Does looking like a Sikh make you a Sikh?

Does wearing the 5K's make you a Sikh?

No. A differentiation needs to be made between being an Amritdhari Sikh and a regular Sikh. An Amritdhari Sikh is one who has taken Amrit (holy water) and has joined the Khalsa (Sikh community). Whereas a regular Sikh is one that has a basic understanding of Sikhi and has a strong sense of loyalty to Sikhi.

However there have been several cases involving Amritdhari Sikhs that have committed crimes and have no regard for their religion. A great example of this is the Punjab police that pledge allegiance to India over their religion. A lot of Amritdhari Sikhs use their appearance to give people the impression that they can be trusted. Unfortunately these Sikhs will then abuse this trust by not keeping fundamental Sikh principles such as Naam Japo (remembering Waheguru). This is not true for most Amritdhari Sikhs many of them dedicate their entire lives to Sikhi and are great ambassadors for the religion.

Sikhs who don't keep their kesh (hair), sometimes can give the impression that they don't have a strong religious belief. However many of these Sikhs have proven this stereotype wrong by dedicating time and money to Sikhi. Although these Sikhs do not have the appearance of a religious Sikh they can still contribute to the Sikh community such as doing sewa (selfless service) or doing paat (praying).

In modern society, a common perception of non Sikhs is that only Amritdhari Sikhs are the ones who have a strong faith. We can speak from experience as we were once questioned about running SikhiSociety based on the fact that we weren't Amritdhari. But in response we made the point that being a good and religious Sikh is not only based on appearance but also based on where your heart is and whether you put religion first above all. Many Sikhs who are Amritdhari have the mindset that they have already done enough for their religion and that no further contribution is required, this is a slippery slope with only one destination. In contrast, Sikhs who have not kept their hair can feel obliged to give more to their religion and community.

To conclude, we can positively say that a Sikh who is an Amritdhari can be a very religious person but it just as likely can be a facade covering their true nature. We encourage joining the Khalsa but be prepared to commit your entire heart and soul to Sikhi, but don't abuse the priviliges and abundancy that Sikhi offers

Thanks for reading.