It's a faith of prosperity and freedom
Feb 21, 2011: Sikhs opened their first temple in Colorado Springs on Sunday, and members hope Sikhism expands in the region.
“It will grow bigger and bigger,” said Perdeep Singh Badhesha, one of about 100 Sikhs who worshipped Sunday at the new temple, 4330 Iron Horse Trail. “There is a huge population of Sikhs in Canada, and on the coasts. They are taking interest in this area.”
Thank God for that trend, which could help maintain and grow the city’s limited-government, charitable, conservative, free-market mores.
“Sikhs tend to live and vote with traditional conservatives,” said Badhesha, an 18-year-old Liberty High School honor student who grew up in the Springs.
Badhesha describes himself as a libertarian who favors productivity, charity and personal responsibility over government taxation, regulation and redistribution. They are values he credits to his religious upbringing.
“This is what Sikh teaches — to give back to the community,” said Nitu Singh, also a member of the temple, in a Gazette news story.
Badhesha quotes free-market Austrian economists, such as Friedrich Hayek and Ludwig von Mises — on whom he wrote a recent term paper for school. He proudly points out that two of this country’s most conservative politicians — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Gov. Nimrata Nikki Randhawa Haley — are Indian-Americans heavily influenced by Sikhism. He believes — and hopes — that Jindal and Haley represent the future.
Badhesha credits Sikhs as the first to reject the old Indian caste system of social stratification, in which heredity and social identity outweighed accomplishments; central planners chose winners and losers by heavily regulating labor and production. Badhesha said American Sikhs succeed in medicine, law and small business in order to care for themselves and others.
“We donate a lot when we can,” Badhesha said. “When a family is in need, or if the community asks for help, we’re there. As money becomes more available, we donate more and more. It builds community and prosperity.”
Some Sikhs appear in stark contrast to others who comprise the religious right, as it is tradition for men to wear turbans and leave their hair unshorn. Sikh women typically cover their heads with scarves or turbans, and also allow hair to grow naturally.
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From a sociopolitical perspective, Sikhs have much in common with conservative Christians. They believe self-discipline maintains civility. Alcohol is forbidden. Sex outside of marriage is sinful. Sikh scripture describes the foetus as a living organism cared for by God. Devout Sikhs believe no unborn child is unwanted in a community of self discipline and sexual fidelity.
“I am against most abortion,” Badhesha said. “Only 4 percent of abortions involve rape, incest or the mother’s health.”
Badhesha loves that his religious community works toward equal opportunities for women and men.
“We were among the first religions in the world fighting to have women and men equal,” Badhesha said. “Freedom is just a big thing for us. Wherever our community has thrived in the world, there has been more freedom, more prosperity and a lot less government.”
That’s one reason Badhesha takes issue with his religion’s tendency to favor laws against same-sex marriage. Though adherence to religious discipline is voluntary in free countries, Sikhs — like members of most other religions — sometimes confuse church teachings with a need for state enforcement. The world’s highest Sikh leader at the time — Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti — spoke out against Canadian efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in 2005, saying it is “against the Sikh religion and the Sikh code of conduct and totally against the laws of nature.”
Though it may be considered a sin by the tenets of his religion and others, Badhesha says same-sex marriage should not be illegal. He believes it’s an issue that should be resolved by couples and their churches, not by force of government authority.
Organized Sikhs should fit nicely into Colorado Springs. Welcome their charitable efforts to create a fair environment of limited government, abundant with the inseparable conditions of freedom, productivity and prosperity.
© Photo Credit: (JERILEE BENNETT,THE GAZETTE)Related Article: http://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikhs-make-home-colorado-springs-new-temple