Sikhism Philosophy

Sikhism Philosophy

1. Revelation

   • Special Revelation
     • Direct to individuals and groups
     • Miracles, Visions , prophecy
   • General Revelation
     • indirect, available to everyone
     • nature, scripture, etc
   • Proof that God exists
     • Sikhs know God exists
     • God reveals himself to them
   • Guru Nanak's river experience
   • Mool Mantar
     • proves God is all-loving

2. Visions and Mystical experiences

   • Holy people recieve messages from God
   • people believe in visions as being the most important type of revelation
   • "the peaceof the medative rememberance of God has no end or limitations"
   • Atheists might say they are hallucininating, lying or taking drugs

3. Philosophical arguements

   • Credulity - we should accept what a person experiences, unless we can prove otherwise
   • Testimony - we should believe that a person is telling the truth, unless we can prove otherwise

4. Numinous

   • fearful, fascinated, awestruck, overwhelmed
   • Enlightenment - gaining knowledge about God and breaking from the cycle of rebirth
   • "my Lord of the universe is great"

5. Religious Upbringing

   • "In their own household and family, they are in a state of meditative consciousness"
   • many Sikhs are raised in the faith, eg Naam Karan, Amrit ceremony, prayer, gurdwara, langar etc

6. Miracles

   • something that cannot be explained by scientific or naturallaw
   • Guru Nanak's river experience, boulder miracle, blood and milk
   • "If I were to become a Siddha and perform miracles at will ...I might go astray"

7. Religious experiences

   • Form of revelation
   • visions, miracles, prayer, meditation
   • "They are blessed with the inner vision to see God"

8. The Design arguement

   • too complex to have happened by chance
   • "He fashioned the creation"
   • Atheists argue against evolution, eg bad design,volcanoes
   • God puts the laws of science in place

9. The first cause

   • "the causes of causes"
   • Nothing happens by itself
   • God is the only thing that doesn't need a cause