations when it comes to religion, can be traced throughout different books in the Bible. In the past women were not encouraged to think or speak on their own; in fact, women were supposed to let their husbands handle everything political, or anything that involved a voice. But we see in First Corinthians 14: 35 that “If [Women] want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church”.

The topic I have chosen for researching from different sources is Sikhism. In this paper I will explore the religious we well as the cultural beliefs of people following Sikhism.

Unlike other religions, Sikh faith is not dogmatic; it is a distinct and unique religion. The Sikh Scripture is true "Religion of Self" where everyone has a personal relationship with God. It does not place any emphasis on pilgrimage, praying in a particular direction, praying on a particular day, fasting, meaningless rituals, idol worship, superstition, body mutilation, asceticism or celibacy.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Jesus Christ share teaching of hope and inspiration to their followers. Sikh believe in God and that he is the creator of the universe and you must live a clean righteous life in order to attain eternal life. Another similarity is Guru Nanak Dev Ji left with God for three days. While spending that time with God he learned his laws and what it takes to have eternal life. After having spiritual enlighten he went out spread the message about God and having purpose for your life.

Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world. The religion has a population of upwards of over thirty million worldwide. The United Sates alone has over two hundred fifty thousand Sikh. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion like many other major religions. Sikhism was founded around the year of 1469 and was an Indian religion. Sikh are an important part of the United states. They survive in our arm forces, as officers of the law and as legal professionals. This essay will inform about the most important part of Sikhism, The Five K's.

What are Sikh beliefs? The Sikh faith is a monotheistic faith and was formed in the fifteenth century and was founded by several Gurus that were sent by God to deliver the Sikh message. Sikhism recognizes only one God and believes that he is the created of the universe and most importantly cannot take birth in human form (RealSikhism.com 2017). In the Sikh faith a Guru is one that delivers the message of God and is supposedly chosen by God to deliver the message to the world. They are chosen to be the messenger to help others attain salvation (RealSikhism.com 2017). How can salvation be attained? Salvation for a Sikh is not a complex algorism but rather revolves around being a good person and meditating on God. For example, a Sikh would need to always have faith in God and remember him in all instances of life, thus, eventually becoming one with God. Furthermore, Sikhs believe in

Now I want you to realise that the head of every man is Christ, and

Gender roles, and the mere existence of a gender binary, has been a recent topic of conversation for many churches, theologians, and individual believers. As the cultural pressure to remove gender-specific limitations builds, many of those aforementioned have turned to scripture for answers. Seldom are women’s roles in the Old Testament characterized by decision making or personal merits. Rather, a woman’s capacity to produce an heir for their husband complements his dominance and responsible faithfulness and allows God’s plan to be fulfilled through their combined efforts. In the New Testament, through the transformative power of Christ, prominent women became less of an anomaly, but were still held to a different set of standards and expectations than men and were usually still praised according to their actions and their faith. The Pauline epistles, written in the context in which the Church still exists today: the age to come, provide a basis for today’s understanding of women’s roles in marriage and in church leadership. Although there are many instances of women fulfilling God’s plans and proving their worth among the community of Christians, the biblically normative role of women is to avoid authoritative church leadership positions and remain submissive in situations of teaching and interpreting the Word.

Until recently, women were not allowed to preach or even speak in the Christian Church, but in modern times women are beginning to play a more significant. While sects of Christianity still hold the traditional teachings about women, others have given them equal status within the church, an increasingly accepted interpretation.

1 Timothy 2:11–15 states: “11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 for Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.” 1 Corinthians 14:33–35 states: “33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. 35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their