Alcohol and prashad

[Moorakh1]

Recently, I was alarmed to hear from one of my friends that one of his relatives who's retired, from time to time comes home intoxicated with alcohol then a few days or so later gives prashad out to the sangat at their local Gurdwara (during the week).

Whats your opinions regarding this?

[sissy]

i think a variety of perspectives are understandable and acceptable i sikhi in response to this

1) one may feel hurt that this person seems to be acting hypocritically byhandling sharaab on one day and prashaad on another day because of the value sikhs place with prashaad

2) in line with the sikh char di kala attitiude and humility, one may accept that although sharaab is not part of the rehat, this man, despite his drinking flaw is making an effort to do some sewa...better some than none!

3) one may focus on the fact that life and people are dynamic......things change over time.....and the types of changes that occur are heavily influenced by our experiences....although a sharaab drinker, if the efforts of this man as a sewadar are recognised despite his drinking habit, it may help the man to realise that he does not need alcohol to be happy....this realisation may take time...whilst waiting for this realisation it may be harsh to ban eg drinkers from doing sewa and such isolation would proabably actually push people away from sikhi

through forgiveness and compassion, the sangat can help each other through their problems, weaknesses etc

it is easier said than done...i still have issues about people drinking whilst wearing a kara...we fear misrepresenting the beauty of sikhi in order to include people.......but without people, without sangat, tolerance, undertsanding and humility we will not achieve anything....

it's all love!

sorry! this has turned rather mushy and corny!..........need sleep...but under no circumstances should a person under the influence of intoxicants be honoured with somethigng like distributing prashaad

bhul chuk maph

[naam_jap]

The guru has given the seva. If he is distributing prashad then he's doing seva, and making him a better person.

by drinking alchol he gives away the merit of the seva of distributing prashad.

We should accept prashad of the guru from no matter whover, it is of the Guru, and should not judge the vehicle of the transmission.