VanHelsingh

Barring any unforeseen acts of God, what people overseas can choose to make of their lives is dependent on their own personal efforts. So you get back in reward what you contribute in effort --- but of course, like I said, taking into account any freak acts of nature. Whilst this is becoming slightly less true in places like the U.K. and U.S. for various reasons (i.e. access to high-quality secondary education at institutions with prestige are mostly for those who can pay for it; the old boys network is still in force, etc.,) it still isn't as bad as Asia. Back home, from what I've seen and heard, there's a lot of factors which are completely out of the control of the average man - and I mean the average man, and not someone even remotely well-off.

Yes, a great sakhi. I've heard this one as well. Just shows how much can be achieved when you place full faith in Guru Sahib.

Exactly. Life back home is extremely difficult. We are very fortunate to have been born overseas.

Life is tough for the 9-to-5 Sikh in this age of austerity. Still, I think the "We'd be better off being born in India" is a slight exaggeration.

It's faith. Like George Michael once said, you gotta have it. :biggrin2: Lets not be too cynical. Nothing is impossible for Guru Sahibs. Equally lets not reduce their lives to nothing but stories about supernatural prowess in this game of one-upmanship with other faiths ("My messenger / incarnation of God is better than yours"), therefore forgetting the essence of what they taught and lived. That is the true miracle. The lesser kind are dazzling at first, but it's the other kind - the miracle of their bachchans - that should leave an indellible mark on us all. It's sad because the missionary quarter raises some pertinent points that would otherwise be listened to wholeheartedly, but there's just something about the way they conduct themselves, almost as if they're trying to negatively affect the shardaa of Sikhs that dissuades me from agreeing with them.

I like your posts Khalsa Ji, but labelling the post above yours as militant is a bit harsh. I actually think his post wasn't fanatical, but rather harked back to a time when honour (not the "izzat" nonsense the Western media has latched onto), respect for others, and a sense of noble decorum was nothing to be sniffed at. The lines of conduct were clearly delineated, and that isn't a clever way of saying "Everyone knew their place", but instead everyone knew HOW to behave. Just because some would decry these systems as antiquaited doesn't mean they were false or impossible to live up to. I just don't think the will is there anymore. Of course I agree with your point about it being impossible to live an immaculate life, but I don't think living without blame or blemish is what 'ss' meant. His point about loving yourself is extremely valid. Until we open our eyes and realise what we, the individual, is all about, then trying to latch onto another person in the hope he/she will "complete us" means we're onto a loser everytime. Then to spoon into the mix generous dollops of spirituality, supernatural occurences, and general hear-say into a kind of Sikhi pick 'n' mix, and try to use the sum of this hot-podge by linking it to Sikh principles and an attempt to justify such behaviour (which is what the OP has done) is a complete distortion of what the Sikh faith is. Yet I actually don't think it's fair to condemn the OP! She's young, and lord knows young blood is a curse as well as a boon at times, lol. Nevertheless the cynical nature in which the follies committed by young Sikhs are attempted to, at worst, be justified as some kind of divine act of providence is a bit too much for me to take.

Fragmented, disunited, partisan-minded individuals unable to operate in a modern world according to traditional Sikh principles. That's what we'll end up with, in the West at least.

Money don't make my world go round I'm reaching out to a higher ground To a warm and peaceful place I can rest my weary face Life's answers we try to find Battling inside our minds Where do I go from here? Will all my friends be there? [CHORUS:] Cause we're living, we're living in a crazy maze and we're fighting, we're fighting to rise above the haze light's at the end of the tunnel sometimes the journey is long there are many theories who's right and who's wrong? .... Not my words, but the words of a philosopher. Des'ree.... so....

Exactly. Short of going all Taliban on our sisters there's nothing much anyone can do.

Prepare yourself to hear things like "Mind your own business" or "It's my life!!!". They have a point. :biggrin2:

Falling into these traps of hating religions or communities based on acrimonious moments in history is one of the easiest things to fall victim to. I'm as guilty as anyone for such things. We've just got to use our brains in such situations.

K.P.S. Gill suggested it! :lol2: So, logistical support, etc., was as far as the ISI's involvement went?

Is it true the ISI were pulling the strings of Sikh militant operations during the 80s and 90s, and Singhs were going to training camps over the border for training?

I agree with 'Sab Gobind Hai'. The 'Dad' bit was teasing Gurpreet Kaur. :biggrin2:

I agree with you. Apologies if it never appeared that way.

"Dad, you want me to convert to Islam? Okay!".

Anyone else think the behaviour of the Singh is rather cowardly? He's placed all responsibility for clarification regarding this little mess firmly on the shoulders of the girl in-case HIS honour and reputation are damaged by coming forward. I wouldn't be such a firm believer in his piety and moral fortitude if this is how he conducts himself. I'm surprised nobody has objected to the "knee-to-knee" situation between the two in Maharaj's darbar being a problem. Maybe I'm old-fashioned that way, ey? You youngsters think you are beyond reproach by adorning yourself in the garb of the holy, but your thoughts and actions are far, far from such ideals. You mock the Guru you pledge your allegiance to when you cannot even control your desires in his presence! The name of the Guru is used to justify the actions and thoughts of these individuals; how can you know his mind when you are capable of controlling your own? Shame on you who think you have impunity from consequences that you would condemn others for in a heartbeat. What a shower, what an absolute shower. I'm out, I honestly am. Just... what is the point?

He seems to place as much blame on shady Sikh politicians moulding a desperate situation for their own ends, than the Singhs who took up arms.

2 years each. If they behave themselves they'll be out sooner than that. Was the restaurant that got done involved in the incident which led to the "humla" or was it a case of wrong information?

Thanks for clarifying that, bro. I'd heard him mentioned as a Buddhist but hadn't got around to reading up on him.

I remember the warrior-king Asoka was Buddhist wasn't he? I'm sure he never defeated his opponents by brow-beating them with teachings of Buddha, lol? Easy to forget I suppose, as Chatanga Ji says, when you've got the West's perception of Buddhism as this all-peaceful, non-violent faith. Nevertheless, as a human being, when one is confronted with images of people being hacked to death and burnt alive the immediate assumption isn't of "They probably did something to deserve this fate". The overriding feeling, I hope, is of sadness and a desire for such barbarism to stop, whatever the causes and whoever instigated such conflict.

You know what I mean! :biggrin2:

Whoever was responsible for writing that sign should be ashamed of themselves. Grammatically it's all over the shop. With so many professors and academics to be found in the ranks of the SGPC and other places, you'd think they'd get one of them to at least proof-read the text before sending it off to be made into a sign.

That's excellent. Good to hear somebody went out there and sorted out those idiots who were bullying the villagers.

So is this the same community from a few months back when those Yadavs (was it the Yadavs?) were intimidating the villagers, and the police did nothing?