Photo of the Week

Card. Schonborn wears Sikh symbols

On Sunday June 12, 2016, the Cardinal of Vienna, Christoph von Schonborn, visited the Sikh Temple in Meidling, the 12^th district of Vienna.

Above, we see him sitting on the floor cross-legged, shoeless, wearing a saffron bandana and scarf inside the Sikh temple. Below first row, he is introduced at the podium, second row, he delivers a speech and answers questions, stressing the “advantages” of the religious freedom preached by Vatican II.

In the third row, he receives from religious representatives of the pagan sect a miniature model of the Golden Temple of Amritsar, India, the center of the Sikh religion. In the last row, he leaves the temple still wearing the Sikh symbols.

The Sikh religion is pantheist, considering God to be immanent in everything and accessible through meditation and exercises. Historically, it came into existence as a syncretist sect uniting Hinduism and Islamism. It was born 500 years ago in the Province of Punjab after the region was subjected to Muslim Sultans for two centuries.

In Vienna there are about 10,000 Sikhs who attend three temples. The third temple represents a split – the Ravidas – based on dispute on the caste system. The Sikhs reject the notion that enlightenment is accessible to the lower castes. In 2009, the Sikhs killed the guru of the Ravidas on grounds that the latter was “despicable” for belonging to a lower class, which also adores living gurus, while the Sikhs only adore 10 classical ancient gurus.

In Austria none of these factions is recognized as an official religion; they are only listed as religion associations. Therefore, the visit of Schonborn to the Sikh temple is a step toward helping Sikhism receive official recognition.

It is sad to see a Cardinal of the Holy Church, whose cassock is scarlet to symbolize the Cardinal willingness to shed his blood for the Catholic Faith, publicly denying the Faith as he preaches the religious liberty of Vatican II and gives public support to a pagan sect.

Photos from the Facebook of the Austrian Sikh Society; first seen in Eponymous Flower Blog.

Share

Follow us

Posted July 3, 2016

___________________________