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Customer Reviews (9)

Good introduction for students
W.H. McLeod has consolidated a vast amount of literature and given us a sample introduction to the Sikh religion and scripture.The Sikh emphasis upon the divine name and the saving power of the word of the Gurus is made abundantly clear in this book.Some of the Sikh normative ethics (though more might have been included or explained) are reviewed, as are some of their customs and sects.Readers will find McLeod's work an invaluable introduction to the Sikh religion.Recommended for those in college, or interested in sampling the Sikh tradition and scripture at the introductory level.

Informative but extremely biased in tone
This book gives you the basic overview of Sikh history.Unfortunately, at times the author seems more concerned with his opinion that no reasonable person could believe in any of this than he is with actually recording the facts.It's becoming a little too cliche to talk about a religion and to label its followers as blind to the realities of the world.This books seems more concerned with discounting Sikhism than exploring its dogma.

Good discussion
This is a history of Sikhism.It covers the history, the religion, and the society, as well as covers the questions involved in determining authoritative information.

The history covers the Ten Gurus and the Panth.The religion section covers the doctrine, the Khalsa and its code of honor, worship, sacred writings, and different sects.The society section discusses what defines a Sikh and discusses the Sikh diaspora.

Included in the appendix are excerpts from Sikh scripture.This and the list of references were very helpful in expanding understanding of this religion.

I would recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about the Sikh religion from outside the religion.The tone of the book is that of a non-practitioner.

Biased, unobjective, not worth your money
McLeod, a Christian Missionary, in another attack Sikhism seeks to provide a more of an anthropological work colored in bias that seeks to diminish the stature of the Sikh religion.He does not refer to the Sikh scripture for authority.Can you imagine a general book on Christianity without the mention of the Holy Bible?McLeod rather define the Sikhs according to his bigoted viewpoint of a missionary than refer to the Sikh scripture and historic Sikh tradition.Please save your money and instead buy a more balanced and definitive work, The Sikhs, by Patwant Singh, which is available in both paperback and hardcover editions.You will thoroughly enjoy the riveting style of Patwant Singh.McLeod is not worth your time and money.

Solid Historical Referance Work
This book provieds a clear and concise summary of Sikh history and factions. It caused something of controversy with the Sikh community when released, as it takes a critical view of religous subjects. Very well researched. A good place to start if you want to gain an overview of Sikh history and trends. ... Read more

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Teach me about Sikhism is a comprehensive thematicunit. Its 60 reproducible pages are filled with a wide variety ofideas, games, and activities designed for use with children rangingfrom ages 6 to 12.

The strength of this book lies in its balanced approach, whichinvolves young learners in every aspect of the communicative process(speaking, reading, writing, listening, and drawing). In this wayskills and knowledge grow quickly as children are stimulated byinvolvement and interest in the topic at hand. Moreover, not only areacademic skills improved upon but also social skills. A developmentwhich can no longer be neglected let alone taken for granted intoday's ever-communicative world. Children must learn to workcooperatively in order to be successful in modern society; and parentsand teachers must do their best at including social objectives as wellas academic in their child's education.

This thematic unit contains:
- Work sheets: basic summary of theme
- Trading cards: fun cards to synthesize learning and stimulate group activities
- Drawing guides: confidence-building techniques to enhance observation, motor, and creative skills
- Internet scavenger hunt: activities that challenge children to use and become more familiar with computers as a research mechanism
- Writing ideas: suggestions for writing activities
- Creative thinking: ideas for creative thinking
- Projects: activities designed to foster cooperative learning
- Games and more games: games to build problem-solving skills
- Bulletin board: suggestions and plan for theme related interactive bulletin board
- Bibliography: suggested literature, software and Internet resources The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only. The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be transmitted, recorded, or stored in any form without written permission from the publisher. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Response to a Review
This is not a review rather a response to the review written by a "Reader" from Canada dated Feb 2003.You mention that you believe that Sikhism is a sect of Hinduism, but you have been misled.Although originated in Northern India, in the current state of Punjab and part of Eastern Pakistan, in early 15th century, Sikhism is a separate organized religion from Hinduism and Islam.I advise that before you publicly humiliate yourself with your obvious lack of knowledge, and defame a book, you learn to educate yourself on this religion.

Below average
If you're not a teacher, this book isn't worth the money. It's just a bunch of worksheets that are designed to be photocopied. Simple as that. Don't waste a dime on it if you're not a teacher. Plus I'm not so sure it's accurate. It treats the religion as if it were distinct from Hinduism when in fact I've read in several books that Sikhism is a sect of Hinduism. I even read this in an encyclopedia! That this wasn't mentioned in a book written for children is terribly scandalous. The people who put this book together should check their facts the next time they publish. Terribly scandalous!

Caution...For Teachers only
Well-done but...this book is only for teachers. Pick it up if you're a teacher (I can see how these pages are helpful in that they're easy to re-produce), but if you're more than ten years old and areinterested in learning about Sikhism I suggest you pick up The Sikhs (Patwant Singh).

A great learning experience
I always thought Sikhs were Hindus or Muslims, or a sect of. Now I know better and so do my children. The only problem I had with this book was that some of the words were too complicated for five-year-olds. I would say that this is a book for children 8 to 12.If you're buying this for a child younger than 8, don't, unless you want to spend all your time explaining words like inquisitive and forbearance. But in the end the activities were fun, educational and easy to prepare and do.

Mind-Boggling
This book is a great intro to Sikhism and their great, if not exemplary values. But I think after reading this book I understand why Sikhs hold such "modern" ideas of equality and justice. It's a very young religion that, if I may, learned from the mistakes of others. That they gave women total equality in 1469 India is absolutely mind-boggling. I am actually going to do more research on this religion. ... Read more

Product Description
Guru Nanak was born in northern India in the 15th century. This book tells you all about Guru Nanak, who he was and what he did. It explains his ideas, about the other Sikh Gurus who followed him, and how their teaching is written down in the Sikh holy book. There is also information on sacred places, festivals and how the Guru's teaching has lasted to the present day. This differentiated (simplified) text edition of "Great Religious Leaders: Guru Nanak and Sikhism" concentrates on how the Guru's teaching influences people today and thus makes a great introduction to this important world religion. ... Read more

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Guru Nanak was born in northern India in the fifteenth century. He was an ordinary person who, as he grew up, started to question the religions he saw around him, Hinduism and Islam. Instead, he chose a different way where everyone worships 'the one God' and is respected as an equal. As he got older Guru Nanak travelled and taught, attracted followers, and founded the religion known as Sikhism. This book tells you all about the life of the Guru Nanak, who he was and what he did. It explains his ideas, about the other Sikh Gurus who followed him, and how their teaching is written down in the Sikh holy book. Four key moments in his life are also retold: his birth, two stories about his travels and his followers, and his death. There is also information on sacred places, festivals and how the Guru's teaching has lasted to the present day. ... Read more

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'Facts About Sikhism' explores the basic facts of the Sikh faith through a series of direct questions such as How did Sikhism begin? What do Sikhs believe? and is storytelling important to Sikhs?. It was previously published by Hodder Wayland as 'What Do We Know About Sikhism?'. This simplified and updated edition provides a factual insight into the Sikh faith and it's history, practices and beliefs. ... Read more

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This collection of original essays focuses on various aspects of gender in Sikhism. Divided into three sections- text and scripture, Sikh women in India, and women in diasporic contexts- it deals with women's lives and religious experiences. The first part discusses the way aesthetics and religion merge together in the unitary experience of the sacred in the Sikh tradition. It also explores the understandings of gender in Sikh theology and society. The second and the third sections are largely ethnographic studies grounded in historical and textual analysis. First work of its kind, this volume engages with issues like religion, rituals, literature, sexuality, and nationalism and their link with identity-formation of Sikh women. It analyses current significant issues of gender and religion and provides an empirical as well as theoretical structure to an area hitherto unexplored. ... Read more

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This series is a fully updated guide to the world's religions. Each title covers a particular religion including history, sacred texts, festivals and family life. The titles include discussion of contemporary religious issues. It offers points of view of people of the faith from around the world. World maps and timelines place the religion in context. ... Read more

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Describes the history, beliefs, ceremonies, and festivals of Sikhism, one of the youngest of the world's major religions. ... Read more

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This is a clear introduction to the history, beliefs, religious practices, and social customs of Sikhism. Teach Yourself Sikhism makes it easy to understand the attitudes of the culture and provides insight in dealing with members of the community. It examines all aspects of the faith, including Sikh initiation, worship, and festivals; the Gurus and the beginnings of Sikhism; the Sikh scriptures and teachings about God; the family, marriage, and death; Sikh names and the naming ceremony; and Sikhism in the modern period.

Customer Reviews (5)

A decent introduction, but nothing special
W. Owen Cole's SIKHISM is an introduction to a religion followed by over 23 million people in India and abroad, but which remains little known. Cole starts off the book not with any discussion of theology, but rather by talking about what ceremonies the visitor to a Sikh temple will witness. He then discusses the founding of the religion by Guru Nanak, with plenty of context on the aspects of Hinduism and Islam that this mystic was reacting against. Only about three quarters of the way through the book do we find a discussion of what Sikhs believe about God.

Though Cole finds Sikhism beautiful, I was satisfied by his mainly dispassionate tone and critical perspective on the way the religion is actually practice. Its strong links to Punjabi culture, including the maintenance of the caste system and inferior status of women, and its occasional flare-ups of violence are all admitted. A previous reviewer gave this book a low rating because he thinks Cole should have welcomed people of all cultural backgrounds to Sikhism, but Cole plainly feels this wouldn't be honest.

A decent introduction, though nothing special
W. Owen Cole's SIKHISM is an introduction to a religion followed by over 23 million people in India and abroad, but which remains little known. Cole starts off the book not with any discussion of theology, but rather by talking about what ceremonies the visitor to a Sikh temple will witness. He then discusses the founding of the religion by Guru Nanak, with plenty of context on the aspects of Hinduism and Islam that this mystic was reacting against. Only about three quarters of the way through the book do we find a discussion of what Sikhs believe about God.

Though Cole finds Sikhism beautiful, I was satisfied by his mainly dispassionate tone and critical perspective on the way the religion is actually practice. Its strong links to Punjabi culture, including the maintenance of the caste system and inferior status of women, and its occasional flare-ups of violence are all admitted. A previous reviewer gave this book a low rating because he thinks Cole should have welcomed people of all cultural backgrounds to Sikhism, but Cole plainly feels this wouldn't be honest.

More about Punjabi culture than Sikhism
Imagine a book that is meant to teach you about a religion that hardly mentions or quotes its scriptures. Imagine that the book tells you very little about what the faith believes. Instead, it spends most of its pages explaining the culture of the country where the faith originated. This would be like explaining Mormonism by talking about American customs like Thanksgiving and Halloween. Very uninformative. Sikhism won't grow if it is trapped in Punjabi culture. It will remain a local phenomenon. I don't think that is what the founders intended but that is the impression the reader gets from this book. Sikhism teaches equality of the sexes but Punjabi (and hence, Sikh culture) insists that women serve the meals to the men and not eat until the men are finished. Sikhism teaches gender equality but most women are expected to give up their careers to serve their families at home. Sikhism teaches that empty ritual means nothing but the Sikh religion, in reality, demands that all baptized men wear turbans, uncut hair, the wearing of a sword, special underwear, a wooden comb in the hair, a bracelet, etc.. Sikhism will never be a universal religion because it is so deeply tied to Punjabi culture that Sikhs in America have major controversies and infighting over such issues as whether a western Sikh can use a chair instead of sitting on the floor!

Great intro to an rich and diverse faith
This book is well written and structured.It covers all aspects of Sikh religion, history and culture in enough detail that you will feel you have a real understanding of the religion.The only reason I am giving 4 stars is that the references are rather few and should have been at the end of every respective chapter so one could delve deeper into any appropriate area one desires.Use (...) for more information and (...) for an entire online version of their holy book the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

Do not waste your money on this book
This is beyond doubt the worst written book I have ever read. An eleven year old essayist could be expected to have a more coherent thought pattern. ... Read more

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Why do Sikh men wear turbans? What is a guru? What is the symbol of the Sikh religion? Discover the rich cultural background behind this major world religion. Find out where Sikhism originated, trace its history, and explore the meanings of its symbols. Ex

... Read more

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Contrary to popular opinion, there is more to Sikhism than the distinctive dress. First of all, there is the emergence of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, and the long line of his successors. There are the precepts, many related to liberation through the divine name or nam. There is a particularly turbulent history in which the Sikhs have fought to affirm their beliefs and resist external domination that continues to this day. There is also, more recently, the dispersion from the Punjab throughout the rest of India and on to Europe and the Americas.With this emigration Sikhism has become considerably less exotic, but hardly better known to outsiders. This reference is an excellent place to learn more about the religion. It provides a chronology of events, a brief introduction that gives a general overview of the religion, and a dictionary with several hundred entries, which present the gurus and other leaders, trace the rather complex history, expound some of the precepts and concepts, describe many of the rites and rituals, and explain the meaning of numerous related expressions. All this, along with a bibliography, provides readers with an informative and accessible guide toward understanding Sikhism. ... Read more

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Contributed articles. ... Read more

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This series looks at the journey of life as seen by members of thesix world religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam,Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. Each title focuses on the significant events of birth, coming of age,marriage anddeath in the religion, using contemporary case studies fromaround the world. Questions and activitiesencourage readers to reflect on their own experiences, and are astarting point for discussion and activities about key concepts inreligion and citizenship. The emphasis is on what it's like to be religious andthe meaning of religion in children's and adult's lives. ... Read more

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This series takes an exciting look at religion, history and culture through the everyday lives of people from all over the world. This book helps young people ask questions and leads them towards a better understanding of particular historical era, religion or culture. It looks at what Sikhs believe, where and when Sikhism began, where Sikhs worship and the major Sikh festivals. ... Read more

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This title offers exciting new introduction to contemporary Sikhism and the issues and debates facing it in modern society. This new introduction to Sikhism aims to introduce this increasingly studied religion through the lens of contemporary issues. Illustrated throughout with examples and case studies taken from lived religion, each chapter attempts to interpret the teachings of Sikhism in a modern context and apply them to modern day scenarios. After an initial chapter providing an overview of the Sikh religion, its history and basic theological tenets, Jagbir Jhutti-Johal moves through key contemporary themes, often overlooked in other introductions: Sikhism and women, diaspora, bioethics, and ethics and morality. She concludes with a final section looking at the future for Sikhism, its relevance in modern times, and what Sikhism can contribute to society in terms of inter-religious dialogue and harmony between different communities. These useful guides aim to introduce religions through the lens of contemporary issues, illustrated throughout with examples and case studies taken from lived religion.The perfect companion for the student of religion, each guide interprets the teachings of the religion in question in a modern context and applies them to modern day scenarios. ... Read more

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WORLD RELIGIONS, ANCIENT SACRED TEXTS, SIKHISM, JAINISM: The purpose of this series of texts is very simple.We have striven to compile the best of the better known and the least known of the ancient sacred texts from every religion throughout the world and throughout time. It is our hope that this series of volumes makes it possible for a lay reader to truly access some of the most important world literature in religion without having to have a library of 5,000 books in their possession. In these volumes, you will find everything you need to know to have a well-rounded and deep understanding of the many different faiths and belief systems in our world.(For more info- www.outofbodytravel.org) ... Read more

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Collection of lectures delivered at various occasions. ... Read more

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Territory: After five hundred years and with twenty million followers, Sikhism is unable to lay claim to an inch of this planet and call it its own. Faith: Sikhism is not a creed but a sect, a religious cult and an instrument for aligning the organisation of our social functions. we conduct them with the help of our holy book. Disaster: In June 1984, the Sikhs' most sacred shrine, the Golden Temple at Amritsar, was the scene of an armed stand-off between Sikhs and the State that ended in bloodshed. In October the same year, the Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi, was assassinated by her trusted Sikh bodyguards. Lawlessness hit the Panjab, and by the time Indian Government troops had restored order, thousands lay dead, women had been widowed, killed or raped, and children found themselves orphaned. Johan Rohi's detailed and at times shocking expose of the history and practices of Sikhism reveals a cult in crisis. For every ten true believers, there are a thousand gullible sheep feeding on the words of a grasping clergy. Yet Sikhs have no leader and no homeland. What is the function of religion in their collective psyche and aspirations? What part does extremism play? Why the insistence on symbols and carrying arms? At a broader level, the author touches on the issue of any religion having a role in our increasingly materialistic and secular global community. ... Read more