Nov 11
5
Sikhism and the Martial Artist
3 of the 5 K's of Sikhism
One of the hallmarks of Sikhism is the “5 K’s,” or five articles the committed Sikh wears at all times, each of which starts with the letter ‘K’.
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One of the 5 K’s is the kirpan, or dagger, which is to be carried at all times. This fits in with my philosophy of always being armed. Even if you don’t carry a knife, gun, stick, or other obvious weapon, you can always have on you or near you a suitable weapon.
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Sikhism also made me reflect on my Christian upbringing. While Christianity is big on concepts like love and kindness, it is short on ideals like justice. It’s one thing to talk about helping victims, but what can the typical Christian do when he sees someone being assaulted? This is a concept of Sikhism that appeals to me, the acknowledgement that at some point you may be required to fight to help others.This is what the kirpan represents, an obligation and readiness to stand up for the weak. The Sikh, and I would argue the true warrior/martial artist as well, cannot simply pass by someone being victimized and say, “I don’t want to get involved,” or “It’s none of my business.”
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To move beyond good intentions and flowery ideals, you must be armed and prepared to fight, even though you may never need to do so in a lifetime. This is the dilemma faced by Sam Childers in Machine Gun Preacher, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Nazi Germany: At what point do you stop meekly submitting to evil and trying to wish it away, and when do you fight it, violently if necessary?
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Armed Sikhs Prepare to Defend Temple During London Riots
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