Should gurbani be read in context?

[jkvlondon]

2 minutes ago, BeantSingh20 said:

So you're saying we do need to read gurbani using contextual knowledge? I had no idea Kings had to be qualified by their level of their dharam. So is the answer yes? 

Don't modern leaders get judged according to their ethics and gunn as humans?

[jkvlondon]

2 minutes ago, BeantSingh20 said:

Of course we read it... but do we apply a 1400's thinking or attitude to certain lines in order to fully assimilate the meaning of MAhraj's words?

1400's attitude was antithetical too this so no that doesn't make sense 

[Guest Jacfsing2]

11 minutes ago, BeantSingh20 said:

You're not addressing the point though. Should Gurbani be read in context. Should we read certain lines like this one through the eyes of somebody in the 1400's?

What context are you talking about? The world only looks like it changed but really humans are still the same. We read Gurbani not from the contextual standpoint like Christians, but rather as something that's never changing. Also just because Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji revealed himself in 1400s doesn't mean he thought anything like those people. The Gurbani context doesn't work from a historical standpoint, but rather a spiritual one, (even Sri Dasam Granth isn't a historical text, but rather one based on the internal individual and Vaheguru). Also there are some Sikhs who still think like ancient pre-Sikh times, so you aren't really making a point.

[Akalifauj]

2 hours ago, BeantSingh20 said:

WJKK WJKF 

I was reading some gurbani quotes on feminism etc and one quote stuck out:

jit jameh raajaan

Guru Nanak empowered women by saying "from her kings are born" and previously within this Bhangti Maharaj empowers women through the experience of men, noting that when a man's wife dies he seeks another woman so he is bound to woman. During the times of Guru Nanak these words were revolutionary... but now is it not fair to say that empowering woman through powerful men is somewhat outdated? And therefore should we read GGSJ in the context of when it was written. 
 

Bhul Chuk Maaf karo

Gurbani must be read in the context it is written and then interpreted.  Starting from the beginning of the Shabad to the last line.  Taking one tuk from the middle of the Shabad out of context produces doubts as you have above.  Ever seen constitutional lawyers fight over the law of the land?  Many times one lawyer is taking the law in question out of context by stressing one word to support his thought what the law should say.  

The tuk you are talking about starts off by saying, from woman a man is born.  This right here says nothing about powerful men.  This includes every man from the alley junky to the king who runs the land.  Then Guru Sahib goes further and elaborates on how a woman plays many roles in a man's life.  The touchstone point to the arrogant man, Guru Sahib says even woman give birth to Kings.  It's telling the men that hate women, who is known as poster Mahakaal on this site.....you are a lowly peasant of the king and a woman giving birth to the king becomes higher?  Some feminist take this line and tell men they are lower than women because you came from me.  To such women Guru Sahib says, Only Vaheguru is without a woman.  This slaps down the egotistical woman to say you came from Vaheguru and so did the man.  Both came from the same source, neither are higher.  Guru Sahib is speaking to all of humanity regardless of status.  What has changed today?  Before the leader of lands were called King's, today they are called Prime Minister's and Presidents.   Gurbani is and will be read from the historical perspective.  But Gurbani is not bound to the historical surroundings and has a universal message for everyone regardless of time.   

[Akalifauj]

3 hours ago, BeantSingh20 said:

WJKK WJKF 

I was reading some gurbani quotes on feminism etc and one quote stuck out:

Also please stop putting Gurbani into these labels of feminism.  Gurbani doesn't support feminism.  Feminism is stuck in worldly wants and needs.  Gurbani connects a person to Vaheguru while a person is renting a temporal body.  Women and men come from the one source so they are given equal opportunity to unite back with Vaheguru.  In a perfect world where everyone is treated fairly, will such a thing as feminism exist? NO!!!  Yet in this perfect world all people will still have to connect to Gurbani to unite with Vaheguru.  My point, if not clear from above, Gurbani is Gurbani and can't be put in labels from eastern or western concepts.      

[ipledgeblue]

To understand gurbani it is good to understand history and historical texts as well