TheVampire

I would like to attend the lobby. Anybody going from the Bham/Wolves area and can provide transport details. I am not having success contacting the Sikh Federation.

I saw some photographs on Ekta.com re previous sikh camps. I can clearly see yoga or elements of yoga being practiced. Sikh camps should not be promoting such activities.

All very good, but will they announce on stage that they will be no more Raresahib, Nanaksar, Taksal, AKJ etc, but just Sikhi. NO THIS, NO THAT, SIRF SIKH.

I would like to add my congratulations. I have just read your interview and i am inspired by your enthusiasm for Sikhi. Well done and praise to Vaheguru for blessing you.

I went to West Bromwich. Jam packed and had to sit in the langar hall. Will be at Wolves on Sun and Mon. Come if you can.

There are two ways of looking at this. Those who propogate the peaceful solution, quote Guru Granth Sahib Ji which states that God resides in everyone. One that is God enlightened sees him even in enemies. Therefore do nothing. Those that espouse a violent reaction, can quote the examples of Guru Gobind Singh ji and other Singhs, who not only protect people of other religions, but also those of one's own religion. What i am trying to say is that each viewpoint can be backed up by Sikh teaching. Who is wrong and who is right? I do not know. What is going to happen is going to happen.

Just like to echo some of the sentiments. I know some of the Sangat of Tividale Gurdwara. Real seva and feeling for the quam and the shaheeds. Please come and meet this hard core sangat :doh:

and and and 103470[/snapback] This is where my confusion reigns. On the one hand, 'God resides everywhere, in every person'. Yet it is right to use violence against people when all other means have failed. It is also stated that 'one does not do anything on one's own, it is all the play of God'. 'As long as he thinks he is the doer, he keeps on visiting the womb of mother. 'As long as he makes foes and friends, his mind to poise would never lend'.

Was really astonished by these pictures. Being a learner of sikhi, I asked for guidance from the same Gurmukh. GurMukh ji: dustofurfeet! -keep smiling- 103443[/snapback] I think this bring to question the whole philosophy of Sikhism. Why did not Guru Gobind Singh Ji not show compassion to the Moghals, the hill rajas and others who he fought. Why did he proclaim it is right to pick up the sword when all other peaceful means have failed? Why not keep showing compassion and die for this compassion. Is it permissable to use violence for Sikhs or not? No wonder Sikhism is so disperate and factional. One group believes it is right us use/display violence. Another views it as wrong and proclaims that compassion should be shown at all times. According to the above post, the impression is created that violence is not called for in any situation. Nidhi, maybe Guru Gobind Singh Ji and the other 'violent' Gursikhs got it wrong?

I'll attend!

In case their mum's are on the Net :-) 103385[/snapback] I was near the front of the march. It was really awesome when we sat down and did the Chaupai paath. To see young Sikhs, teenagers doing the paath was special. Regarding the burning of the dummy. A policeman warned the Sikh youths not to do it, that they were being filmed on CCTV, so i presume it must have been illegal. But the Singh's did it anyway. That is why the photo's have most probably been shaded. My personal and humble opinion was that it was perfectly acceptable. To think that the Indian gov't was responsible for so much, a little burning of Indira will have sent a message to the Indian gov't and population. I must confess i took part in the 'Indra <admin-profanity filter activated> slogan'. With hindsight i do regret it, but i did not hear the paath that was being recited by the panj pyare. But i do recall that similar slogans were said at the original 1984 march, my mum told me. Nowadays, flag burning , dummy burning are common features of many demonstrations by different groups. Nobody complained about the jumping on the Saddam statue in Baghdad. Numerous dummies of Blair and Bush have been degraded.

Indeed very sad, Giani Ji had tremendous knowledge and shall be greatly missed.

I will be attending the meeting. The Hindu's attempt to undermine the Sikhs at every opportunity. They want the Sikh youth's of Panjab to lose their faith and they are succeeding. An independent homeland for Sikhs is the only option. Remember the independence movement of India was propelled by those who resided in the West - Ghadar Party.

Can anybody tell me if the AKJ offer Kirtan lessons or do they have affiliated Gurdwara's in the Midlands region of the UK? Thanks

A lot of what is written is based on racist tendencies. At football matches one witnesses window breaking virtually every week, but nothing is made of it. However one or two Sikhs break windows and you have the whole British press turn against the community. 'Freedom of Speech' only matters when it suits the establishment. Here is a copy of my email that was printed on the BBC Birmingham website, 'Freedom of speech' is very precious, but it has responsibilities. Society is aware of such responsibilities, for example, racist marches by the BNP are banned. However it seems that 'freedom of speech' only applies when it suits the establishment. Cast your mind back a few years. Glenn Hoddle was castigated and ultimately lost the England manager's job, for professing that he believed in karma. Where was 'freedom of speech' at the time? Religion is a centre of daily life for Sikhs. Daily life revolves around the faith. The Gurdwara is the residence of the holy Guru Granth Sahib, the word of God. Any depiction of immoral activity which associated with the Guru Granth Sahib, will not be tolerated. I emphasise, Sikhs were not opposed to the contents of the play. Only it's setting, yet the Rep were and are so stubbourn that they would not make this simple change.

Second theatre cancels Sikh play 09:50am 22nd December 2004 A theatre boss has abandoned his plans to stage a controversial play that another venue pulled because of violent protests. Neal Foster, the actor-manager of the Birmingham Stage Company, offered to put on Bezhti after the Birmingham Repertory Theatre cancelled further shows on Monday. Sikh protesters demonstrating against the play's depiction of rape and murder in a fictional temple were involved in disturbances at the venue on Saturday. Bosses decided to abandon future performances on safety grounds because faith leaders said they could not ensure there would not be a repeat of the violence. Mr Foster said he, too, was pulling out following a request by the play's author, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti. He said: "The plan I came up with was to invite theatres across the country to read the play and discuss it afterwards, to have a debate so there was more understanding about the whole issue. "I was proceeding with these plans until I received a request from the author." The request was made because of the "increased threats" to her safety, said Mr Foster, who also said he had received several threatening phone calls. It has been reported that Ms Kaur Bhatti is in hiding after receiving death threats because of the play's subject matter, which Sikhs claim demeans their religion. Sikh community leaders in Birmingham and elsewhere welcomed the Rep's decision to cancel the three-week run because of the offence they believed it caused to their faith. But it was criticised in many quarters as effectively censorship and the stifling of free speech. ( Daily Mail)

If the new theatre company will not withdraw the setting of the Gurdwara,] we will continue our fight. The Gurdwara is the residence of The Guru. We must not let it be tarnished by the filth which resides in the mind of Gorapreet Batty. Chardi Kala Sikhs gave their lives for the Guru. I can imagine thousands of Sikhs protesting and the British public will see what it is like to upset Sikhs of Vaheguru. The play has just begun....