Images: Top of this page, from "Alone", by Bani Bhattacharya. Bottom of the page - courtesy, SacredSpace. Second from bottom: Michelangelo's rendition of "God" in the Sistine Chapel.
Columnists
A Personal Q & A
by JASKEERAT KAUR
The following are ruminations penned by the author four years ago, when she was twelve years old.
Existence has many questions attached to it. For example, people wondering how we got here, and if there is anybody else in the universe besides us.
I have always believed in God. Whatever was created was created by God. I have had many questions though, like who was the first person on earth? How did it all start?
Of course, science has proven that people cannot have started with Adam and Eve (Sandman and Rib woman). Some scientists believe that life evolved in water.
Guru Nanak wrote the same thing many years before any scientist could figure it out. I have never really understood how we could evolve in water or from apes or whatever. But then I realized that if the maggots of a fruit-fly can form from the soil and food-recycled compost, then why can't life have evolved in water?
Okay, so I figured out that the chain of humans formed from humans formed from humans. Water forms from ice. The planet forms from all the gases that turn into rock. And the universe formed from an explosion - The Big Bang.
Then I start to question if God is really there. Our plane of existence clashes with science, where does God come in?
My dad explained to me about energy that is everywhere. Well, that is what God is, energy. Energy is the thing that caused the explosion (Big-Bang Theory), that created the universe, that contained gases that formed the planets, which contained the ice, that melted and formed water, that created species, that evolved into humans! It was all energy.
If we just say God creates everything, then we also have to ask who created God. There is no way to explain if this energy we call God has been here forever. There is no way to explain the universe or planets or space. There is no way to explain if there was nothing at all at one time.
There is a way to explain what God really is. God is not a person, it does not have a name nor does it have gender. God can't touch, God can't write. That is why all those movies where they make an actor play God are silly, because God is energy.
The rest is our responsibility, otherwise we wouldn't be here. God is energy and we are lucky to have it.
P.S. I am 12 years old and studying in 7th grade at a Math and Science Magnet school in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. I am learning a lot about my religion. My dad and I discuss Sikhi often. I feel so fortunate to be born a Sikh.
Jaskeerat, now 16, is a senior at Desert Pines Magnet High School and aspires to go to the University of Southern California, U.S.A. She plans to double major in journalism and business.
Conversation about this article
1: I.J.Singh (New York, U.S.A.), August 03, 2007, 11:25 AM.
The journey along a religious path is one of self-discovery and, in the final analysis, a very personal trek. I commend Jaskeerat for having discovered that fundamental at so young an age. Hers is a very mature process of thinking that should foster much thought, discussion and personal progress. Thoroughly enjoyed the posting.
2: Rehmat Kaur (Maner, India), August 03, 2007, 11:53 AM.
The learned say that it is only through grace that some of us stumble into asking the right questions ... the rest just unfolds as it should. Jaskeerat is obviously a recipient of such barkat. She's well on her way. I feel privileged that she has chosen to share her gifts with us.
3: Tejwant (U.S.A.), August 03, 2007, 1:02 PM.
In the Sikhi spirit of full disclosure, I would like to share that I am the blessed Dad of Jaskeerat.
4: Mai (Seattle, U.S.A.), August 03, 2007, 9:06 PM.
And how fortunate for the young woman to have such a father who cherishes and nutures her to continue and deepen her spiritual growth. I, too, had such a Dad; it is a great blessing for a child, especially for a daughter.
5: D.J. Singh (U.S.A.), August 04, 2007, 6:20 AM.
Religion is all about community living. Rules and regulations prevent accidents. Even then, good people may get hurt. This makes us wonder: Why bad things happen to good people?. Where does God fit in the equation?
6: D.J. Singh (U.S.A.), August 04, 2007, 11:30 AM.
In your article, you mention that you feel fortunate to be born a Sikh. I would love to know why YOU are proud to be a Sikh?
7: Jaskeerat Kaur (Green Valley, U.S.A.), August 06, 2007, 10:27 PM.
Why am I proud to be a Sikh? I am supposed to ask questions. I don't just have the ability to ask questions or have the permission to ask questions, it's my duty to ask questions. It's almost like a requirement in Sikhism to ask questions. Truthfully, it's actually part of what makes a Sikh a Sikh. A Sikh is a student, a learner, a thinker, etc. It seems like such a simple thing, asking questions. However, it's not. There are people out there who aren't allowed to ask questions. There are people who are afraid to ask questions. There are people who feel guilty about asking questions. For example: I had a friend in junior high who once told me he wasn't allowed to learn about other religions. I had other friends who couldn't answer some of the questions I'd ask them regarding beliefs in general. I had even more who would either get defensive or just bask in their ignorance and refuse to learn about something new. They'd stick to their guns about their beliefs regarding something they knew nothing about. That's what faith is, isn't it? Believing in something you don't see. Sikhism isn't a faith. It's a way of life. I choose to be open minded, and I choose to learn things. That's why no one can convert to Sikhism. There's no ritual. There's no test. You just choose to live your life a different way, and go from there. There's a difference between faith and belief. Belief is almost scientific. It's seeing something, observing something, and choosing to say, "Okay, I believe you",or "No, I don't believe you". Faith, however, is just signing the contract without reading the fine print. It's just agreeing with something you don't know anything about. I have faith that God will lead me to the right place. I just follow where I'm lead. Faith is walking around a place you've never been without a map, a plan, or a sense of direction. It's something you can't question either. Sikhism is also a very open minded religion. Anyone can be a Sikh and have Sikh values. "It's what's on the inside that counts" takes on a whole new meaning. Sikhism allows me to be who I want to be.