Mohinder Singh, widely venerated traditional Sikh leader, insists that the most fundamental spiritual teachings don't necessarily need to change in order to remain relevant. In any epoch, he explains, living a truly virtuous life is always the answer and antidote to the problems of the day and the concerns of tomorrow.
“My faith tradition tells me to say you want to have a tolerant society is to demean society. To say ‘I will tolerate you,’ I am demeaning you. To say ‘I will accept you,’ I am still demeaning you. But what about if I was to say, ‘I will respect you,’ it’s slightly better. But what if I say, “I will lay down my life for you.” That is a sacrifice. So it is no good being good yourself, you have to be good to others also. You have to try and have that sacrifice.”
Biography
Mohinder Singh, a civil engineer by profession, is the chairman of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha in Birmingham, England and spiritual leader to Sikhs around the world. Sikhism, a relatively new religion, is based on the teachings of enlightened masters from the sixteenth and seventeenth century India. Its main tenets promote a life of virtuous action, hard work, and dedication to family and community. Simple in its theology and sympathetic to the teachings of other faiths, Sikhism now ranks as the fifth largest religion with over twenty million adherents worldwide. Mohinder Singh, one of its foremost leaders, is a strong proponent of interreligious dialogue. He serves as a member of the European Council of Religious Leaders and an advisor to the Sikh Heritage Trust.
Mohinder Singh, a civil engineer by profession, is the chairman of the Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha in Birmingham, England and spiritual leader to Sikhs around the world. Sikhism, a relatively new religion, is based on the teachings of enlightened masters from the sixteenth and seventeenth century India. Its main tenets promote a life of virtuous action, hard work, and dedication to family and community. Simple in its theology and sympathetic to the teachings of other faiths, Sikhism now ranks as the fifth largest religion with over twenty million adherents worldwide. Mohinder Singh, one of its foremost leaders, is a strong proponent of interreligious dialogue. He serves as a member of the European Council of Religious Leaders and an advisor to the Sikh Heritage Trust.