Selected Editorials - The Sikh Bulletin
Selected Editorials - The Sikh Bulletin
Selected Editorials - The Sikh Bulletin
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Center and Gurdwara Sahib Roseville have ceased to exist. Last service was performed on April 17 th .<br />
Full story about our financial situation was published in the January 2005 issue. It again appears in<br />
updated form on page 31 of this issue. It has become painfully clear that majority of <strong>Sikh</strong> Sangat really<br />
does not concern itself with what goes on in the Gurdwaras. With the exception of a very small minority,<br />
most families attend Gurdwara services for bhaichara reasons, by invitation only. If no family has taken<br />
Langar sewa, as has been the case on most Sundays in our case since October 2003, very few people<br />
attend the service since the Guru does not make phone calls nor does the Guru hold grudges. <strong>The</strong><br />
management, with few honourable exceptions, is largely left in the hands of those people who do not<br />
really have nishkaam sewa ideal in mind. Depending on the individual, what drives them to stay involved<br />
in Gurdwara management by whatever means is ego, andhvishvash, misuse of funds and opportunity to<br />
bring people from India for money or for family reasons or a combination of these.<br />
To keep publishing the <strong>Sikh</strong> <strong>Bulletin</strong> financial support of its readers is absolutely essential. This financial<br />
support also has to be voluntary. Many of you have already voluntarily donated from $5.00 to $5,000.00<br />
and more. You are in the best position to become fund raisers since you read it and agree with the effort<br />
and the difference we are trying to make.<br />
If you have the capacity to receive electronic copy of the SB please let us know. That will save on the<br />
postage. If you are receiving bulk copies for local distribution please let us know if you need more or less<br />
or none at all. We know that circumstances can change. We will comply with your changed needs. If you<br />
wish for a copy to go to a friend or a family member please give us their email address if they have one.<br />
Operations for preparing the <strong>Sikh</strong> <strong>Bulletin</strong> have been moved to KTF’s home base. Electronic copy will<br />
appear on www.sikhbulletin.com every month. Printed copy will be mailed as funds permitted.<br />
Thank you.<br />
Editor.<br />
ADDRESSES FOR SENDING DONATIONS:<br />
USA: K. T. F. of N. A. Inc, 3524 Rocky Ridge Way, El Dorado Hills, Ca 95762<br />
CANADA: Singh Sabha International (Canada), 603 Ray Lawson Blvd, Brampton,<br />
Ontario L6Y 5J7;<br />
UK: Singh Sabha International (UK), 26 Moulton Ave, Hounslow,Middx,<br />
TW3 4LR;<br />
AUSTRALIA: Bawa Singh Jagdev, 12 Meehan St, Matraville, NSW 2036;<br />
MALAYSIA: Dr. Sarjeet Singh Sidhu, 50 Jalan Bintang, Taman Sunrise, 31400<br />
IPOH, PERAK<br />
*****<br />
GUEST EDITORIAL<br />
REHT MARYADA: TIME FOR AN UPDATE<br />
[Editorial from May 2005 <strong>Sikh</strong> <strong>Bulletin</strong>]<br />
Every religion demands that its followers accept that the Scripture of that religion is for-all-time, that it is<br />
immutable. <strong>Sikh</strong>ism is no exception. <strong>The</strong> followers of every religion, including <strong>Sikh</strong>s, on faith, accept this<br />
as ‘fact’. <strong>The</strong> big question is whether everything else associated with <strong>Sikh</strong>ism must be accepted<br />
unquestioningly. Is the Reht Maryada also immutable Clearly a <strong>Sikh</strong>, having accepted the existence of<br />
God and the truth of spiritual matters as contained in the AGGS on faith, has a right to demand a reasonable<br />
explanation for any religious requirement not covered by the AGGS but made in the name of the<br />
faith, has a right to be consulted on matters that affect him, a right to be heard without any fear of<br />
“excommunication”. <strong>The</strong> Reht Maryada is not divine; it was meant to guide the <strong>Sikh</strong>s, to serve as a Code<br />
of Conduct and Conventions, in order to maintain uniformity vis-à-vis <strong>Sikh</strong> practices.<br />
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