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Showing content with the highest reputation on 03/15/2018 in all areas

  1. 2 points
  2. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Recently, there has been an assassination attempt on a man named "Kuldeep Singh" from Virginia, USA, over the desecration of the "Khand Di Phaul" Amrit Sanchaar ceremony of the Khalsa Panth. In May of 2016 a famous Sikh preacher named "Ranjit Singh Dhadrianwale" was also faced with an assassination attempt, which was also carried out by not the Indian government or some external power, but by fellow Sikhs. Without going into the specific issues behind the motivation of their attempted assassinations or the issues themselves, I would like to discuss the very use of violence as per Sikhi. I have seen some Sikhs, as well as some users on this sub, who openly advocate for violence. I would just like to remind them that although from a Sikh point of view violence has historically been advocated and used, the context under which it was used is very important. Guru Gobind Singh Ji himself says: "ਚੁ ਕਾਰ ਅਜ਼ ਹਮਹ ਹੀਲਤੇ ਦਰ ਗੁਜ਼ਸ਼ਤ ॥ ਹਲਾਲ ਅਸਤ ਬੁਰਦਨ ਬ ਸ਼ਮਸ਼ੀਰ ਦਸਤ ॥੨੨॥" "When all other methods fail, it is proper to hold the sword in hand. (22)" -Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Dasam Granth, Ang 1471 As anyone who can read can clearly see the Guru very specifically states that the sword (in this case symbolizing violence) must only be used when "all other methods fail", the Gurus message is very clear, yet its some of those who claim themselves to be Sikhs of the Guru who are having a hard time understanding what the Guru himself is saying. On the issue of those who manipulate or change Sikh practices, spread misinformation, and are disingenuous, the answer is not to go out and assassinate them or endorse physical violence against them, but to rather have an open dialogue and show them the errors of their ways, becuase dialogues are what really change peoples minds, not putting a bullet to their heads, becuase then their is no one to save. If you have to resort to violence in response to someones opinion, then you have already lost, becuase you have shown that you cannot win the battle of ideas, and thus must resort to your primal instincts. The problem with killing someone, is that you dont necessarily kill their ideas, and in some famous cases, killing someone can even act as a catalyst to spread the idea even further. A prime example of this is the Shaheedi of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, which inspired Sikhs to take up arms and fight back against the Mughal tyranny. This doesn't go to say that all people who are assassinated are morally correct, it just proves that killing someone can have the opposite intended effect. When you kill someone, you also take away their ability to later redeem themselves, and if after the fact you find out that they were innocent, you are not able to bring them back. It is only in the most dire of circumstances that physical violence should be used, becuase violence itself doesn't prove who is morally correct, only who is martially superior. Lets also not forget that when you "kill" someone, as per Sikhi, you aren't killing them but rather just their physical vessel. On a deeper philosophical level, according to Sikhi, everything and everyone is just another form of ੴ, which is ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ (Akaal murat), meaning essentially beyond, above, not subject to ("A" prefix), death, time, end (Kaal), "Image" personified (murat), so in essence, "you" aren't killing anything. The concept of Justice is often confused with Revenge. Revenge is one-sided, and motivated by self-interest, Justice is impartial. Revenge is more "An eye for an eye", while Justice provides a solution to the problem, and tries to resolve it. Revenge is often driven exclusively by emotion, while Justice is usually driven by logic and rationality. Often times people like to bring up the historical example of Guru Gobind Singh Ji ordering Banda Singh Bahadur to fight the Mughal forces. This was not done out of "revenge" for the brutal execution of the Chaar Sahibzaade, the 4 biological "sons" of the Guru (technically all Sikhs are his sons), but rather to deliver the long awaited Justice to the Mughals, to free people from their oppression, take back stolen land, and as a defense mechanism to prevent further conflict and oppression. Sikhi does not advocate the concept of revenge as many claim, however it does fully advocate Justice. "ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੇ ਭਗਤ ਨਿਰਵੈਰ ॥" "The devotees of the Supreme Lord God are beyond hate and vengeance." -Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1145 One might ask, if unjustified violence and forms of revenge are not acceptable in Sikhi, then how should Sikhs deal with serious issues of those who attack Sikhs and Sikhi by manipulating traditions, spreading misinformation, being corrupt, etc? There are a verity of different ways Sikhs can deal with these issues: Education: The most effective, and tired and true method to change people has allways been education. If you disagree with someone, instead of trying to assassinate them, its a better idea to get to understand their point of view, and change it. Check out this article on how to change peoples minds. Ignoring: Oftentimes people just do stupid stuff for attention without having a hidden agenda or malicious intent, if this is the case, then just ignore them and deny them any attention. Check out this article on 10 tips to dealing with Trolls. Denunciations, boycotts, or even excommunication: In the worst case scenarios (aside from using physical violence), denunciations, boycotts, etc are to be used when the individual refuses to change their ways despite every other effort. This has historically been used by the Khalsa Panth and even the Guru himself, it is reffered to as "tankhiya". However, a tankhiya is not the end, and their is allways an option for redemption, but that is up to the Khalsa Panth and Guru to decide. These are just a few of many options, however the main idea is that there is a long list of protocols one must follow before physical violence can even be an option.
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  3. A Karah Parshad dispenser perhaps?... http://dailysikhupdates.com/introducing-automatic-parshad-machine/
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  4. Yes please. Thank God I dont live there... not that Its better elsewhere
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  5. It would be so easy to manipulate a cyber hukamnama, like an entry level computer science student could do it. Cyber Hukamnamas, what next bro? Amrit dispensaries? robots doing langar seva? automatic chaur sahibs?
    1 point
  6. The great thing about Hukam is it's always from Gurbani. Regardless of the medium you obtain one by, you can rest assured the content is solid gold.
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  7. The belief is in the United States that capital punishment helps the healing process of the victims families and serves as a deterrent to future offenders, but it's effectiveness is the subject of much controversy.
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  8. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh. That's a really good article on changing people's minds. Shukria veer ji. I'll definitely be digesting that article for a while. I'm not sure much of a dialogue opportunity exists with grooming gangs, but definitley what you've said has great application to many problems the Sangat face and definitely a lot of opportunity for application in life in general.
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  9. That would be a fascinating question to explore in a doctoral dissertation. Instead, what we get is losers like Prem Singh and Harjot Singh Oberoi and other acolytes of WH McHew questioning the very foundations of Sikhism (Guru Granth Sahib ji).
    1 point
  10. We recently had a psychologist do a seminar on communication and abuse in our Dojo. Basically he said any communication that isn't respectful is some degree of abusive. It seems to me keshdari showing respect for non-keshdari and visa versa, men and women for each other, various rehits for each other will only serve to strengthen Sikhi. Even when it comes to addicts etc. the only way they will get better is to be shown respect as a human being and a Sikh, and feel accepted so they can be honest and get the help and support they need. If they feel shamed or shunned they will just leave Sikhi, or hide in their addiction. The only way sexually groomed females can be honest and stay strong within the Sangat is if they aren't shamed and have no reason to feel ashamed. I feel love, communication, respect, and inclusion is what is needed to heal divides and strengthen Sikhi, but it requires accepting all the differences and supporting rather than condemning each other. I agree but I have a feeling this started with Amritdhari Sikhs treating the cut Sikhs like they aren't Sikhs. That sentiment is voiced on this board. Definitely this.
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  11. Sad cases but we all know who the predators are its 90% men of muslim heritage / background thats grooming gangs that is. The majority of child sexual abuses cases are commited by perverted pedo white men in the UK. The worrying thing is that closet far right wing racist whites especially white men are offloading their failures as a society on to asians by not looking after and protect their young girls from sleeping around, getting drunk taking drugs and going with these perverted men. These pedo muslim gangs will obviously look for the easiest targets and the easiest targets were white underaged girls from care homes. The black pedo drug gangs also target the white girls because they are the easiest girls to get and pimp For decades british hindu sikh society has warned their girls to stay away from muslims because they groom and sexually exploit women and then maybe convert them. Largely we have been successful but we have had many girls exploited by the muslim gangs. Only now some who were groomed sexually abused and converrted are speaking out against it to help other Sikh girls not to fall into the islamic trap. British White racist establishment and its mainstream media wants to paint it as a race problem..... as a asian male targeting white girls problems they dont care that asian/brown hindu sikh girls were also targetted by these muslim gangs. And more worryingly is that some stupid irresponsible Sikh groups are spreading racist white propaganda articles from dailymail and the sun that say its "asian men" rather than say its a muslim men problem or muslim cultural problem more accurately. These groups are creating a rod for their own backs because that brown skin that asian skin that these sikh guys have spreading anti-asian articles will come back to haunt them when they go to apply for jobs that asian race that brown skin will stand out to the racist white they wont care if they muslim or not the fact you got the appearance of the people who abused their white girls will prejudice asian males chances of having a good fair and equal life.
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  12. was listening to Bhai Ajmer SIngh talking about Sant Attar Singh ji Mastuana wale and when Sant ji's sewak Teja Singh was sent abroad to get duniyavi gian at Harvard after getting his first degree he said that he was filled with ahankar and this broke him from Gurmat , the only way forward for sikhs is to keep well rooted in sikhi whilst getting gian of worldly sphere . When he realised this he reimmersed himself in gurmat and gurbani and became brahmgiani got further degrees than started setting up the gurdwarey in USA. so university is the key place for make or break of sikhi in many ways ...need wider parchaar cycles in unis societies and general campus leaflet drops/street parchaar. We need well-educated gursikhs females especially who will create a new visible role model for younger generations
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  13. this could be good. Instead at the moment it is many females who are spreading the venom against turbans, not doing their sewa in keeping infant sons'' kesh even though they somehow choose to put Singh on birth certificates, putting kanjarfied photos on insta and facebook (seriously everywhere now, the behzti is real). Is it no surprise many are falling to grooming? We seriously need to wake up!
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  14. I would add the most important thing : sikhs should treat their womenfolk as equally responsible for the future of the panth and equip them spiritually and especially mentally with the tools to give answer to any grooming/dawah gang . They should have poora gian of itihaas and know gurbani pangtian inside out to counterargue and convince their sisters to not fall . They should honour their ancestors character and strive to bring those values to life now . Gurdwarey should be their safe zone to come when they have problems , where they know that there are trustworthy people to talk to. Educate a Singh you may educate his family but educate a Singhni and you will educate generations going onwards as they are always first caregivers of children and grandchildren . Propose santhiya classes during the day when they are freer to attend . Drop-in centre style santhiya kirtan classes
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