Comparison of two faiths – Sikh and Christian

 

1. Introduction

Considerable efforts are being put in by Christian Missionaries these days to obtain conversions to Christianity from amongst the Sikhs particularly the youth. These missionaries have an agenda first to mislead the Sikh youth by telling them the assumed shortcomings of Sikhi (Sikh faith) and then to say how Christianity is better.

The purpose of this paper is to present a short comparative study of the two faiths so that the Sikh youth do not fall prey to the agenda of the Christian Missionaries. It is not the intention of this paper to denigrate Christianity as this would be violation of the Sikh teachings. It is however necessary that the truth should be presented.

The basic Christian scripture is the Bible in two parts, the Old Testament (OT) comprising 39 books, and the New Testament (NT) having 27 books. There are numerous versions of the Bible. The quotations given in this study are from the best known amongst them, the King James Version. In fact nothing about Christianity is included without reference, so there are no views, only facts. The translations from Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scripture, are by the author. In order to keep the study short only major aspects have been discussed.

2, Originality – Christian

Christianity along with Islam is considered a child of Judaism the religion of the Jews. The basic scripture of all of them is the OT and all of them consider Abraham as their Patriarch. It was written somewhere between 1400 and 400 BC. The NT is the exclusive scripture of Christianity written a few decades after its preceptor, Jesus passed away around 30 CE. Jesus himself was born a Jew and remained so till his death. The NT shows how Paul who was a Jew and persecuted Jesus’ followers converted himself and preached against the Jews and in favor of a new religion of the followers of Jesus Christ. Christ means the anointed one or a messiah. Christianity is thus a breakaway from the Jews.

Sikh

The Sikh faith came into being with the advent of Guru Nanak (1469- 1539 CE). Guru Nanak assumed guru ship on directions from God and Sikhi is therefore an original revealed religion.

3. Fundamental Principles – Christian

The fundamental basis of Christianity is resurrection i.e. revival of Jesus Christ after being crucified. In the NT Paul says

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).

Accordingly the fundamental principle is for all Christians to accept that Jesus as their savior. Spiritual experience or social responsibility is not given importance.

Sikh

The fundamental principles of Sikhi are three:

• Naam Japna – Remembering God’s virtues and obeying Divine commands. 
• Dhram Di Kirt – Making an honest living also called truthful living;
• Vand Chhakna – sharing with others.

This is a life of practical spirituality with social responsibility.

4. When Founded – Christianity

It is not possible to say exactly when Christianity came into being. The NT uses the word Christian for the first time when Paul was preaching at Antioch which may be around 41 CE i.e. over a decade after Jesus’ death:

And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch (Acts 11:4).

Sikh

The Sikh faith was founded when God gave the mission to Guru Nanak:

ਹਉ ਢਾਢੀ ਵੇਕਾਰੁ ਕਾਰੈ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਰਾਤਿ ਦਿਹੈ ਕੈ ਵਾਰ ਧੁਰਹੁ ਫੁਰਮਾਇਆ ॥ ਢਾਢੀ ਸਚੈ ਮਹਲਿ ਖਸਮਿ ਬੁਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਚੀ ਸਿਫਤਿ ਸਾਲਾਹ ਕਪੜਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਸਚਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਭੋਜਨੁ ਆਇਆ ॥ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਖਾਧਾ ਰਜਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਢਾਢੀ ਕਰੇ ਪਸਾਉ ਸਬਦੁ ਵਜਾਇਆ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਲਾਹਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥੨੭॥ ੧ ੧੫੦

This out-of-work bard was put to work by God;

I was directed to remember the Divine commands day and night

I was honored by being called by God; singing Divine virtues was to be my attire;

The nectar of Naam my food; and that doing this as taught by the Guru would lead to happiness;

Act on this and sing the Word; thus singing you will meet the eternal Lord (M: 1, SGGS, 150).

5. How are the Religions Named?

Christianity derives its name from Jesus’ title ‘Christ’ in keeping with their belief that he was the messiah promised in the Old Testament. Christ means anointed or messiah. It is the religion of faith in a person who is made out to be God.

Sikh

Sikh means a disciple and hence the Sikh faith is the religion of the disciples or seekers of Truth that is God:

ਸਿਖੀ ਸਿਖਿਆ ਗੁਰ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਨਦਰੀ ਕਰਮਿ ਲਘਾਏ ਪਾਰਿ ॥੧ ੪੬੫

Sikhi is contemplation on Guru’s teachings and acting on them;

God bestows His grace enabling the devotee to go across the world ocean (M: 1, SGGS, p 465).

6. Concept of God

God is described differently at different places in the Bible. The OT says “So God created man in his own image,” (Genesis 1:27). That means God is like a man. The NT first says Word is God:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.(John 1:1).

But then says the Word became flesh, the body of Jesus:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14).

Then at another place it says God is Spirit:

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24).

Thus God is variously described as the Word or spirit but later says that the word became flesh to show that Jesus was God. This means God incarnates and later dies.

Sikh

In the Sikh faith God is:

ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੰਭੌ ਮਨ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਠੰਢਾ ਥੀਵਾਂ ਜੀਉ ॥੨॥ ੫ ੯੯

God is timeless, deathless, does not incarnate and is self existent; one obtains peace by remembering Him and being under His care (M: 5, SGGS, p 99).

7. Unity of God

According to Christian thinking God comprises of three persons, God the Father, Jesus the son and the Holy Ghost. Jesus is shown as telling his disciples after his resurrection:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matt 28:19).

Thus the NT gives up the idea of monotheism i.e. unity of God. This makes Christianity polytheistic.

Sikh

The Sikh faith is strictly monotheistic. To make sure there remains no doubt on this while giving the attributes of God, the Mool Mantar (Root Mantra) of Sikh faith starts with numeral ‘1’:

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

One all-pervasive God, the Universal Truth, Creator, beyond fear or jealousy, Timeless and Deathless, Does not Incarnate, Self Existent, may be known through the grace of a perfect Guru (M: 1, SGGS, p 1).

God is unique:

ਹਰਿ ਜੇਹਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦਿਸਈ ਕੋਈ ਦੂਜਾ ਲਵੈ ਨ ਲਾਇ ॥ ੫ ੧੩੬

I do not see any one like God; no one even nearly like Him (M: 5, SGGS, p 136).

8. The Christian Trinity

The above quoted verse from Matthew does not say that the three are God. The NT also says that the Holy Ghost will be sent by God after Jesus leaves:

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (john 14:26).

Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you (John 16:7).

So the Holy Ghost and Jesus cannot co-exist. Without meaning to be blasphemous it would suggest that merely concentrating on Jesus was keeping people away from God through his spirit.

The Bible also says that the Holy Ghost only some times enters a person e.g.:

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, (Acts 4:8).

This shows that God’s spirit is not present in man or woman all the time. It also does not say how and why this spirit enters an individual.

Sikh

Sikhi believes that God is sovereign with supreme majesty. As the Supreme soul He is present every where including the mind of every one all the time and can be experienced through the Guru’s instructions:

ਹਰਿ ਜੇਹਾ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦਿਸਈ ਕੋਈ ਦੂਜਾ ਲਵੈ ਨ ਲਾਇ ॥

Har jihaa avar na disaee koi dooja lavi na laaey. M: 5, p 136.

There is none like God, none can equal Him.

ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥ ਮਨ ਹਰਿ ਜੀ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਰੰਗੁ ਮਾਣੁ ॥ ੩ ੪੪੧

O my mind you are the embodiment of God’s light, realize your roots;

God is always with you; relish this experience through the guru’s teachings (M: 3, SGGS, p 441).

9. God’s Majesty

As mentioned above God in the Bible whom some Christians like to call the Biblical God, is shown as the God of some people selected by name:

I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Matthew 22:32).

In the narratives in the NT gospels God is shown as passive. Every thing is done by Jesus. Jesus even asks God to glorify him so that he may glorify God. That means glorification of God is subject to Jesus being glorified:

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee (John 17:1).

The Christians belief in trinity also devalues God’s status and describes Him not as sovereign but there are others equal to Him. The NT goes a step further and quotes Jesus placing God below the Holy Ghost for respect:

Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men Matt 12:31).

The problem arises because God’s spirit is sought to be treated away from God.

Sikh

A Sikh does not see any one like God and says in awe and wonder:

ਤੁਮਰੀ ਉਪਮਾ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਹਮ ਕਹਿ ਨ ਸਕਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਨੇ ॥ ਜੈਸੇ ਤੁਮ ਤੈਸੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਗੁਨ ਜਾਨਹੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਪੁਨੇ ॥੨॥ ੪ ੯੭੬

O Lord You alone know what you are like, I cannot describe Your virtues,

You are whatever You are, You alone know Your virtues (M: 4, SGGS, p 976).

ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ਉਤਪਤਿ ॥ ਏਕੈ ਤੂਹੀ ਏਕੈ ਅਨ ਨਾਹੀ ਤੁਮ ਭਤਿ ॥ ੫ ੧੩੮੫

God is eternal, formless and self created;

O Lord You alone are like You, there is none other like You (M: 5, SGGS, p 1385).

10. Man’s Relationship with God

The OT shows that God talks only to a few people and at specific places. He talks to Adam in the Garden of Eden, to Abraham as also Noah at some unspecified places, and to Moses on Mount Sinai.

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Gen 2: 15-17).

And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. (Gen 7:1).

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: (Gen 12:1).

And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. (Exodus 3:4).

Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God (Exodus 3:6).

In the NT gospels God only says this glorifying Jesus:

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, this is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matt 3:17).

This and OT saying that God created man in his own image means that God is a person with a body.

Sikh

According to the Sikh faith God is all-pervasive; He is present in every creature and outside in nature:

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਏਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਏਕੋ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਸਮਾਈਐ ॥

ਘਟਿ ਅਵਘਟਿ ਰਵਿਆ ਸਭ ਠਾਈ ਹਰਿ ਪੂਰਨ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਦਿਖਾਈਐ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੫੨੮

Within the body and outside, God is present every where;

The perfect Master is with us every where in easy and difficult times (M: 5, SGGS, p 528).

Being present in the mind He speaks to us and we are able to speak to Him any time any where. This is another way of saying that if the mind is conscious of the presence of God, its actions are guided by what God desires, e.g. God tells man or woman:

ਆਪੁ ਸਵਾਰਹਿ ਮੈ ਮਿਲਹਿ ਮੈ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਫਰੀਦਾ ਜੇ ਤੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਹੋਇ ਰਹਹਿ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੯੫॥ ਫ ੧੩੮੨

If you reform yourself you will meet me and enjoy comforts;

When you become mine the whole world will be yours (Farid, SGGS, p 1382).

11. God belong only to some?

The OT shows that God belongs to Israel i.e. the Jews:

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, (Luke I 63).

As mentioned above NT says God is of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Also Jesus is described as the only begotten son of God:

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him (John 1:18).

According to this no one except Jesus can know God (Matthew 11:27).

Sikh View

The Gurbani view is that God belong to all and not any one person or group, He likes love:

ਏਕੁ ਪਿਤਾ ਏਕਸ ਕੇ ਹਮ ਬਾਰਿਕ ਤੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਗੁਰ ਹਾਈ ॥ ੫ ੬੧੧-੧੨

One Father, we are all His children (M: 5, SGGS, p 611-12).

ਆਪਨ ਬਾਪੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਿਸੀ ਕੋ ਭਾਵਨ ਕੋ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਜਾ ॥ ਰ ੬੫੮

The Master does not belong to any one; He likes love (Ravidas, SGGS, p 658).

Any body can experience God through the teachings of a perfect guru:

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮਿਲਬੇ ਕਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਮਨਿ ਲਾਗੀ ॥ ਪਾਇ ਲਗਉ ਮੋਹਿ ਕਰਉ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਕੋਊ ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਬਡਭਾਗੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ੫ ੨੦੪

I yearn to meet God;

Humbly I seek the Guru who can enable me in this (M: 5, p 204).

The Guru enables this by removing ignorance and enlightening the mind:

ਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਜਨੁ ਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਅਗਿਆਨ ਅੰਧੇਰ ਬਿਨਾਸੁ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਸੰਤ ਭੇਟਿਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨਿ ਪਰਗਾਸੁ ॥੧॥ ੫ ੨੯੩

Ignorance of the mind is removed by the Guru’s teachings;

when with Divine grace one meets the saint guru the mind is illuminated (M: 5, SGGS, p 293

12. God Created the earth in Six Days and Rested on the Seventh?

The OT says God created the earth in six days and rested on the seventh.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made (Genesis 2:1-2).

This has led many to believe that God created but then withdrew from the world letting all matters be handled. But God’s hand can be seen in every thing from the way the planets like the sun, the earth and the moon perform their functions. There is no failure of the system.

Sikh

Gurbani teaches that God after creating the universe looks after it day and night:

ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਸਿਰਜਣਹਾਰੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚੇ ਕੀ ਸਾਚੀ ਕਾਰ ॥ ੧ ੭

God creates and looks after; this is His eternal virtue (M: 1, SGGS, p 7).

12. God is errant?

According to the OT God makes mistakes. He repented for having created man:

And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart (Genesis 6:6).

Sikh

Gurbani teaches that God make no mistakes:

ਭੁਲਣ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਅਭੁਲੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਨੁ ਸਮਝਾਇਆ ਲਾਗਾ ਤਿਸੈ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥ ੧ ੬੧

Every one can make mistakes but not the Creator;

one who understands this from the Guru develops love for the Lord (M: 1, SGGS, p 61).

13. Salvation

The NT says that one can only be saved by Jesus.

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture ( John 10:9).

However the Bible does not say what salvation is.

Sikh

Gurbani teaches that salvation or Mukti lies in being able to break the cycles of reincarnation i.e. death and rebirth and merging the soul in God:

ਸਚੀ ਕਾਰੈ ਸਚੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਸੋ ਨਰੁ ਜੰਮੈ ਨਾ ਮਰੈ ਨਾ ਆਵੈ ਨਾ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਰਿ ਪਰਧਾਨੁ ਸੋ ਦਰਗਹਿ ਪੈਧਾ ਜਾਇ ॥੪॥੧੪॥ ੧ ੧੯

Through good deeds learnt from the Guru one meets the eternal Lord;

Such a person does not keep being born and dying;

He receives honor in God’s presence and is accepted there (M: 1, SGGS, p 19).

14. Heaven and Hell

The Bible talks of God being in heaven. Every one would like to go there but Jesus says no one except him can go to heaven:

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven (John 3:13).

But the Christian missionaries still tell people that they will go to heaven.

Jesus also says that he controls the keys to hell:

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death (Revelation 1: 18).

Jesus can therefore not send any one to heaven but controls entry to Hell, a place of suffering.

Sikh

According to Gurbani there are no places or regions called heaven or hell:

ਕਵਨੁ ਨਰਕੁ ਕਿਆ ਸੁਰਗੁ ਬਿਚਾਰਾ ਸੰਤਨ ਦੋਊ ਰਾਦੇ ॥ ਹਮ ਕਾਹੂ ਕੀ ਕਾਣਿ ਨ ਕਢਤੇ ਅਪਨੇ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੇ ॥੫॥ ਕ ੯੬੯

God’s devotees reject the idea of hell and heaven;

With guru’s grace I do not care about them (Kabir, SGGS, p 969).

Heaven is where God is remembered:

ਮੁਕਤਿ ਭੁਗਤਿ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਤੇਰੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਤੂੰ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਇਹਿ ॥ ਤਹਾ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੁ ਜਹ ਕੀਰਤਨੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਤੂੰ ਆਪੇ ਸਰਧਾ ਲਾਇਹਿ ॥੨॥ ੫ ੭੪੯

Salvation, comforts of the world and virtuous living come with serving the Lord for which He motivates Himself;

Heaven is where You are praised O Lord, this devotion also You grant (M: 5, SGGS, 749).

Hell is remaining in the cycles of 8.4 million life forms, which can be avoided by obeying the Lord:

ਲਖ ਚਉਰਾਸੀਹ ਨਰਕ ਨ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਰਸਕਿ ਰਸਕਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੧੦॥ ੫ ੧੦੭੨

You will not go through the 8.4 million life forms if you sincerely devote to remembering the Lord (M: 5, SGGS, p 1072).

15. Spiritual Experience

In the Bible the main emphasis is on faith in the personality of Jesus particularly his resurrection, e.g.:

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain (1 Corinthians 15:13-14).

So the fundamental faith of a Christian is resurrection. Faith in God is not that important. Also there is no mention of doing good deeds to achieve salvation.

Sikh

Spiritual experience of God within the mind:

ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਗਾਈਐ ਆਤਮ ਰੰਗਿ ॥ ਸਰਣੀ ਪਾਵਨ ਨਾਮ ਧਿਆਵਨ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਵਨ ਸੰਗਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ੫ ੬੮੦

Praise the Master in the mind; ever remember Him,

He takes the devotees under His care and merges them in Himself: Pause: (M: 5, SGGS, p 680).

16. Dogmas

Jesus’ ministry lasted only for three years and hence he could not cover all aspects of life in his teachings. The Bible has tried to overcome this by introducing dogmas like his virgin birth, miracles and resurrection which are in question.

There are so many versions of the Bible thatit is hard to say which is authentic.

Sikh

The ten Sikh Gurus walked the earth for 239 years from 1469 to 1708 CE. They interacted with people and were able to address most if not all aspects of practical life. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is not based on stories which may be questioned. The scripture has been preserved in its original form and no changes are possible.