MisterrSingh

2 hours ago, TejS said:

I just think that there has to be a reason for which we've been subjected to this cycle. And I personally think that if we were aware of that reason or our past mistakes, we would act more fruitfully towards repentance through our lifetimes. 

I believe the opposite. Knowing human nature and the way our minds function, I think it's a good thing that we don't have specific recollections of our past deeds, in as much as we won't be tempted to behave cynically in order to "do good" if we were to know the specific details for determining the reasons for erasing those previous misdeeds, and I feel this is a deliberate act on the part of our Creator. In essence, we are currently acting without vested interests on a karmic level. Yes, on some instinctive level most people realise that goodness is preferable to bad, and we somehow feel that if we follow this rule even in the most crudest of forms, we will be closer to God than if our life erred towards the other, darker end of the spectrum.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is this: if we were somehow aware of everything from our previous existences -- and therefore aware of what exactly we needed to do in order to pay off those debts -- we wouldn't do good by battling with our conscience and weighing up our choices (which is the way we function currently), but instead all our goodness wouldn't be selfless and would instead be automated; it'd be driven by a desire to do good for the sake of progression, and not because it's something we truly feel to be the correct course of action as a decision and something's that's arrived upon organically through using our budhi. The Creator is absolutely spot-on with how much he's given us non-Brahmgyanis to work with. It's all part of the plan. It is very, very difficult, though.

I'm fascinated by the karmic debt theory. The idea that we have to pay off our karams to people  over the course of lifetimes, is an intriguing idea. I also wonder why our memories are wiped before each birth. Well, I kind of suspect it's done so that we can begin with a clean slate each time, so that we aren't unequivocally aware of any mistakes or paaps that we may have committed previously (which would then weigh on our conscience and seriously mess with our heads), but as I mentioned in another thread I believe any serious psychological hangups or problems that plague us in our current lifetime originate from previous experiences, so in that respect the memory wipe works on a basic level as long as we don't get serious about scratching the mental itch, as it were, but the underlying issues don't disappear just because we aren't consciously aware of the true reasons for why we are the way we are. Sometimes it seems to me as if we're almost toyed with. We're kind of on the back-foot from the very beginning. Is too much expected of us?

Ruth Montgomery "A World Beyond." A decent start, but bear in mind some of it doesn't perfectly gel with the eastern dharmic traditions. Generally, it's very interesting.

From an academic viewpoint, I recall a book by an American psychology professor who stumbled upon past life experiences bearing on our current life psychology, and how much of the issues that plague us as individuals, actually span various lifetimes and aren't - as contemporary academic thought has us believe - completely random events that can be treated by medicine. Unfortunately, I can't remember the author or the title, but I'll check my shelves to see if I still have it.

Sounds like you're shopping for a Dulux Paint tester rather than a potential spiritual awakening, lol. Start with the basics: nitnem. Then see how you feel after a while.

13 hours ago, BhForce said:

Let's not fall into the position held by some Jews that any criticism of a Jewish politician is anti-Semitism. Merely criticizing a Sikh politician is not "anti-Sikh". There's an been an awful lot of criticism of Jagmeet Singh here on this board, are we anti-Sikh?

+1. Some common sense.

Although, bigger picture, in terms of representation, we should take a leaf out of the Islamic book (no, not that one), and be prepared to support "our" guy. This is a very difficult thing for me to admit, because I believed the opposite for most of my life until very recently. It's a numbers game. This world is not one where honesty, honour, and integrity will be reciprocated. Fighting fire with fire seems to be the only way to make any headway. I guess it depends where one draws the line.

This is the often cruel nature of politics, when the seemingly central issue at hand - in this case Canadian Sikhs - is a smokescreen for the true conflict, i.e. Trudeau's enemies finding any feasible reason to criticise and undermine him. It's not personal, it's politics.

As a Sikh born in Britain, it is a stark reminder of how different Canadian Sikhs are viewed in their adopted country by other groups. At times the hostility from certain quarters isn't too far off from the perception of Pakistanis in Britain. 

Generally, Canada is undergoing it's own particular awakening amongst its white majority. The stereotype of Canadians being amenable and easy going has taken a hit in recent years. There are prominent Canadian voices amongst the Right who are beginning to speak out against the policies they foresee as signalling trouble for the future of their country.  The cult of Trudeau seems to have magnified and accelerated some of the deeply held negativity and hostility towards minority groups that Trudeau keeps close to him for political purposes. This hit piece by Rebel Media is an example of Sikhs being caught in the crossfire between the battle of liberals and conservatives. Canadian Sikhs need to smarten up, because sooner rather than later the Indian government will put the squeeze on Canadian Sikhs, and they'll achieve this by allying with the Canadian Right.

It doesn't matter if the media understands what Khalistan is or not. The question is does the rationale behind the proposed existence of a separate Sikh state, i.e. Sikh reasons for wanting autonomy, follow the current narrative of globalism and neo-liberalism that's become the desired template for what a country should aspire to be, and unfortunately it doesn't. Look at Brexit and the Catalonia issue to discover where the wind is blowing. Things will change in the future, I have no doubt about that. But now? It's nearly unthinkable. Our best shot was between 84 and 90. Some consistency and statesmanship might have worked wonders. Sadly, there was nobody to play the game.

27 minutes ago, 13Mirch said:

For Indians to be pushing this line of reasoning is hypocritical. Pick up any text book on the so-called British Atrocities and you will see that at least several chapters are entitled to demeaning traitors who acquired prominence with the white man by betraying the black.  

It's not just Indians who play these games, sometimes it's our own people and others, such as the British and Americans, who've been conditioned to believe these lies. They point to the United Nations hearing when Manmohan Singh was directly asked whether India had purposefully targeted Sikhs for elimination during the 80's and 90's, and his reply in the negative apparently settles all arguments, because "one of our own" categorically denied such a thing took place, therefore it must be true(!). 

When going toe to toe with such people for whom facts and truths can conveniently assume many forms dependent on the time of the day, lol, you've got to be prepared with as many direct and easily relatable comparisons that they simply cannot refute. The Nazi and Jew collaboration angle is perhaps one of the most suitable, because of the West's continued obsession with Hitler and his regime. It's a language they understand, because it's the only one they speak. Same with the previously identified Obama example. "Did racism suddenly evaporate in the United States when the Obamas made the White House their home?" Too many are all too eager to defend that which should never be defended for their own vested interests. The facts are alien to such people. Ideology and politics are the only things that matter to these people.  The only weapon that's effective in such moments is the truth.

It seems some Indians see through Ms. Trudeau's act: 

Maybe it's just salty right-wing Indians?

On 22/02/2018 at 7:08 PM, Ranjeet01 said:

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I suspect it also has to do with certain segment of goreh who feel guilty and think appeasing muslims (even they have not asked for halal )   makes them less racist. 

Interesting radio show with iain Dale on LBC regarding halal meat and as a gorah he was not backing down against muslims calling. 

He was saying things like , " I could not care less what your prophet thinks.."

There is also a degree of laziness in part of the mainstream goreh. What happens is that if the majority are not bothered about eating requirements of a minority, it is easier for the establishment to adopt the minority 's food which is in this case is halal.

It's sleepwalking into Sharjah compliance.

4 minutes ago, Ranjeet01 said:

That is why it is important to read between the lines.

That's exactly what needs to be done. It's a balancing act. The days of our parents and grandparents is long gone, where two people were thrown together and expected to get on with it, and generally speaking they successfully cracked on with things, minus all the over-thinking and analysis I'm suggesting. Things often just worked, not without any problems, of course, but not at the level we're seeing in contemporary times. That probably has something to do with the shift in mentality of society, towards a rather individualistic approach to life amongst other things.

As you mentioned about reading between the lines, that's essential. The balance of adjudging someone's personality as a fit for one's own -- based on what the individual seeking a partner considers to be the morals and values they require in life partner -- is as fine as a knife-edge. Looks and attraction are somewhat important at first, but if the extent of one's expectations and demands for a partner begin and end with a pretty / handsome face, that's just asking for trouble. 

I would hazard a guess the contributors to SGGS Ji assumed -- to co-opt an American phrase -- that some truths are self-evident. I would think an examination of the spirit of the discourse in SGGS Ji can be extrapolated to other less defined areas of human conduct that aren't as explicitly defined in scripture. 

There's a distinction between working for the Man in modern times (and everything that entails), and labouring in tandem with family and loved ones on one's homestead, nurturing more than just a bank account. Beggars can't be choosers, but the distinction is real.

It's mostly a South Asian custom, isn't it? I know a few Iranian and Lebanese people, and they turn their nose up at some of the things that pass for culture amongst the Muslim communities in our neck of the woods. It's not even a Sunni or Shia thing, although the Lebanese I know are Shia, lol. There are a few constants across the Islamic continuum regardless of geography, but the guys I'm acquainted with are day and night different to the likes of the Mirpuris and the Bangla crews.

Indian Sikhs (as in those living back home), not including the observant, are pragmatic about their methods of worship and their general belief system. It's very similar to what we have in the West with "cultural" Christians. I would never say it's pakhand, but it's more of ceremonial / being seen to be doing the right thing, mentality. I'd say there's a greater sense of devotion for the particulars amongst NRIs.

Some of you need to watch The Notebook. Love is forever. ?

1 hour ago, ipledgeblue said:

With these shrabbi-pendus, racism towards their own turban wearers is also being spread like a poison inside sikh community. Along with other kurahits such as tobacco/shisha/hookah and halal. Once you get a haircut, it becomes much easier to commit other kurahits.

What are your thoughts on the attitudes of cut-haired Punjabis raised by 2nd or 3rd generation children of immigrants in a predominantly white middle class manner? Is there a chasm between that group and their perception of 2nd or 3rd generation Punjabis who are raising their kids in a religious and culturally orthodox manner?