Mark Cagnon

ultimately the same divine source, then what is the point of all this fighting? What are we arguing about? Like your symbol versus my symbol, your ritual or my ritual? Ultimately, they are all going towards the same place. So Guru Gobind Singh taught, recognize all mankind as one, whether Hindus or Muslim, the same Lord is the creator and nourisher of all. Recognize no distinctions between them.

ultimately the same divine source, then what is the point of all this fighting? What are we arguing about? Like your symbol versus my symbol, your ritual or my ritual? Ultimately, they are all going towards the same place. So Guru Gobind Singh taught, recognize all mankind as one, whether Hindus or Muslim, the same Lord is the creator and nourisher of all. Recognize no distinctions between them.

The monastery and the mosque are the same. So is Hindu worship and Muslim prayer. Men are all one. And it doesn't just stop at religious parity. It goes even into gender equality. So this is another major key idea of Sikhism. And this is similar to the one God in that God is genderless, that God exists beyond the binary of maleness or femaleness. And this concept isn't just theological.

The monastery and the mosque are the same. So is Hindu worship and Muslim prayer. Men are all one. And it doesn't just stop at religious parity. It goes even into gender equality. So this is another major key idea of Sikhism. And this is similar to the one God in that God is genderless, that God exists beyond the binary of maleness or femaleness. And this concept isn't just theological.

It sets the foundation for...

It sets the foundation for...

equality between men and women right like if god is a man then perhaps men have you know some type of uh you know superiority to women but in sikhism that's not the case so when it first emerged this was a radical idea in a world dominated by very strict gender rules but because of this belief sick women have always been seen as spiritually equal so historically they played a big role

equality between men and women right like if god is a man then perhaps men have you know some type of uh you know superiority to women but in sikhism that's not the case so when it first emerged this was a radical idea in a world dominated by very strict gender rules but because of this belief sick women have always been seen as spiritually equal so historically they played a big role

not just in the community or the home, but as warriors in battle, religious teachers, and even leaders of Sikh institutions. Equality isn't just a value in Sikhism. It's in the core. It's in very much the identity of what it actually means to be Sikh. And it also takes a different approach to the afterlife.

not just in the community or the home, but as warriors in battle, religious teachers, and even leaders of Sikh institutions. Equality isn't just a value in Sikhism. It's in the core. It's in very much the identity of what it actually means to be Sikh. And it also takes a different approach to the afterlife.

So it doesn't focus on earning a spot in heaven or doing good things so you don't go to hell. Instead, it teaches that being disconnected from divine truth can make life in and of itself feel like hell. Think about that for a second, right? Christianity and Islam are saying, you know, oftentimes like follow God and by following God, you will be allowed to enter into communion with him.

So it doesn't focus on earning a spot in heaven or doing good things so you don't go to hell. Instead, it teaches that being disconnected from divine truth can make life in and of itself feel like hell. Think about that for a second, right? Christianity and Islam are saying, you know, oftentimes like follow God and by following God, you will be allowed to enter into communion with him.

Whereas in Sikhism, it's sort of saying that by being disconnected from God, life on earth is hell. The soul stuck in ego and illusion keeps getting reborn until it breaks free. So like Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and karma. But Sikhism adds something unique, this idea of divine grace.

Whereas in Sikhism, it's sort of saying that by being disconnected from God, life on earth is hell. The soul stuck in ego and illusion keeps getting reborn until it breaks free. So like Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and karma. But Sikhism adds something unique, this idea of divine grace.

So if you are not familiar, we've done a few different episodes on karma and dharma as it exists within Hinduism. Karma shapes your starting point, your birth, your situation, but God's grace in Sikhi gives everyone the chance to wake up spiritually no matter what their past actions are. So the ultimate goal in Sikhism is this idea of mukti.

So if you are not familiar, we've done a few different episodes on karma and dharma as it exists within Hinduism. Karma shapes your starting point, your birth, your situation, but God's grace in Sikhi gives everyone the chance to wake up spiritually no matter what their past actions are. So the ultimate goal in Sikhism is this idea of mukti.

And again, this is found in Buddhism as well as Hinduism. And this is the spiritual liberation. That means escaping the cycle of birth and death, and realizing that your soul is already a part of the divine.

And again, this is found in Buddhism as well as Hinduism. And this is the spiritual liberation. That means escaping the cycle of birth and death, and realizing that your soul is already a part of the divine.

So once the ego dissolves and the person lives in full awareness of this truth, the soul can merge back with God, becoming infinite and timeless and blissful where it always was supposed to be. And that's the closest that Sikhism will get to, I guess, the Western or Christian idea of heaven.

So once the ego dissolves and the person lives in full awareness of this truth, the soul can merge back with God, becoming infinite and timeless and blissful where it always was supposed to be. And that's the closest that Sikhism will get to, I guess, the Western or Christian idea of heaven.