Why not LOOK at the history or Sikh youth events that have taken place across gurdwaras, uni campuses, etc over the last 10-12 years and you’ll see the name BOSS over and over again.
Alot of people have been involved in sewa with BOSS but like to keep it gupt.
In fact BOSS, despite being funded from daswandh and without support from gurdwaras have continued to support the youth. Unfortunately the impact could be greater if there was more support.

Please don’t spread misinformation from hear/say and stick to the facts.

How?

Sunny hasn’t really got a clue when it comes to Sikh affairs in the UK. He just pretends to be some sort of messiah and whenever anyone disagrees with him he shouts them down and threatens to ban them.

BOSS, who are now controlled by people pledging allegiance to the Damdami Taksal, have indeed had a positive effect on much of Sikh youth in Universities.

Where do you get your lame information from sunny. The BOSS (network) has done more for young Sikhs than most can imagine.

I care for the development of British Sikhs… and within that there is the issue of what part Gurudwaras play. Also, my brother and his friends have been quite closely involved in these issues so I have an insight that way too. Some of my family have been involved in Gurudwara politics for years. My grandfather was part of the group who set up the first Gurudwara in Britain at Shepherds Bush.

Incidentally, I didn’t agree with all of Dr Singh’s views, although I like the article. I don’t think most British-born Sikhs are liberal and progressive, as I’ve met many who have become even more orthodox than their parents.

I think it depends on the context, as it does with many things. In many areas the youngsters work with or avoid elders. In some NGOs or charity work I’m sure they work together. I don’t have a problem with ‘the elders’ per se. But the context here is control and the direction of religious institutions, and I see a lot of conflict around that.

In fact most Sikh political institutions in the UK are pretty immature and lame, primarily because there hasn’t been the need for them to grow up and there hasn’t been a spotlight on them. Most of them are one-man-bands. Hence there is a fair bit of conflict around their purpose. The student organisations for example, like BOSS, are compltely dominated by middle-aged power-hungry ideologues more interested in Khalistan and other stupid activity than looking at the interest of British Sikhs.

theres bowing to elders

there is avoiding elders

and theres cooperating with elders.

i find the last category most interesting, though i can see how dominant interest is in the first category.

Sunny, from the sikhs in britain, to your knowledge would you say the last category is the biggest?

b’shalom

bananabrain

My father was a part of Indian Punjab before the partition happened. A lot of those traditions were carried over. For instance, my great grandfather used to have a habit of drinking Bhang (?), which was of course part of the Punjabi culture at the time. But is completely against Islam.

Trust me, I’m not nearly as religious as I’d like to be. So I shouldn’t even be speaking about this. But I’m just saying that Culture DOES influence Religion.

So the article Sunny put up, of course we’re going to become more radical, our parents grew up back home, we’re here in the UK, our kids will be radicals also, who’ll move where ever they please and adopt the culture of that country.

Yes. I reckon all the prior generations were seen as being radicals to the generations before that too though. Circle of life perhaps?

I would say, read Gurharpal Singh’s excellent article linked in the post underneath this one for a good, balanced insight into the issues.

Ms_Extreme- hope you didn’t mind me asking. I’m in both camps when it comes to issues like this. If I were pressed to label myself it would be a Muslim liberal, but I can see why some people get annoyed about certain things re:clothing.

Anyway coming back to the original topic- does anyone think that the intergenerational conflicts are making the second generation more radical as they can sometimes make second generation Muslims?