Guru Nanak taught that
"A believer of a faith should not be considered a
'non-believer' by the followers of the other faiths". He "preached
that God does not identify people by their sectarian religions such as
Christians, Jews, Hindus or Muslims." His hymns "stress the presence
of god in every human being."*
Nanak proclaimed
"there is no Muslim, there is no Hindu, all are equal human beings
because they are the children of the same Father, God."*
His was a message
"of one God and [the] brotherhood of humanity. Religion was to be made a
uniting force rather than a dividing force." "Irrespective of their
caste, creed, economic status, sex or religion, all people were considered
equal and were welcome to join [this fellowship]."*
Guru Nanak was a product
of his times in the growing multicultural and multi-religious setting of
northwest India. But his message was hauntingly prophetic of our own times.
For he "preached that the whole world is to be treated as one vast
multi-cultural society. Mutual regard and respect among all people were the
foundation of the true religion. There was no religion superior to
this."*
* quoted from Sikhism:
A Universal Message by Gurbaksh Singh (pub: Sikh Study Circle DFW,
Richardson, TX, 1987)
