American Sikhi and an Environment of Openness

July 01, 2015 by Lakhpreet Kaur

Continued from Page 1

This legal trend in acceptance is also mirrored by a general public trend in accepting ethnic, religious, and racial diversity. Despite the tragic events we see on the news, Americans have become nicer and more tolerant. "The country's attitudes towards once-marginalized groups….have softened considerably since the 1970s," said The Economist.

"More people are agreeing that controversial out-groups should be allowed public expression," researchers Jean Twenge, Nathan Carter, and W. Keith Campbell explained. "Tolerance is an important indicator of how societies treat people with views and lifestyles divergent from their average members."

Additional trends make me hopeful that the American attitude toward religious minorities will be more open and accepting. For instance, in a recent Pew study, America's Changing Religious Landscape, the group of people who says they have "no religion" has experienced large gains. As the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated continue to grow, many millennials adopt "spirituality" over religion, and personal prayer, meditation, yoga, and mindfulness have started to take the place of traditional rituals, Sunday mass, and prescribed prayers. The pluralism that many spiritualists embrace is reflected in Sikhi. Sikh theology teaches that there is no single "right" path to attain enlightenment and everyone has the opportunity to reach their spiritual goals. I can see many of those who shed orthodox religion being attracted to elements of Sikhi, such as the emphasis on meditation, love for nature, developing a personal connection with Divinity, social justice, and seeing the good in everyone. While they might not adopt Sikhi, this new environment of openness can make it easier for Sikhs to practice their faith without fear of ridicule, ostracization, or discrimination. The over-all trends in the United States regarding tolerance are positive and promising.

Page: 2 of 2

12/6/2022 4:49:35 PM

Future of Faith

Future of Faith: Eastern Religions

Public Square

History

Policy

Spirituality

Tolerance

Sikhism

more at patheos

A Word to Fallen Leaders and Pastors

Kurt Bubna

Book: Martin Luther: Dissenter and Defender

Dave Armstrong

Hypocrisy In The Hierarchy: When Bishops Fail Their Flock

Henry Karlson

The "Post-Secular" Philosopher Jürgen Habermas Has Died

Gene Veith

About

Patheos Logo Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Subscription Support Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In

Follow Patheos