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  1. so, i'm in year 12, uk. my parents are like sort-of connected with sikhism, but not much. they still eat meat and modify the hair, and while i try not too. my parents forces me to like remove the hairs and eat the meat and i try not to but i most of the time don't win and i feel guilty. i wanted to take amrit, but my parents don't let me and say im too young. i've learnt gurmukhi and the rehat myraada from online and gurughar. every time i take a step towards being a sikh, they pull me back. i feel like i'm losing my faith what should i do? should i give up or should I wait till i'm more control of my life?
  2. Guest

    Struggling with Faith

    Hello, my faith is wavering, I have tried to upload this many times but it never has. I am not sure who to talk to about this as there is no one I am comfortable to share my thoughts. But I am struggling with religion and how to choose the right one. How do we know sikhi is the right religion rather than religions like islam and christianity. I used to be confident as a kid but as I grow up I am not as sure and lack faith. I wonder if it is because our community is small? Or fear mongering from the Abrahamic faiths Any advice or experience would be very helpful.
  3. Guest

    Help with kaam and faith

    WJKK, WJKF I am a moorakh for falling into kaam and I have dug myself into a pit of faithlessness. This started a few months ago where I tried no fap and it somehow turned into a search for proof of god. I couldn’t find any proofs and should have known there is none because waheguru never lets his hand be shown to people who don’t look for it. I almost became atheist before realizing that calling the gurus mentally Ill or liars , the same jot that sacrificed their 4 sahibzade, sent their father to dehli to protect someone else’s dharam, the same jot whose institutions started in their first form still feed thousands every day, is so bleak. I try to let go of kaam but I fall back into this pit of “there’s no proof of god so just keep watching porn and <banned word filter activated> off”. I need help building my faith back and getting out of this weird pit I have dug myself into. I need help finding sangat to keep me away from this pit. Thanks.
  4. NOTE: This post is a work in progress Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Often times I hear Non-Sikhs bring up common arguments against Sikhi, and as someone who likes to create a lot online resource hubs for Sikhs, I am taking it upon myself to create a list of Q/A's. I recently got a series of arguments (posing as questions) from an anonymous user on the Sikh Reddit who was allegedly Ex-Sikh. He frequently made references to Islam, and also claimed that he had done a lot of research on his "questions", yet the questions themselves seem as if they are taken from wikipedia or some anti-sikh site. Here are some of the arguments I would like to debunk: Q: If Sikhi is against the Caste System, then why are their Caste based Gurdwara's? A: Anyone can just create a "Gurdwara" and install their own beliefs into it, that doesn't make it valid. The key part here is that this cannot be supported by the actual theology of Sikhi, and all the main Gurdwara's still allow people of lower-caste to enter. All of these so called "caste Gurdwara's" are also not backed by the Akal Takth, and are not recognized by the Khalsa Panth. Q: Why were the Gurus themselves all from the Khatri caste and married within their own caste despite preaching against such barriers? A: The very premise of this question is incorrect, Guru isnt from the Khatri caste becuase the concept of caste itself is invalid. There is no evidence to suggest that caste was involved in the marrage decision, and neither was any proposal rejected due to caste. Furthermore, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji itself contains writings from people of different "castes" and backgrounds. When the Guru created the Khalsa Panth, the Panj Pyare were from different occupations, locations, and families, the entire concept of the Khalsa itself destroys the caste system. If the Guru was secretly supporting the caste sustem, he would have not created the Khalsa and passed on the Guruship. Gurbani itself is the Guru, and its anti-caste message is very clear, but it's some food for thought. Q: How about the succession of the Gurus? How do we go from the 4 first being chosen by merit and from different lineage, then suddenly it turns into a system of monarchy resulting in the succession of Guru Harkrishan Ji at such a young age who also passed away at a young age. A: "Nepotism" is defined as: The practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs. A lot of people like to accuse the Guru of being Nepotistic, and use it to bring down Sikhi by stating the successors of the Guru were not truly worthy of the title. The next Guru was never chosen on the basis of nepotism, and was always chosen based on Merit, the Guru tested each of his followers to see if they were worthy of the title of Guru. We are all just vessels filled with the same light, "family" is an illusion, we are all One. Although some of the Gurus did pass the Guruship on to their human sons, many did not, and even if they did, it was becuase their sons just happened to pass the test.If Sikhi allowed Nepotism, then why didnt Guru Nanak Dev Ji or many of the other Guru's pass it on to their children? Guru Nanak could have easily made Sri chand or Lakhmi Das the next Guru, the same applies with Guru Gobind Singh ji who did not have to let any of his sons sacrifice themselves for Sikhi, and could have asked them to not give Shaheedi. The fact that Guru Gobind Singh Ji established the Khalsa in 1699 before the death of all his human offsprings shows that he was going to stop the line of Human Guru's anyways. The ultimate argument against nepotism in Sikhi is the fact that the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji & the Khalsa Panth were made the eternal Guru. Hypothetically, even if the Guruship was passed down based solely on Nepotism, I would have no problem with it becuase it is the Guru's decision and looking back at history and how each Guru lives his life, I can say the Guru made the perfect decision. As for Guru Harkrishan Ji, the reason the Guru chose the vessel of a young boy was to show that spirituality isnt affected by age, and even a child can attain liberation. The reason Guru Harkrishan Ji physically passed away at such a young age was to exemplify shaheedi, it makes no sense for the Guru to go around curing other people of small pox, yet die from it himself. Q: why has Sikhi remained confined for the most part to the Punjabi population? A: Sikhs dont go out and actively convert people like people of Abrahamic theologies do, the Sikh community is also generally very young compared to others. This issue is already starting to change, there are already hubs of non-punjabi Sikhs thriving in places like America, Indonisia, UK, Canada, etc, and we just need time. Q: Why did/are some Sikhs converting to other religions, if Sikhi is supreme, then why would people leave it? A: The message itself is supreme, but the people themselves are not. The argument of people leaving/joining a certain religion can be made for any group. The larger abrehamic religions are the ones that generally have a higher turnover rate compared to easter Dharams. Q: why hasn’t history seen Gurus with a similar message in the West or other corners of the world? A: There are other people with similar messages, there's even some new relgion in the west called "Eckankar" which is very similar to Sikhi on certain aspects. Gurbani also contains Bani from a lot of people who lived before the physical arrival of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who's Bani is inline with Gurmat. Q: Why is Gurbani repetitive? A: I dont know if your reading the english translation or something, but in Gurmukhi the way certain words are used has a different meaning depending on the context. Furthermore, Gurbani is also multilayered, and speaks to the mind during its different states. As for repetitiveness in message, it's important becuase Humans learn from repetition, when you were a child, your parents had to constantly call you by your name so you remember it, etc. Gurbani is not like the abrehamic texts, it is not divided by chapters, but rather by Music. Gurbani does not have dedicated sections for certain topics, becuase as a Sikh our job is not to pick and choose what we want to learn, the Guru teaches us what we need, and the format Gurbani is written in ensures its multi layered and speaks to different people at different stages in their spiritual journey. The fact that there are other Bhagats whose Bani is inline with the Guru, reinforces the Oneness of the message of Sikhi. Q: Why did the Gurus have multiple wives? At least with Islam there is a specific guidelines prescribed, a lot of Sikhs like to argue based on emotion rather than historical evidence. A: The narrative that the Gurus were polygamists is highly contestable on the basis of historical analysis, not emotion. "The story of Guru Har Rai having married seven wives, who were all sisters, is found only in one MS of Suraj Prakash and is written on unpaged leaves which are clearly an interpolation. Unfortunately this copy became the basis of the editions nowadays in vogue. Other copies mention only one marriage. Mahima Prakash, which is much older than this book, also mentions only one wife. See on this point the annotation of Bhai Vir Singh on Suraj Prakash" -Dr. Ganda Singh, Baba Teja Singh; 'A Short History of the Sikhs,' vol. i, pg. 48. Here is a good post discussing this issue As for Islam, providing specific guidelines, I hope you realize that it also provides guidelines to beat ones wife, among many other things... Q: Why so much debate over a simple matter of canon scriptures (the Dasam Granth which oddly enough contains 2 of the prayers forming the Nitnem) A: There isnt "so much" debate over this. the Anti-Dasam granth crowd is a vocal minority, and the Dasam Granth is accepted by the Khalsa Panth as a whole, and even backed by the Akal Takth. Furthermore, the Debate that does happen isnt about the nitnem banis from Dasam Granth (Jaap Sahib, Tav Prasad Savaiye, Chaupai Sahib). Overall, Sikhs have still preserved their scriptures far better than many others, and the Quran itself was never even written down by Muhammad, Jesus never wrote the Bible, etc... Q: Why is there such a controversy over vegetarianism vs meat eating? Why didnt the Guru lay our a clear guideline? A: This wasn't really an issue before the start of the modern day meat industry, but we as a community have turned it into an issue. Sikhs historically ate meat, this is a fact, the reason there is a big vegetarian movement in the Sikh community is mainly due to the modern day meat industry and the idea that Sikhs dont really need meat anymore becuase they have so many more alternatives. As for the actual theology regarding this issue, its already clearly laid out by the Guru: Sikhs are to refrain from Halal Meat, if a Sikhs is to hunt or eat meat, then they must follow the Jhatka Maryada set up by the Guru. More information and sources can be found at jhatkamaryada.com Q: Why are Sikhs encouraged to be critical thinkers, yet told not to ask questions? A: People are getting two concepts confused: its ok to question the Guru similar to how a student questions a teacher, however its discouraged to question for the sake of trying to create an arguement or disruption. Final Thoughts A deep underlying issue that motivates a lot of these arguments is the idea that if Sikhi is true, then why would it not also temporally reign supreme, and why would "bad things" happen to Sikhs if they are morally correct? The answer to this is the simply: Hukam, and the fact that "good" and "bad" dont really exist. However, the issue here is that others will see this as a cop out. I am interested in developing a more indepth response to this strain of thought. Any recommendations? Feedback If you have any suggestions, please let me know any way you can, you can also email me at TheTurbanatore@gmail.com or contact me via Reddit at reddit.com/u/TheTurbanatore
  5. Guest

    Faith

    Hi, I am a born Sikh, but the problem Is that my faith on sikhi is wavering. I keep thinking of other religions, like Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. I think it's the fear of hell. I don't know how to explain to but I think its seeing other people of other faiths being so confident in their religion unlike me with sikhi. Any help would be good, I don't like that I feel like this.
  6. WJKK WJKF What do you guys do when you feel like you are losing faith in prayer, god etc Do you have phases where you just feel empty and so far
  7. Arabs are increasingly saying they are no longer religious, according to the largest and most in-depth survey undertaken of the Middle East and North Africa. The finding is one of a number on how Arabs feel about a wide range of issues, from women's rights and migration to security and sexuality. More than 25,000 people were interviewed for the survey - for BBC News Arabic by the Arab Barometer research network - across 10 countries and the Palestinian territories between late 2018 and spring 2019. Here are some of the results. Since 2013, the number of people across the region identifying as "not religious" has risen from 8% to 13%. The rise is greatest in the under 30s, among whom 18% identify as not religious, according to the research. Only Yemen saw a fall in the category. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-48703377
  8. So I recently went on a date with hindu girl. I already had an inkling she was hindu due to the wrist thread she had on. But as it was a date kind of thing and to make conversation I asked her what faith she is. Ie Sikh or Hindu? I thought it was a perfectly reasonable question and not offensive to ask. However she seemed to take offence of why I asked her this question. I had no intention of causing her offence or making her feel uncomfortable. I replied that I dont care what faith she is and was only making conversation. it was a date kind of thing. So dont I have a right to ask what faith she is? Anyway a few months down the line I met some guy at an IT course that I am doing as an evening class. He's a muslim and we have small chats now and then. To be honest I dont know him that well. Anyway I dont usually wear a Kara. We got talking and low and behold he asked me what faith I was and if I am Sikh from Punjab. I think he had an inkling I am Punjabi but was not sure what faith I was due to not wearing a kara and the fact Ive never mentioned anything to do with faith. At the time I did not take offence and thought it was someone who was just being inquisitive. I think he presumed I was either Sikh or Hindu but was not sure which one. But after I thought about it. I did feel it was kind of rude or odd to ask someone you hardly know what faith they belong to? It got me thinking maybe it is offensive to ask people their faith if you hardly know them. I dont usually ask anyone what their religion they are. As its something that is personal and we feel sensitive and protective about it. But this was a date thing and so I thought it was harmless to ask. But she obviously did not like the question ans felt a bit awqward. It got me thinking how a harmless question can actually cause offence to people. So maybe we should not ask anyone what faith they are if we hardly know them?
  9. Where is the line between, wanting to believe in all these sakhis that make sense, and really thinking for yourself?
  10. Dear Guru ke pyarrio Daas has Been having some hard times with Sikhi lately. 2 weeks ago I was pumped and wanted to become a proper Gursikh but just last week I had started getting a little bit of doubt. This doubt go really bad and I was losing faith in God. However with Maharaj's kirpa the doubts were cleared around Friday. However they started again and don't seem as bad now but they still make me cry because I still really want to be a Gursikh and not lose Sikhi because it is so great- I am only 15 btw. If anyone can please just give me some inspiration they would be appreciated. This never seemed to happen before (I have been trying to follow Sikhi and started doing a bit of Paath last year December and I had never go any doubt before) Some concerns I have are that Will God listen to my prayers? How do I regain faith in God and Guru? And Can I be forgiven? Guys I really want to get back into Sikhi it is the main mission of my life and I really need your guy's help. Please send me some inspiration and motivate me back on to the path. ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਿਹ
  11. Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh! I have a personal doubt to discuss .. Lets start the topic (i m already sure a lot of you will have discordant opinions from mine but thats right all opinions are accepted). Before all i'd say i belong to a sikh family and i have faith in god (i sometimes do path and often listen to gurbani), but i m not amritdhari and i ve not even took kesh for the moment. My problem is that i have to deal with a nose which i personally dont like so much (a hooked nose, i mean a nose with a little hump, that is not really in harmony with my other facial features). Fortunately, people (in school,city,ecc) have never bullied me but i think that, during puberty, my nose got a bit worse due perhaps to two operations ( in childood i had two operations to the nose to improve breathing reducing my nasal polyps, that were harmful for the breathe, and extracting nasal adenoids). Anyway, the current fact (now i m 22) is that when i look up to the mirror i like my self and feel comfortable but when i look to my nose i always feel very down with mood and self esteem,, i think a nose job to ONLY REFINE nose will surely solve the problem so i will probably do it in future ( i will probably do this NOT FOR looking "better" around society but at first for my personal satisfaction and for my better psychological balance). In fact i am talking with you about nosejob after years full of doubts and paranoia (a very negative period): the last 2/3 years i suffered a lot, i generally was vulnerable , afraid of people/society opinions and criticism (also for stupid things, like a comment on my clothes or a majak about my shyness nature,ecc.) and consequently didn't like my self so much so i started to isolate from people, stay always closed at home and talk only with parents. My life was ruined. Fortunately, Thanks to god,to books,to my family support and also to the aid of a good psychologist (i had some sessions with her, despite my parents were wary at the beginning ) i understood a lot of my problems and i am realizing that first of all i HAVE TO to love my self, follow my wishes (of course with some limits) and live my life with passion, without thinking about other people bad opinions and be conditioned by them !! So one of my first wish as i said is to have a little change only in my actual nose (other wishes are for example to improve in my job, pray for sarbat da pala, help people in difficulty trough socialworks and internet, make my family and community proud, ecc.): i m not in favor of cosmetic surgery generally and i don't like plastic people but i think this surgery is right only if it is going to solve a serious estethic or pshicologically disease in a person who is mature, as in my case. On the other side i know that nosejob , being a part of cosmetic surgery, is against sikh discipline (according to the dharam, in fact, our body is a natural gift of god so we should try to mantain it the same till death) and as sikhs we should focus on our INNER peace/beauty and then reach guru grace. Me too, as i belong to sikh pariwaar (and one day with guruji kirpa wish to be baptized), i love gurbani and follow a lot of principles like be honest, respect others, do sewa, stay away fromdrugs,alcool, kaam, krod, onkar, and above all try to help people that are in difficulty (in fact one of my future project is to make as a passion instructive videos on youtube in order to spread POSITIVE VIBES and try to MOTIVATE people especially the young people who are in difficulty but have inside great hidden-talents!!) . So, in short words, i am a simple and educated person with a inner spirituality: I could seem a narcissist person just bcz i want to do this kind of operation (nose job) but i am sure i m not full of ego or a bad person (a huge "paapi banda") and i am also in good relation with the local khalsa community!! FINALLY I CAN EXPLAIN MY DOUBT: IN YOUR SIKHI OPINION IF I DO THE SURGERY BUT I STAY A GOOD AND HONEST PERSON FOR ALL MY LIFE , I WILL BE DEFINITELY CONDEMNED BY GOD DUE TO THE OPERATION OR I WILL HAVE ANYWAY THE POSSIBILITY TO REACH GURU GRACE AND GOD AFTER DEATH (TAKING MAYBE AMRiT AND FOLLOWING SIKH DISCIPLINE IN FUTURE)? i know a person who had hair transplantation some years ago and now he is a sardar and i also have an amritdhari excellent friend who in his young age got some permanent tattoos,, for me a nosejob is at the same PAAP LEVEL of getting tattoos, having hair transplant or going in the case of woman to hairfacial laser, isnt it ??? If i make some grammar mistakes i m sorry , i don t live in a british country.. look forward for any reply that can help me with my doubt . pulla chukka da maaf karna
  12. Hello. My Indian Jatt Sikh boyfriend proposed last month. I accepted. We're very much inlove. I've been trying to look up how mixed race/mixed religions combine their 'ideals & traditions'. I'm a White British atheist but have always wanted the traditional white dress. I also love the Sikh weddings, and of course will be having a very traditional Sikh wedding. I've seen that some people, through YouTube videos, have 2 marriage ceremonies... one Sikh and one non-religious/very western... is this a pretty common option, to have both? Is there not a way to put aspects of my dream wedding within the Sikh marriage ceremony? Or would it be best to do 'my' side of things the day after? Also, my father is meant to give me away. I have no relationship with him, so can I use my mother or sister? I'd love to know if anyone here can tell me what options they've seen or even been a part of. I'm going to India in December to witness some inlaw-weddings, and I will talk to my inlaws then, for information... but I'm just researching for myself at the moment, you know? Thank you in advance.
  13. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh! The purpose of this question is mostly to ask why so many of those who consider themselves Sikhs get easily swayed by various groups such as RSS, Pakhandi Baba organizations, Badal, Other faiths brainwashing, and so on? The reason I wanted to know is if there is some huge mental problem that our community isn't addressing that should be addressed that we get swayed this easily, or whether our loyalty as a whole to Guru Sahib, isn't really legit and mostly Sikhs viewing themselves as merely Sikhs for being born into a Sikh family. Adding on to that is why Sikhs are more interested in keeping our Pre-Sikh traditions over the time period when we have so much better stuff as Sikhs, (I don't know if they live in pre-1469 times or post-1469)? And finally why are Sikhs as a whole getting an inferiority complex, when Punjab before anyone came there was the best society in the world, (it would have been better as a theocracy, but it's still good enough), our people are starting to have Ghulami complex to Goras and others which I don't understand why? Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
  14. Guest

    Too many problems

    Hi so i am a teenage girl that feels nothing towards sikhs. However two years ago i did have a bit of a connection with sikhi and wanted to take amrit,but I didn't. And now i can't feel any prem, I feel like maybe its because I think Sikhi is restricting because i like cutting my hair, it makes a confident person and i enjoy it and i don't understand the point of keeping res no mater how many times someone has said to me. I want to feel that prem for maharaja but I am doubting everything. Like i am leaning towards Christianity and I don't like the fact that I am. But I feel like i am leaning towards the Christian religion is because they believe that every other religion is going to hell and I don't want to go to hell, and i like cutting my hair like i struggle to keep it. I understand not eating meat and I am fine with that as I have been a vegetarian for two years.I have so many problems, please give advice because I do want to have that prem for Sikhi. Sorry if I have said anything wrong.
  15. Dear Online Sadh Sangat Ji, I’ve been going through a very long rough patch for the past few years; however, I am thankful to Waheguru that this rough patch has also brought me much closer to Waheguru, than I previously was. For the past few years, I have been blessed with naam/Gurbani Jaap most of the waking hours (except when I am sleeping or taking part in work). I can feel that the naam simian has given me some internal strength/perseverance to get through these constant rough patches. However, in the back of my mind, I have also been hoping that my situation/problem would get better. It’s like I am awaiting for this “night” to pass and see the ‘light at the end of the tunnel.” But what I have noted is that my situation/problem continues to get worse. In addition, other problems have arisen in the areas of family well-being, finances, work situation, to the point my ability to work has been threatened. I feel like that there is no area in my life, which is running smoothly at this time, except I am thankful to have roof over my head and food on the plate at this point. I’ve been doing Ardaas on daily basis for the past few years regarding these issues and I feel like my patience has been tested. I feel my faith is being shaken once more. Not that Waheguru does not exist, but more so, Does Waheguru like/love me? I understand that my past karma/previous lives could be playing a role in current life situation, But I also read in Gurbani that Waheguru will forgive and protect us. I feel like more I ask for protection, the more adversaries I face, to the point I am afraid to even do Ardaas or ask for protection, as I feel ‘opposite’ seems to occur. I am wondering Is compassionate Waheguru feeling anything for me? What am I doing wrong? I am trying so hard to remain in God’s will, but I’m also just a human with the ability to feel pain/disappointments. I understand that this world is an illusion, but some things are needed to survive while we are still alive. With Waheguru’s blessings, I continue to make an effort to improve the situations; however, tons of hindering factors seem to be in my way, to the point I feel emotionally exhausted and hopeless at times. I appreciate listening and reading this far.
  16. Guest

    Faith In God

    I am starting to lose faith in God. Like is there even a god? I mean there must be but then I think maybe not. This is messing with my head. I am also losing faith in Sikhi sadly, I believe it is because I don't have that love like some people have. I have been wanting to love Waheguru like a lot of people have but I don't have that connection, what do I do? Sorry if I have said something wrong
  17. I think the bottom line is, people wanting to join religion these days is just the same reason people join gangs, they want to defend their beliefs with the option of violence, people who have grown up in fear or wanting protection seek out these groups to become protected. Sikhism is not a violent religion, we do not go out of our way to inflict pain or intimidation, only provoked or in danger may we think about something like that and because of that people feel they need to leave. These days people, whether it be in religion, careers, gangs, organisations all want to be part of a group, to follow the crowd forgetting that the true purpose of life is to become closer to God, this idea has been lost amongst a lot of people and only when it is too late will they realise. They want to feel protected under mere mortals forgetting the all powerful creator, God is the one whom we should be wanting to meet, he is the one whom protects us when we may not even know it, always looking over us. The world doesn't need violence, intimidation or fear, what is the point in ruling a planet of death? this Earth is nothing, it is fake, a mirage. The true kingdom is the one belonging to God, whom he is the supreme ruler, the ruler over everything in existence. Science has corrupted the minds of the people, whilst finding cures for illness and disease it has allowed them to find a reason not to believe in God, the human ego will lead to the destruction of the non believers of God, they don't want to believe that there is a higher power, they think the human race is the most intelligent and advanced race in all of existence. Their ego will be their ultimate undoing. This is what I say to my fellow Sikhs, concentrate on your connection with God, rally with the true believers of God for everyone else is lost unless they find belief in God by themselves. They only have to look around in nature, look down at the tiny insects whom forage for food amongst the grain of the Earth to the skies where the birds soar across the horizon to feel the power of God, how intricate in design life is. How every living creature has a purpose in relation to all life as a whole. Religion only shows you how to connect with God, the practical side of it is up to the person. Do not worry about the people who leave Sikhism, who join other religions or those who don't believe at all because it is in God's will that this is happening, praise Waheguru, love Waheguru and everything will be fine. Even if you feel lost, with no hope, everything around you seems to be falling apart, the only one whom can truly pick up the broken pieces of your life and construct a foundation for you to build your future, is God. God is everywhere all around us, his essence is embedded within all of creation, embedded within the universe. His power knows no limits, so do not seek out mere mortals for help, do not look for the aid of mortals to build your future, it is only God who can truly help you, help humanity as a whole. Peace
  18. Hello everyone, I am currently a teenager living in the United States. Growing up, I have always been accustomed to sikhism--my parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts--all have very strong faith and path everyday. Moving to America, it has been a little hard for them to translate this faith into me, I live in a predominantly white town, with the closest Gurudawara being 2 hours away. I know how to speak basic punjabi, I've learned it all my life, and I do path everyday—once in the morning, once before I go to sleep. However, know that I am growing up, I want to take my faith to the next level. I have had small instances where I really felt the presence of God with me/around me, and I want to feel that on a daily basis. The only thing is, when I path, I don’t fully understand what I am saying, making it harder for me to path. I’ve looked up translations and have memorized what the words mean, but I personally feel like my faith shouldn’t come from memorization, it should come naturally. I really do want to learn more about my faith, because honestly, I don’t fully know all the details, and it is so hard for us to go to a Gurudawara because my parents work all day. I read different articles, but I really want to feel that presence with God, I want to know that he is always with me and is watching over me every step of the way. If you guys could help me know more about the religion or help me further progress my relationship with God that would be extremely appreciated. Thank you so much, and I am so sorry if I have said anything that is not 100% correct, spelling wise or content wise.
  19. Sas ri akaal, I created this short film to inspire people to search within themselves and find their mind-body-spirit connection through the use of faith. This connection can be felt but not understood by the human mind, but it exists to help prepare and face the different challenges that we all face. Please take a look and spread the word. Many thanks & love Sunny
  20. The Dasam Granth states: 'Humanity is one, although in appearance it differs.' This is in direct contrast to the notion that humanity is one, but some portions of it is more superior than others due to certain beliefs and principles which it holds. Here is an example, the Koran states: 'the only religion acceptable to Allah is Islam...' We see a similar case with other religions as well. The basic crux of such ideologues are based on the notion that it is entirely feasible, and pragmatically possible to achieve an Utopia, which we now know is nothing more than sheer imbecility. What are some counter arguments which can be used against this jaundiced view of selected nation/faith etc?
  21. As a Sikh can understand if this question angers you, and I do not want to cause any disrespect to anyone or their ideals. That being said however, as I have grown and developed my own understanding of Sikhism, and tried to embrace its principles, I can't find a good answer to this question. For the sake of complete clarity, the reason I am asking these questions is because I am thinking of cutting my hair, and would like to know if there is any reason to keep it. If the reason is because "god" wants us to do so, well that seems very contradictory to Sikhism and its definition of god. I thought god was an indescribable being with no emotion and no love or hate. He wants all humans to be treated equally and fairly, and this is why we try to treat everyone as equals. Why then, would he care what we look like? How long our hair is? If the reason is because Guru Gobind Ji wanted stand out, and it has become part of our identity, then this reason makes slightly more sense to me but I still have issues with it. Why should we be defined by what we look like? A Sikh is supposed to be a good, fair and kind person. This, I feel, should be a Sikh's identity, not what he or she wears on their heads. These two are the only reasons I could think of for keeping my hair, but they dont make sense to me anymore. More than that I have reasons to not keep it long anymore. These reasons are not because of how I look (I think my beard and turban have a lot of swag actually), and not because of anything anyone has said to me (most people are accepting and awesome, the few who aren't should be ignored). My reasons for not wanting to keep my hair are rooted in the fact that I see no reason to objectify my faith in what I believe in. I don't like gifts on birthdays, I don't ever feel the need to proclaim anything strong about my identity, as I believe people should learn who I am over time. Then why should this turban and beard be the only exception to this rule? To also be totally clear and truthful, yes, I think it would be cool to try on different hairstyles over time, the same way I try on different clothing styles. Moreover, I believe I am a very logical person. I see no need to keep my hair long (based on what you've read above) and see one or two reasons to cut it. If you've made it this far into reading what I have to say, I really thank you and would love your opinion. In short: Do you keep your hair long? What are your reasons? Did you cut yours? Why did you feel like you needed to cut it Thanks a lot everyone, and hopefully we can keep this cordial and not infringe on each others beliefs.
  22. How do we strengthen individuals who waver at a critical conjuncture and see divinity as a poison ever afterwards????
  23. After the assassination of Indra Gandhi on October 31, 1984, Sikhs were butchered across India. This is a story about a Sikh couple living in an isolated village outside of Punjab. The couple was young and were amritdhari. The Singhni wore a dastaar and they had a young child. The Sikh couple had an isolated farmhouse in a Hindu dominated area. When news of the assassination reached the area, and it was found out that Sikhs were being killed, some local thugs also decided it was the perfect chance to loot the farmhouse. The Singh found out about these plans from some well wishers and told his wife that they had very little time and an attack was coming. The Singh said that they should leave their farm and escape to save their lives. The Singhnee however reminded him that they had done Parkash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib on the top floor of the house and how could they run away from Guru Sahib? The Singh again repeated that there was an attack coming and said that their young child would be killed. Singhnee jee insisted again that it would be wrong to run away from Guru Sahib and let the mob disrespect Guru Sahib's saroop. The Singh in frustration then said, "Once they kill us, they will disrespect the saroop anyways so what is the point in staying? We can't save the saroop if we're dead. The best we can do is save ourselves now. There is no benefit in staying! You are being stubborn and stupid." The Singhnee replied that while she had breath in her body, she would not abandon Guru Sahib, even to save her life and while she was alive, no one could dare do any disrespect. With the mob now on its way, the Singh in frustration told his Singhnee that she could do what she wanted but he was leaving with their son. He then took the infant and escaped. Singhnee jee went to Guru Sahib's room, and did ardaas. She asked Guru Sahib for protection and for the courage to, if need be, become Shahid in this seva. She then took a kirpan and waited. When Singhnee jee saw the mob arrive, yelling and carrying weapons, ready to attack the house. She came down and stood at the door holding her unsheathed Sri Sahib. All of a sudden, the thugs in the mob began to turn around and run away, looking back in terror and then continuing to run. Singhnee jee was confused but amazed at Guru Sahib's kirpa as the mob retreated and did not return... Some days later, the Singh came back to the village to check on the fate of his wife and their property. He fully expected that his wife would be assaulted and killed and their home looted. As he was nervously walking to his home, a Hindu acquaintence stopped him and asked, "Singh, where did you gather all those Nihangs from so quickly that day???!" The Singh was confused and asked, "What do you mean?" The stories of one's ancestors make the children good children. They accept what is pleasing to the Will of the True Guru, and act accordingly. ( Guru Granth Sahib Ji - 951) The Hindu replied, "That day, when the mob went to attack your house, your wife came and stood in the door and she was surrounded by so many massive Nihangs who were so tall and carrying all kinds of weapons. Where did you gather all of them from so quickly?" The Singh realised that Shaheed Singhs had themselves come and protected Guru Sahib's saroop and his Singhnee's courage had been rewarded . He went home and begged for forgivness from his Singhnee and told her about how all the villagers were talking about the army of Nihangs that had protected their house. 1984
  24. I'm reading Life stories of great sikh saints by Dr.Hakam Singh. I wanted to share this with the sangat because I normally think of the only right way being Sikhi and everything else being false (including other religions) but then I read this: While at Baagh a Muslim Pir, Murad Shah Kukara, who was a big landlord of this area also, came to see Baba Nand Singh Ji. When Baba Ji heard of his arrival he came out of his room to meet him. The shah bowed and then took his sash (which he always carried around his neck), spread it before Baba ji and said "I have come to a perfect fakir today and am not ready to go back empty handed". Baba ji stayed quiet for a moment and then said " Do you know shah ji! That what you are asking for comes at a price, and I hope you know that price?" The pir replied " Yes sir, i know the price for what I am requesting is my head." Baba ji then said, "Think and tell me whether or not you have already given your head to someone else?" The shah stayed quiet for some time and then picked up his sash and said " thank you sir, you have already filled my sash because you have restored my faith in my preceptor." pg 172 What I gather from this is that Baba ji and other mahapurakh not only help sikhs stay attached to god but also help other people stay on their own paths. I think this also shows the power/bonds formed when we offer ourselves to someone/something in this world. We must be careful because the price of betraying ones religion in favour of another, even though they lead to the same source, seems to be a dangerous. Obviously the on true lord is the creator of all, but maybe there are temporal consequences? Forces that act in the world/powers that surround religions? Anybody else wanna add in their 2 cents?
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