Sherdil

Puerto Rico votes for U.S. statehood in non-binding referendum A slim majority of Puerto Ricans sought to change their ties with the United States and become the 51st U.S. state in a non-binding referendum that would require final approval from Congress. The two-part referendum asked whether the island wanted to change its 114-year relationship with the United States. Nearly 54 percent, or 922,374 people, sought to change it, while 46 percent, or 786,749 people, favored the status quo. Ninety-six percent of 1,643 precincts were reporting as of early Wednesday. The second question asked voters to choose from three options, with statehood by far the favorite, garnering 61 percent. Sovereign free association, which would have allowed for more autonomy, received 33 percent, while independence got 5 percent. President Obama earlier expressed support for the referendum and pledged to respect the will of the people in the event of a clear majority. It is unclear whether U.S. Congress will debate the referendum results or if Mr. Obama will consider the results to be a clear enough majority. Puerto Rico's resident commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, who has championed statehood, did not return calls for comment. He received 48 percent or 874,914 votes, while his opponent, Rafael Cox Alomar, received 47 percent or 855,732 votes with 96 percent of precincts reporting. The island is currently a U.S. territory whose inhabitants are U.S. citizens but are prohibited from voting in presidential elections. Its resident commissioner in the U.S. House also has limited voting powers. The future of the island's political status, however, also is dependent on who governs the island. According to partial election results, pro-statehood Gov. Luis Fortuno was ousted by a razor thin margin by an opponent who supports the island's current political status. With 96 percent of precincts reporting, challenger Alejandro Garcia Padilla with the Popular Democratic Party received 48 percent or 870,005 votes. Fortuno, a Republican and leader of the New Progressive Party, received 47 percent or 855,325 votes. Fortuno has not issued comment, while Garcia celebrated what he called a victory. "I can assure you we have rescued Puerto Rico," Garcia said. "This is a lesson to those who think that the well-being of Puerto Ricans should be subjected to ideologies." Election results also pointed to a major upset for Jorge Santini, who has been mayor of the capital of San Juan for 12 years. His opponent, Carmen Yulin Cruz, received 71,736 votes compared with Santini's 66,945 votes with 96 percent of precincts reporting. The island's elections commission said it would resume counting votes late Wednesday morning. © 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. THIS WAS TAKEN FROM CBS NEWS http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57546260/puerto-rico-votes-for-u.s-statehood-in-non-binding-referendum/

Man, you brought up the Islam comparison. I'm saying Khalsa Raj isn't gonna come through armed conflict or what not. The reason we have suffered throughout our history is because we are a minority. That isn't gonna change unless we spread Guru ji's message. That's the only way we can achieve sovereignty. The line from ardas is saying that Khalsa will rule when people stop opposing us. When they stop persecuting us. Just like the Romans who persecuted the Christians, ultimately became Christians themselves and had Christian Raj. Idk why, as a Sikh, you would be opposed to this.

Yeah? How do you know where the money is going? There isn't any revival of terrorism. A faulty car bomb here? Ammunition recovered there? This stuff has been going on continuously for the past 20 years. The only reason India is making a big deal about it now is because of the Rajoana case and the Bluestar memorial. Sikh Human Rights activists in India get tons of support from the Sangat abroad. India doesn't like that.

I don't think the average Canadian gives a flip about India. Harper is just buttering them up."Yeah, yeah sure. We hate terrorism too. Jai Ho! Now will you please sign this trade agreement?" India wants Canada to quiet the people speaking out about '84, Bluestar, kidnappings, and fake encounters. Canada knows full well that it can't stop people from peacefully protesting. India is being taken for a ride. That being said, we need to expose these tactics being used by GOI.

Are you even a Sikh? This is part of our Ardas. It isn't a call for world domination. It isn't a call for jihad or mass conversions. It's saying that Khalsa will rule when no one will be opposed to our teachings and what we stand for. We have been persecuted throughout our history. Why is that an alien concept for you? Keep hitting yourself, maybe you will have some sense knocked into you.

Mmmmm....they only make plain parshaad at my gurdwara. :sad2: Veer ji, what's the solid white parshaad called (LOL I know I sound like a gorrah). It's really sweet. Looks kinda like a ladoo. I had it once as a kid, when we visited a gurdwara in Punjab. I've never had it since...

Vadde Veer, The problem arises when someone says one way is gurmat. That is implying that the rest of us are doing it a manmat way. There is no right or wrong way. I don't think the living gurus would have turned any Sikh away, if they did matha tekh without placing their elbows perpendicular to the floor, or something trivial like that. But I will try this way once. If I get any extra halwa, I'll save it for you. : -)

Who cares how you do Matha tekh? It means to bow your head. Whether your head touches the ground or your feet are parallel doesn't make a difference. There is not gurmat way of doing it. People just keep making things up. At my gurdwara, there was a fad of walking backwards after doing Matha tekh, so you don't show your back to Guru Granth Sahib. They used to scold people for turning their back. That is until someone walking backwards, tripped over someone else foot and fell flat on their rear end. It was pretty funny.

I think "not in debt" can be taken to mean a house that is financially stable. People during Guru Gobind Singh ji's time also used to lease land and pay taxes of some sort, so they were also in debt. However, I don't think that is what Guru Sahib meant.

I have never heard of this in maryada. Maybe you are following a specific jathebandhi? As far as I know, in Guru's times the girls just wore a chunni. Except the chunni was of a thicker material and covered below the shoulders too. Kinda hard to describe, but they definitely were not like chuniyah of today. Too see-through and flimsy. Defeats the purpose.

Brother, what are they saying about Long Island and Queens? More specifically, towards the north shore but still in the middle of the island?

Notice how they are described as TWO SIKH HOLY MEN. Aren't they supposed to use the term "Asian"? That's how it usually works in rape cases in the UK right? So they don't look racist? What's the deal?

Internet connection is shoddy. Hence, double posts. Mods can delete one.

2 Sikh granthis, fresh from India, allegedly raped a prostitute in Glasgow. They had only been in Scotland for a few days. I have never heard of a granthi doing anyhing like this. There seems to be an effort to malign you lot in the U.K., following on the heels of the Brar attack. Once again, right around the anniversary of '84. I recommend reading Truth Bandits by T. Sher Singh ji, over at Sikhchic.com From Daily Record and Sunday Mail By Grant McCabe TWO Sikh holy men raped a prostitute after she ignored their demands for sex. Gurnam Singh, 30, and Sukhdev Singh, 36, stalked their 26-year-old victim before pouncing on her in a doorway close to the Arches nightclub in Glasgow city centre. The vice girl was saved by a cyclist who spotted the men dragging her by the wrists after her ordeal. The Singhs had only been in Scotland a few days, having moved to a Sikh temple in the city’s Pollokshields in April. They denied the attack during a trial at the High Court in Glasgow, but they were convicted by a jury and face lengthy jail terms. Their victim recalled how she was approached by the pair near the Clydeside. She said they tried to kiss her but she insisted she was not “working” before walking off. As she waited at a nearby bus stop, they returned to pester her. She told the jury: “I kept saying I was still not interested and just to leave me alone. I was annoyed and scared.” She decided to head towards Glasgow Central train station, hoping police would be there. But the pair– described as priests in court – pursued her and finally trapped her in Midland Street. She said: “They tried to talk to me and kiss me. I said ‘no’ again. They were getting more annoyed. They were then pushing me into a doorway where no one could see. “I knew what was going to happen. I was crying and saying, ‘Stop, just let me go’. “I was struggling and trying to get away. The River Clyde was down the way I was being taken and I thought I was going to be thrown in.” Both men denied the rape allegation. Gurnham claimed the woman had stolen money from them after agreeing to have sex. Married Sukhdev said he was not aware what was happening in the doorway as he had his back turned. The duo – originally from India – had come to Scotland to work as priests in the Sikh temple at St Andrews Drive, Glasgow. They had briefly stayed in England after arriving in the UK, before moving north just days before the attack. Sukhdev was residing in the country illegally as his visa expired last year. Lord Pentland remanded the pair and will sentence them next month. He told them: “Due to the gravity of these crimes, it is inevitable that I will impose a substantial period of imprisonment on you both.” Victim's double ordeal THE rapists’ victim was forced to relive her ordeal twice in court – due to a bungling interpreter. The original trial at the High Court in Glasgow had to be halted after several days when a Punjabi-speaking juror raised concerns about a translator. Evidence was not being relayed correctly, forcing the case to be abandoned. It meant the woman – who had already testified – had to return to the witness box. One source: “The interpreter had been hired to do a job, but failed. It was fortunate that there was a juror who spoke the language and realised what was happening.”

I'm in Venezuela at the moment. It's been raining everyday for the past two weeks. I think it was because this Sandy Hurricane. I had no idea it was heading for back home. How do they name these hurricanes anyway? Maybe when they run out of English names, they can give it a proper Punjabi name. Hurricane Balraj Singh. Ooooo...that sounds menacing! That's not my name BTW.

Oh snap! Teji Bindra just got served! Woot woot!

From Sikhi perspective it is senseless. But if you tell them that, they won't listen to you. I told a Muslim friend that Sikhs can't eat halaal meat (he was offering me some kabaab) and he got super offended. Let them carry on, just don't participate. Kabeer ji says that they slaughter animals and call it a righteous action, but then what would they call an unrighteous action? The point being, it doesn't make sense to kill in the name of God. It doesn't make you a holy person. On the other side of the same coin, Guru Nanak dev ji says that those who don't eat meat and make a show in front of others are hypocrites, because they devour the flesh of their spouse at night. They don't understand what meat is and where it comes from. Thus, forgoing meat doesn't make you a holy person either. Akal Takht Maryada bans ritualistic slaughter of animals (Halaal, Kosher), because it is senseless. It does not ban eating of meat, because that isn't gurmat either. Eat what you want. Stop criticizing others when you don't even know yourself. EDIT: Just to be absolutely clear, that last line was NOT aimed at you Chatanga ji, ha ha.

This question was posed to me. I thought it was a good one. If sins are manifested in the mind, then why is the soul made to suffer? We cannot remember our past lives, but our soul wanders in life and death. This isn't fair to the soul. If mukti can be achieved in this life, then what more awaits us after death? If mukti can be achieved in this life, then what is the role of a soul, if it is still trapped in the body?

Slitting the throat only hurts for animals who don't have military training. Just look at General Brar. At 78 years old, he was able to fight off multiple attackers that were much younger than him. That is why he didn't bleed to death from his injuries, and is giving interviews on Indian television today.

So Congress Party wants to amend the act from 1971. They want direct elections and the position of president to be for 4 years instead of 2. Badal Akali Dal oppose this. I don't think the Indian government should interfere in Sikh internal affairs. I haven't figured out why Congress is doing this. I know there is some hidden motive behind it, but I'm not sure. Why else would they care about who runs Sikh gurdwaras? My guess is that Congress Party wants influence over DSGPC, the same way that Akalis have influence over SGPC. Anybody got an idea?

Khalsa Raj will come when the world embraces Sikhi. Raj karega Khalsa, aki rahe na koe Khuar hoe sabh milenge, bache sharn jo hoey. The Khalsa will rule, and none will oppose them. Those who are separated will unite, and the devotees will be saved.

Consciousness ji, your student pilot analogy is correct. My point is that I have never come across Panj who teach people before they take Amrit. That being said, the person receiving Amrit is not absolved from responsibility. Receiving Amrit should be like a graduation ceremony. There should be a method to assess a candidate's readiness, before they are allowed to take Amrit. Perhaps the Panj could open a random page in gurbani, and ask the candidate to explain the meaning of a particular shabad. This will produce more knowledgeable amritdharis that will be a better example for other Sikhs. It will also reduce the incidence of amritdharis "breaking" their Amrit. On the point of amrit erasing past sins, I don't think we are going to see eye-to-eye.

Then why did the Panj Pyare have to take amrit from Guru Gobind Singh, if they had already taken charan pohul amrit? Doesn't make sense. I will say this again: Amrit does not have any magical powers. "Aape beej aape hi kaho". This is what Guru ji says. What you sow you shall reap. Therefore your actions matter. Drinking something is not going to pardon you. We are not Christians, who believe that they are saved if they become baptized. Karma affects everything, because it is a part of Hukam. Nothing can be outside of Hukam. This goes counter to your claim that gurmukhs are not affected by karma. The tuk you have provided says that the actions of a gurmukh are done with good karma, because they are good actions. A gurmukh cannot do bad actions, because then he wouldn't be a gurmukh. You have mixed and matched tuks from different shabadhs to make your point. I don't know if you are intentionally being misleading or not. It seems like you are taking single lines and using them out of context. bwhir BIqir BieAw pRgwsu ] baahar bheethar bhaeiaa pragaas || you will be enlightened, inwardly and outwardly. qb hUAw sgl krm kw nwsu ]7] thab hooaa sagal karam kaa naas ||7|| All your karma will be erased. ||7| These tuks you have provided are from Bhagat Kabir ji's bani. They have nothing to do with the topic of amrit we are talking about. ibnu krmY nwau n pweIAY pUrY krim pwieAw jwie ] bin karamai naao n paaeeai poorai karam paaeiaajaae || Without the karma of good actions, the Name is not obtained; it can be obtained only by perfect good karma. You have provided this tuk, which makes my point. Good actions matter. The problem with your veechar is that 'you' believe you exist and have an independent Identity other than the 1 lord. This is called suksham ego and in gurbani this is classed as manmat. I have never said this. Please don't put words in my mouth. Anyway here is a question when the original punj pyarea took amrit in 1699 do you think they got realised and found God once they took amrit? Or do you think they were still suffering in terms of they had to find God still because they had not done enough 'good deeds' and needed 'more' naam? Also do you think any of them went pesh? I have already said that amrit is initiation into the Khalsa. Guru ji asked for a head. Five people came forward. These people were the bravest and the most loyal of Guru ji's Sikhs. They had something within them that set them apart from the masses that had gathered there. He rewarded them with a unique position in the panth. Similarly, the people who take amrit should be the best of us. They are supposed to be ambassadors of our faith. Giving amrit to any joe schmoe, belittles the institution of Khalsa because you have people parading around as Sant Sipahis, who have no understanding of gurbani and have not cultivated their minds to be gurmukhs inside. That is why this practice of going pesh has arisen. These people commit mistakes because they are not ready. Taking amrit today does not take the same guts as going onstage to have your head chopped off. I bet most of the amritdharis today would have hesitated to literally give their heads. The original Panj Piyare did not go pesh, because there was no such thing as going pesh back then. I am against this practice of going pesh, because it belittles the meaning of amrit. You are saying that people get liberated just by drinking amrit. Therefore their actions don't matter. They could get drunk, do drugs, be promiscuous, and it wouldn't matter because they have taken amrit and they will be saved. This logic is seriously flawed. To be frank brother, I'm quite shocked that I'm having a debate with you regarding whether or not good deeds matter. If our actions didn't matter, then we would be like yogis, just meditating in isolation. Guru ji said we have to live in this world and we have a responsibility to make it a better place. That is why we wear kirpan (to protect the weak and fight oppression). That is why we wear kara (to remind us not to do bad actions). That is why we say Degh Tegh Fateh (we protect the weak and feed the hungry. Guru ji's 3 Golden Rules: 1) Earn an honest living 2) Share your earnings with the less fortunate 3) Remember God Actions matter

What you are quoting (in black) was written by Guru Amardas ji. The Amrit ceremony you are thinking of was started by Guru Gobind Singh ji, who came way after Guru Amardas ji. Therefore, Guru ji is not referring to the Amrit ceremony. Guru ji is referring to the sanskrit word Amrit. Hindu legend says that the deities drank a nectar, which gave them immortality. This nectar was called Amrit. Thus, Guru ji is saying that the shabad is our Amrit, the lord's bani is our Amrit. By contemplating it, we can achieve immortality. Being born a Sikh is not a free pass to salvation. You have to work at it. Guru ji says "Aape beejj, aape hi kaho". As you sow, so you shall reap. Your actions matter. Guru Nanak Dev Ji: amal kar dhharathee beej sabadho kar sach kee aab nith dhaehi paanee || Make good deeds the soil, and let the Word of the Shabad be the seed; irrigate it continually with the water of Truth. hoe kirasaan eemaan ja(n)maae lai bhisath dhojak moorrae eaev jaanee ||1|| Become such a farmer, and faith will sprout. This brings knowledge of heaven and hell, you fool! ||1|| math jaan sehi galee paaeiaa || Do not think that your Husband Lord can be obtained by mere words. Guru ji is saying that we have to cultivate our minds to grow into a gurmukh. It takes work. Our tools are good deeds, the Shabad and truth. Throughout gurbani, Guru ji tells us that good deeds matter and we have to work to change ourselves. If Amrit guaranteed you mukti, then why go pesh? Whatever you do after you take amrit is irrelevent, since you are already saved. This is not Sikhi. You take Amrit, because you are ready to give your head to Guru Gobind Singh ji. Just like the original Panj Piyare did. It is initiation into the Khalsa order.

I'm not disrespecting amrit. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Japji Sahib: bhareeai hathh pair than dhaeh || When the hands and the feet and the body are dirty, paanee dhhothai outharas khaeh || water can wash away the dirt. mooth paleethee kaparr hoe || When the clothes are soiled and stained by urine, dhae saaboon leeai ouhu dhhoe || soap can wash them clean. bhareeai math paapaa kai sa(n)g || But when the intellect is stained and polluted by sin, ouhu dhhopai naavai kai ra(n)g || it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name kar kar karanaa likh lai jaahu || actions repeated, over and over again, are engraved on the soul. aapae beej aapae hee khaahu || You shall harvest what you plant. naanak hukamee aavahu jaahu ||20|| O Nanak, by the Hukam of God's Command, we come and go in reincarnation. ||20| Guru ji is saying that you can only remove your sin by repeatedly doing good deeds, as this will change your character. That is why we do paath everyday. In this way, the Guru's teachings become part of our thought process. We change our manmukh outlook, into a gurmukh outlook. This is how we are cleansed. Taking amrit will not automatically cleanse your mind. You still have to put in work to change yourself.