The Disease! (Msn, Facebook Etc)

[Mehtab Singh]

And I myself need to get rid...

http://gurmatbibek.com/forum/read.php?3%2C8953

Written by a Veerjee a few years back

Daas had a situation recently of a bibi (family friend) really close to daas and a Singh, Daas is not going to mention names but daas hopes they don’t mind me telling there mistake to the sangat so that others can also learn from these examples.

It starts of with ‘how you doing?’ on msn, these few words start of the conversation, which we like or not will get us in to a lot of trouble. The conversation carried on and they started to talk on a regular term. At the end it went to flirting and they started to ‘like’ each other within a few months. Before anything went out of hand, the messages were seen and they were caught. With Mahrajs kirpa they had their brothers and sisters to help them and they got out of the mess, before it got worse.

There was also a situation where a Bibi went to meet a Singh, they lived far apart from each other so they spent money on train trips to come down and go to Cinemas etc. waheguroo knows what else they did, which daas does not want talk about, thy are so disgusting that it was hard that a amrit thari bibi can do such a thing, this also started of msn. The Singh (which daas also knows personally) now got caught by his parents and has realised his mistake, the bibi carries on talking to other singhs and meeting other people. The bibi was amritthari!! These issues have just come up so please if any one does know anything tell the elder gursikhs and not to spread there names around forums or other people, it has no benefit talking about these people.

Sangat ji daas would like to advise the gursikhs (Bibi and Singhs) to stay away from this disease, msn, facebook, flickr talking freely to bibi and singhs and also mobile phones, texting each other. There have been many articles and emails going around about bibi and singhs talking freely, yet our brothers and sisters are ignorant (including my self) and wont listen to the advice, these gursikhs have wrote emails and articles through experience, WE SHOULD LEARN FROM THEM.

When Singhs went to the recent smagam, the elder gurisikhs were telling the singhs and bibia of these problems coming in to the youth, yet we carry on until we get in to the mess but be aware not every one is lucky to have the right sangat around them to advice them about this disease.

Please this is a benti to all the gursikhs, get off msn, facebook, twitter etc etc. Stop the texting and spend those seconds doing mool mantar da jaap. Stop chatting freely with the opposite gender, as this will get us in a lot of problems as shown above. When you do have to speak to a bibi then always recite the word penji and speak little, carry on reciting naam. If we are serious with our sikhi then follow these guides, if not then may mahraj protect you. There have been many articles please read them and bring them in to your lives and jeevan, practice them.

If daas has said anything wrong or done a mistake by telling others about these experiences then daas asks for forgiveness, but these are live examples for the people that argued about these points. Daas will not post again on this issue, unless in maharsj hukam but every one knows what is right and wrong. May mahraj do kirpa on all of us and protect us! Don’t turn around and say Mahraj didn’t tell us, because these posts and articles also come to mind because of Mahrajs Hukam, he knows all! He loves us a lot but only a few will realise this!

[VanHelsingh]

Aside from the reasons you've posted above, Mehtab Singh, I cannot abide things like Facebook, Twitter, MSN Messenger, etc. I'm no technophobe at all as I love new gadgets and technology, but this social networking craze of recent years is very distasteful and intrusive. Build (friendly) relationships and links in real-life - this obsession where people feel the need to share everything online is seriously annoying. The examples you've posted above are very shocking.

But its a free world I suppose, and people can waste their time however they want. Personally its a worrying trend and something, I think, children or young teenagers should not be encouraged to partake in. Adults should know better but we all know that isn't the case.To hear Amritdhari people partaking in these shenanigans is simply :wacko:.

[Whitehorse]

Aside from the reasons you've posted above, Mehtab Singh, I cannot abide things like Facebook, Twitter, MSN Messenger, etc. I'm no technophobe at all as I love new gadgets and technology, but this social networking craze of recent years is very distasteful and intrusive. Build (friendly) relationships and links in real-life - this obsession where people feel the need to share everything online is seriously annoying. The examples you've posted above are very shocking.

But its a free world I suppose, and people can waste their time however they want. Personally its a worrying trend and something, I think, children or young teenagers should not be encouraged to partake in. Adults should know better but we all know that isn't the case.To hear Amritdhari people partaking in these shenanigans is simply :wacko:.

Isn't it a bit ironic that you are criticising social networking through leaving comments on an online forum??

Blaming those online services, is like blaming deep fat fryers for the obesity epidemic.

[VanHelsingh]

Have online forums been in existence before social networking? YES. To compare online forums to social networking is absolute nonsense - they're different sides of an admittedly similar coin. Where did I criticise online forums? You do know that there's a huge difference between this type of forum where anyone can partipate without any of the disadvantages that social networking throws up? Also compared to the more intimate scenarios that social networking / communication causes, an online forum is markedly different within the context of the points raised by the original poster.

Next time check your indignation with some common sense before making yourself look foolish. If you don't like the original poster's points take it out with him.

[hkaurP]

If people want to talk to the opposite sex and be innapropriate, then nothing will stop them. Social networks aren't the only causes.

[Harjeet]

If people want to talk to the opposite sex and be innapropriate, then nothing will stop them. Social networks aren't the only causes.

exactly the disease is not something else, but the disease is yourself. You choose what you want to do with the technology you are given. Like the internet can be used for good and bad. There are so many great things about Sikhi which you can discover on the internet. But at the same time you could use the internet to indulge in other stuff. If you know what i mean, So its not necessarily the technology's fault. Because we choose what we are going to do with that technology. Use it for good? or for bad?

And if your mind is dirty, we know that Waheguru is the cleanser.

[S1ngh]

I for once was addicted with MSN and there were times when i was on msn for like 6 hrs straight and was on friendster all da time (way before fb/myspace). I got distracted from studies and other stuff like sports, outdoor hobbies etc.. One day i decided to quit all and with gurus blessing i did and never used any im for the past 6 years (used once or twice for some works). Private chat is the worse of all.. Simple point is that... I would say that nobody under 21 should be using chat feature of fb/msn for over 3 hrs a week. Keep yourself busy with other stuff rather than depending your life on msn/fb.I went on fb few months ago but decided to delete em as i see myself wasting time on it.. Even though, i am married, have job, house and got settled but i still think no matter where you stand.. social network will waste your time unless you use it wisely.

Give dasvand time of your day to guru sahib rather than to msn/fb. All rumors, fights, hatred generates from such platforms.

Forums and msn/fb = total different.. we can't do comparison between forum and fb/msn/myspace etc.. Over here people approach with each other are on several non-personal issue while on fb it is all about youself; like posting 1000's of your private pictures and update statuses and stalking your friends on it..

If people want to talk to the opposite sex and be innapropriate, then nothing will stop them. Social networks aren't the only causes.

Phaenji, Social network is huge tool which encourages them or make them easy to do what they have in their mind.

[Mehtab Singh]

I for once was addicted with MSN and there were times when i was on msn for like 6 hrs straight and was on friendster all da time (way before fb/myspace). I got distracted from studies and other stuff like sports, outdoor hobbies etc..

And I was with you, your buddy, throughout all that, and I fully second and agree to everything you said. Singha, apa kinna time barbaad kita yaar!!!

[whyhellothere]

Admin where have my posts gone? This clamp down on free speech is getting very tedious.

Isn't it a bit ironic that you are criticising social networking through leaving comments on an online forum??

Blaming those online services, is like blaming deep fat fryers for the obesity epidemic.

LOL! Very well put!!

The first line renders this whole topic invalid.

Like I said before admin deleted my posts, why not outlaw computers, mobile phones morse code, flares, letters, chalk, foghorns, lighthouses, whistles, lemons (to make magic ink), sign language (and any other type of speech for that matter), telepathy, UFO''s, tagged messenger pigeons and music aswell, all possible forms of communication which could have similar adverse effects on sikhs as msn did on these amritdharis.

Some people use msn for better things than being innapropriate, and some people see facebook and social networking sites as yet another connection to Sikhi and their fellow sangat.

[Mehtab Singh]

Looks like no one saw the beginning of the original post. Its from another forum, another online place to discuss Gurmat/Sikhi. No one uses these forums/sites the way social networking sites are used. Agreed, social networking can be useful to stay in touch with family/friends/co-workers/classmates, no harm. Its the negative effects that are highlighted, and yes these negativities are for real. At the end, it all boils down to (1.) the person's intention, (2.) whether someone is serious about their spiritual growth/upliftment in GurSikhi, thereby not wasting time on such networking sites, and (3.) is the person going to use these sites to learn more from fellow GurSikhs, or is one going to fool around with someone of the opposite gender. Measure your responses to these 3 questions in the light of Gurbani, and you will get your responses as to whether these sites are good for you or not. If as per Gurbani you are fine on these sites, by all means please stick around. If not, then start thinking how can/would/should you get off. Simple! Just remember, no one is forcing you or can force you to take whatever decision you wish to take. Its solely your choice, because its your life, its your GurSikhi. Feel free to shape it the way you deem best, and good luck.