News and Opinion

The Society's Autumn Programme can now be downloaded.  

Gentle People, We write as members of the Leicester Secular Society who respect the many contributions Sikhs have made to Britain and to the wider world. The Sikh tradition has long been associated with courage, service, integrity, and a willingness to stand against injustice. As we understand it the Khalsa emerged during a period of oppression, when ordinary people could not rely upon the state to protect them from tyranny. The instruction that Sikhs should be prepared to bear arms was not a call to aggression, but a call to defend the weak, uphold justice, and resist oppression. History records many examples of Sikhs living up to these ideals. Sikh soldiers served with distinction in the World Wars and numerous other conflicts. In Britain, Sikhs have repeatedly demonstrated public spirit and courage, including during periods of civil unrest when members of the community have helped protect businesses, places of worship, and neighbourhoods from disorder. The Sikh community...