Is God In Sikhism Personal?

[confusedsengh]

WJK WJF

I have done various searches on the internet and spoke to people and all come with different answers, so i thought i would post this up here.

So is God in Sikhism personal? If possible could you give examples Bani that explains this.

Thank you :biggrin2:

WJK WJF

[rrss]

Confused Singh Ji,

Please have a look at my post which talks about the personal relationship with God in terms of asking 'for' things and conversing with him.

It really depends on what you mean by 'personal relationship'.

If you mean having a conversation, then Bani does not support this. There are various examples of Bani where (Bhagats especially) are quoted as speaking directly to God, but noticeably, there is never a response, God does not speak back and have a conversation. There is always a self-reached conclusion.

If we leave out the conversation aspect:

'God' in Sikhi is not the same as the concept of an Abrahamic style 'God'. Unlike in Christianity, where one has a personal relationship with an Abrahamic style 'God' and converses with them on a daily basis, just as you and I are having this conversation now, I'm not aware of a theological concept of being able to hold a personal conversation with 'God'. Mul mantar is meant to be how 'God' is defined- from this and from the concept of union with Him, I derive the conclusion that Waheguruji is a force that we can reach on a higher level of consciousness (through enligtenment). You may argue that Union with God is the ultimate personal relationship.

Various references (there are loads, search for 'God'):

God permeates the inner beings of the Gurmukhs.

God knows the suffering of her mind.

The Dear Lord God is my Best Friend. In the end, He shall be my Companion and Support.

From whom are you trying to hide your actions? God sees all;

O Nanak, God's Flavour is sweet to the minds and bodies of those who have such blessed destiny written on their foreheads

[Not2Cool2Argue]

Some refer to your conscience (u know the little voice that tells u when ur doing something wrong) as God's voice

[alias]

god is god, and he is as personal as we wish to make him to us. fact is, god is closer than close to us.. all we have to do, is accept that he is personal to us. guru G says, har naame naal galla..

hir nwvY nwil glw hir nwvY nwil msliq hir nwmu hmwrI krdw inq swrw ] har naavai naal galaa har naavai naal masalath har naam hamaaree karadhaa nith saaraa || My conversation is with the Lord's Name, and my counseling is with the Lord's Name; the Lord's Name always takes care of me.

so, since naam and god are the same, (because in asa di vaar god created himself then nam, then SECOND place is kudrut. so naam and god are one of the same. and naam, and the one that jups naam, are the same too.

so hu says u cant talk to god. blatently u can.

we make god personal to us, with sharda / bhavna. and the extent we have this, governs the extent that he is personal to us.

god is formless. but he is also the saroop (form) of everything that he has creatd. nirgun aap, sarsun bhi orrhi.

[rrss]

god is god, and he is as personal as we wish to make him to us. fact is, god is closer than close to us.. all we have to do, is accept that he is personal to us. guru G says, har naame naal galla..

hir nwvY nwil glw hir nwvY nwil msliq hir nwmu hmwrI krdw inq swrw ] har naavai naal galaa har naavai naal masalath har naam hamaaree karadhaa nith saaraa || My conversation is with the Lord's Name, and my counseling is with the Lord's Name; the Lord's Name always takes care of me.

so, since naam and god are the same, (because in asa di vaar god created himself then nam, then SECOND place is kudrut. so naam and god are one of the same. and naam, and the one that jups naam, are the same too.

so hu says u cant talk to god. blatently u can.

we make god personal to us, with sharda / bhavna. and the extent we have this, governs the extent that he is personal to us.

god is formless. but he is also the saroop (form) of everything that he has creatd. nirgun aap, sarsun bhi orrhi.

Some valid points, I agree that 'God' is closer than close and it boils down to recognising that.

My point about conversation, was that it's not in the sense of a conversation with words in any language, it would appear to be one of unspoken emotions and feelings that convey a sense of purpose, meaning, strength etc in response to humans talking in words or conversing in terms of naam ('My conversation is with the Lord's Name').

I know plenty of Christians who claim to have, quite literally, a conversation in English with 'God', they chat, they laugh, they are best buddies. I am yet to hear of a Sikh who has claimed to have experienced this. You only hear of feelings and emotions and ultimately, the truth (God's true nature) being conveyed in some mystical manner, during enlightenment. Guru Nanak ji has not written, 'and a voice boomed from the clouds in response to my prayer and we talked about the meaning of life'.

Now whether we can communicate with God (at a deep level) is a more apt expression, surely why not, SGGSji is all about communicating with Him so to speak. I put my name down as one who has experienced such personal communication, a humbling and highly emotional experience indeed.

[rrss]

Some refer to your conscience (u know the little voice that tells u when ur doing something wrong) as God's voice

Some also claim that that's schizophrenia :biggrin2:

[alias]

^^ yes but self reflection can also be classed as schitzophrenia, by people that understand nothig about self reflection..

aaaand,

to each theory own experience.. some hear a voice.. literally. but only in a specific mind state. loads of sikhs have said this.

and just cuz u can talk to god with emotions, it dont mean god cant talk to u literally... he can.. and he has.

[alias]

.

[simran345]

God does talk back, not necessarily through a voice, maybe actions. Also i think through voice too, as we say god is everywhere in all. The doctor that saves a life, or treats a patient, the poor person that gets help from somebody, the child that plays, when they speak, could be god speaking for all we know.

[learningkaur]

i think it's possible to communicate but in a different way which isn't always even words in a certain language but u know what was being communicated, e.g in a dream