MisterrSingh

You're setting an example and putting your money where your mouth is. Motivation for us all to get up off our behinds and do more for the Sikh faith in this coming year.

Jagsaw's been on the sherry, I think. A Christmas tipple. ;)

Just kidding, I know he doesn't drink.

Great work, Big Tera. You're doing valuable seva, and not many of us actually do anything aside from talking a great game on the internet.

A Little History of the World by EM Gombrich. A cracking, seminal book that youngsters are given as an introduction to history, but one that the unaware adult can learn a lot from too.

It's a breath-taking and brief hurtle through the very beginning of human history, right up until the end of WWII when it was written. It really does put life into context, and more importantly, it highlights - to me - what Sikhs should do - and not do - if we are to survive and thrive in coming generations.

*bump*

Where's the Christmas haters, lol?

At least one of us has.

All fudus

^^^ Your response regarding a topic where someone has deviated from Rehat Maryada.

I'll just let you ponder your words for a while. Hopefully, the irony will wash over you quite soon.

Realities of life. Once the initial fervour dies down, people remember about the boring, everyday stuff.

water off a duck's back ... remember Akal Purakh is desireless therefore motiveless , so anyone hanging their own agendas onto Him are lying

I was leaning towards people's perceptions of the divine being affected by such claims, as opposed to the Big Guy being slighted by us mortals.

Tony Blair and Dubya said God told them to invade Iraq, lol. Pappis like these give God a bad name.

As for morality that comes from religions, if there is no higher being to answer to for your sins or crimes against fellow man then logically you are free to do what you like apart from fellow man who has more physical strength judging you and stopping you.

I'm rather religious (I hope), but morality does not come from religion.

If the only reason you're stopping yourself from doing bad things is because you're afraid God is going to smack you down for being naughty, I'd say you're an innately terrible person who only does good due to the fear of punishment for doing otherwise.

Atheists have morals, else the prisons would be full of middle-aged biologists who've hacked up fellow human beings for the most trivial of issues. What they lack is faith.

Don't give it too much thought. Keep your head on a swivel and continue marching forward.

We got a shot a pulling off something different in the diaspora. Especially the UK, Canada and US.

It would be the height of stupidity not to try it.

If we continue to take our cues from Punjab-based personalities of modern times, then I don't think we have a chance. Remember and respect those worth respecting, but don't transport their problems and repeat them here.

Isn't Punjab like 40% non-Sikh or something?

Are the 60% who are Sikhs sitting in underground spaces, meditating on the Lord's name having relinquished all human ties? Give me a break.

I agree but I don't think living with self respect, as a self-respecting community is mutually exclusive with living with a primary focus on Waheguru. If anything, I think that is one of main reasons Guru Gobind Singh ji was sent to us - to demonstrate this very thing and teach us through example.

And it's not about bragging rights, it's about living like honorable men and women who aren't victims at the hands of others.

Agree, yet we do invariably lose sight of the bigger picture, and things do become petty, base, and trivialised.

Balance is vital, dalsingh, as you've mentioned on a few occasions. We can't lose the goodness that seperates us from others. Fighting fire with fire is essential at times, but if we let it consume us in our attempts at not being left behind, or for bragging rights, or so that we can keep our heads above water, the only losers in that situation will be us.

Ultimately, and as tough as it is for most Sikhs to live this way, the only thing that matters is the way of God. Short term (and I throw our paltry lifetimes into this category, because life is short term - even if it seems long to us), the way of God is the only way off this miserable planet, lol.

That's bull5hit. Apnay in Panjab are even more greedy and ruthless than anyone one else, or at least no less.

Someone clearly hasn't heard or seen of cases of fratricide over jameena, lol.

Be that as it may, I know for a fact that plenty of paks are raised up with horror stories about Sikhs - they especially do this with their girls from a young age.

Signs of feeble minds and low intellects. They clearly don't attribute their offspring with much common sense if they need to create a bogey-man to keep them in line.

Edit: it's funny how we're telling our future generations, "Get on with everyone; don't hurt anybody; don't discriminate" etc, whilst those bar-stewards are filling their future generations' heads with lies and propaganda.

I don't think soldiers should ever be blamed for decisions made by politicians. A soldier goes where he's told to go. In that respect, remembering fallen comrades and respecting the opponent on the battlefield is nothing out of the ordinary; it's par for the course.

As for the rights and wrongs of the reasons for such battles and later repercussions, well i guess that's always up for debate.

I know that Gurus knew everything.

I am only saying pandits did not deserve it.

Well, not really, because you're suggesting Guru Sahib was unaware of the treachery Sikhs would face at the hands of the descendants of these pandits, so actually, you're saying Guru Sahib did not know everything, because if they had known it all, they wouldn't have sacrificed themselves for these people.

What you fail to understand is the sacrifice made was not for Hindus or any other religion or race of people. The act of sacrifice itself is the key to it all. Who the sacrifice was given for is ultimately irrelevant. Didn't Guru Sahib say they'd give their head even if Islam was being subdued and its people butchered by whoever happened to be in-charge?

You're making nonsensical statements that belittle the spilling of blood by great souls due to your attachment to labels regarding religion, background, etc. You're wrong.

I wish Guru ji had refused to help Kashmiri Pandits. They did not deserve this sacrifice at all. These bloody Pandits are a thankless lot.

I honour Guru ji's martyrdom. Don't mean any disrespect. But can't get over how He sacrificed His life for this undeserving backstabbing lot.

They knew everything. Yet Guru Sahib still chose to act. That's the difference between them and us.

I've thought about this too. I reckon it could also be a guilty conscience thing about the past i.e. slavery. They go out of the way to show they are not racist to them because of the collective guilty conscience.

I don't feel that's the case. It might be in a few isolated cases, but not broadly. You have to remember, the whites have an almost collective belief that, I believe, is almost coded into thrm on a cellular level, lol, that they are the dominant race on earth; coupled with historical propaganda ("history is written by the victors"), cultural imperialism (Hollywood portraying whites as the stars of the show, whilst minorities are the supporting act), and other smaller aspects that all contribute to their unshakeable confidence that THEY can never be wrong. You see it in modern times when minorities are beginning to speak up loudly, and whites do not like it one bit. "Political correctness gone mad" is one stock phrase they bleat about ad nauseam when they feel powerless and voiceless, I.E. they want to put the so-called or perceived weaker races in their place by being able to say and do what they like, unhindered by restraint.

Don't get me wrong, I really like white folk, lol. They've given the world so many great things, but they've also destroyed many things, but somehow that's seen as a necessary evil or "progress" when they do it. But that's not to say I'm blind to their tics and habits; you can't be lulled into a false sense of security by anyone, white or otherwise.

Me and my half white and half indian friend always talk about this. It's so deep. One of his reasons is that the British conquered India but the Chinese didn't get conquered hence they have more respect for the Chinese which I'm not sure I agree with.

I reckon the main reason is this. Brits like to think of themselves as very open and accepting and tolerant. The thing is, they are not, unless you completely assimilate. For them, integration is not enough. They want you to completely lose everything about your culture/religion. Only then, you may be accepted as much as Dwayne the kala.

There is a massive difference between integration and assimilation but when they talk about integration, what they are really talking about is assimilation.

Even the Chinese, they have english names etc and they don't have any blatant religious/cultural clothing like we do in this country.

Good points. I think there's an element of truth in your theories. Equally, blacks were literally slaves for many, many years in various places, so us being conquered isn't something black folk can get on their high horse about.

The integration / assimilation point is spot on. They (whites) really do want us to lose everything of ours that makes us who we are. Deep down - and they'll never admit it - they consider Indians and Blacks to be inferior races; savages. They'll contort themselves into all manner of shapes to deny it, but it's true.

The difference between us and blacks being that there's an element of fear the white man feels about black people, that simply isn't there when it comes to us. In a way, this current age of Islamic extremism is sowing the seeds for them to be feared by the white guy in much the same way, but the slight difference being the Muslim is perceived to be from the same - or quite similar geographically - sub-continental race / location that we originate from. I think it'll take a few more generations for the Muslims to gain that alpha quality (rightly or wrongly) that the blacks have naturally. And all it took was international terrorism(!).

As in wielding power over the British Government or as in energetic workforce, which one?

Take a wild guess.