Some questions about Sikhism

[Guest Cheek]

Hi,

I come from Belgium and i'm apologize for my bad skill in english.

I'm here 'cause i have some questions on Sikhism. But before, you need to know about my private life.

I'm 26 and i'm studying. I am also into [MOD CUT], political activism.

Muslims people in Brussels suffer of islamophobia and poverty. And I frequent many Muslims because some of them help their neighbors, their brothers.

I fell in love with a Muslim woman. She also fell in love. But I do not want to convert to Islam and practice the rituals.

This is not because we practice that one is a good person.

I told him I am human like you, with tolerance we can have our family. We share the same universal values and we believe in one god.

But it was no for her. And I felt bad because I was judged because I am non-Muslim and not because I was a good or bad person.

Beard, clothes, prayers, rituals do not make the monk.

Behavior with others and yourself is the most important thing. And the only thing that we must be judged.

I read things on the Guru Nanak and I appreciate it. I love when he say : No hindu, no Muslim.

Like Guru, I think that we belong to the same family : the humanity.

I want to know more about Nanak and sikhism, please can you help me?

1. Is he in the history of Sikhism mixed marriages?

2. Is that the Sikh is considered the non Sikh by the same way? And don't use offensive term like disbeliever, infidel

3. Is it a requirement to apply the 5k? Are there different schools with different point of view on it?

4. If Sikhism is equality, Sikhism is anti-capitalist?

I dont believe in paradise. And i'm not ok with islam cause my brothers are those who do good (And not those who belong to a particular rite : sunni, shia, etc). And I know that God is on the side with oppressed people and the poor.

Love is a beautiful thing. But we feel insulted when you are judged on your race, color of skin, church. When accentuates differences rather than commonalities.

I'm sorry for my bad english

Peace

Cheek

[alias]

from reading this, it seems u have a lot going on in your mind.

if i may, id like to address your relationship status as you've mentioned it. in islam, i believe those that are religious and go out and date, do so with the view that the other person will convert to islam if its a problem. in retrospect (looking back), couples that have inter-religious marriages, will have problems and squabbles later in their married life because of this hinderance.

your personal view against discrimination, and the belief in one god, does fly in the face of islam. after all, they would not be looking to convert people to islam if they truely believed god doesnt make a mistake in choosing a specific religion for someone, or not (athiest). i find islam is tolerant. for me, tolerance is demeaning to the other. accepting the other without some quotient ( basically loving everyone regardless), is the only way to be. and i think this is a good place to talk about sikhism (sikhi) .

sikhs have 10 masters of our religion / prophets / gurus. and the 10th master exalted (raised) sikh scripture to the status of a living eternal guru. and this we call "the Guru Granth Sahib Ji".

3 basic sikh principles are to 1.earn an honest living 2.distribute before taking (think of food. give food to others then eat after - this idea ges beyond food obviously though) 3. meditate on the name of the lord.

in sikh dharam (religion), we have this meditation in the form of love. called "prem bhagti". litterally meaning "the love meditation". we have a meditative word through which everyone (if they meditate) can access this love meditation.

meditation ( just 5 - 15 mins a day) opens everything in you mind and heart up. but u need dicipline of the body, and mind. i.e. concentrate effortlessly without trying to concentrate.

lastly to bring worth to yourself, serve the creation of god. in all forms. if you believe in blissfull happiness, and anti-blissfull happiness, then these 2 currencies (money) which are to serve SELFLESSLY WTHOUT THE HOPE OF REWARD, and meditate, these 2 currencies are the path to happiness.. stability.. fullness on the heart, mid and soul....all things good. etc.

thisis sikhism in a nutshell..

now for your questions.

1. on mixed marriages, historically, fundemental ways of life were believed in by both the husband and wife alike. background does not come into it. linearity of thought is there.. (for you, i think there was no linearity of thought so it broke down with you. - sex and attachment could help you to go down the wrong path.. beware! - im not saying sex is wrong.. just special and sacred)

2. in every language there are words for "believer" and "athiest". in sikhism, we believe in the brotherhood of humanity. so even if your an athiest, we pray for you, as we pray for ourselves.

3. big topic. every baptized sikh must wear the 5 K's and follow the dicipline given to them to help them in life. e.g. a rule that we all know is dont put hand infire else it hurts. so you have a dicipline that you do not jump in the fire. this is like the dicipline rules given to sikh if they choose to be baptized. all sikhs (should) aim to be baptized. it was a duty given to all sikhs by our 1st master (guru nanak dev JI), through to our 10th master (guru gobind singh ji) of our religion.

3. 5 k's can never be changed. bowing to our eternal guru (found in all gurdwaras - sikh place of worship) can never be changed, so there isnt any views. its just how it is. 5 ks are a must for baptised sikhs. (if u are practising to be baptised, then u can wear then too.) u can look at the 5 Ks be split up like this. first, u must keep dicipline. unshorn hair, and chastity! second, steel bracelet and comb, lastly, the kirpaan (like a dagger, but in no way, is a dagger.) the kirpaan is to keep honour in the world. "kirpa" - through the grace of god, "aan" - the honour in the world is kept. however, we cannot use it unless there is a war. there is no war now. we do not create our own wars / fights / gang fights.. when a kirpan is worn, it reminds us to be ever ready. (ready for anything).

ask if you dont understand anything regarding the 5 ks.

4. as sikhs, we say, 1.earn onist living. earn the entire world if u can. but be ready to let it all go and giv it to your guru and understand that its not yours to have, though you have been given it.. just like our body is not ours, it will return to dust eventually. and the soul moves on..

just want to add,

>>true love<< is the love you feel for your parents, siblings, and children, all put into one. if u can say that the love you feel towards your mommy, and a child is he same, and this love is the same that you feel for your partner, then that is true love. only difference is that your life partner is with you to share a new family.

>>fake love<< is attachment, and wanting this n that just because your body aches for the opposite sex.. or jus because your mind wants more.. in sikhism, we aim to control everything about us, so we can become stable, and achieve a higher state of being...

i hope it was ok to read. any questions, u can just message me, or reply here.

good luck!

[13Mirch]

1.) Thoughts concerning religion have to be in line for a husband and wife. Otherwise a sore point can develop and easily be exploited between husband and wife. According to Sikhi, a husband and wife are one soul in two different bodies. To be one soul ur actions have to be in accordance with each other even down to the tiniest bit. In old times there were no mixed marriages in Sikhi, both spouses were Sikhs.

2.) I agree with alias on this. But we ask for "sarbat da bhalla" the good of the whole world. So irregardless whether you are Sikh or non-Sikh it does not matter for us. What matters is naam, or meditation on the lord's name which Guru Nanak gave to the world. As Sikhs we follow his tenets 100%, and the hukams he gave in his other nine forms. We are a distinct religion yet one which stresses love of humantiy, rather than "my religion is better than yours."

3.) One of the goals in each Sikh's life is to become amritdhari or initiated in the Khalsa. The Khalsa is a saint-soldier and his/her uniform consists of the 5 k's. This is what makes him/her easily recognizable. The Khalsa, or the pure, are a distinct panth or way. They are one with God and his soldiers. You can ask a question on the 5k's on this forum if you do not understand the concepts around them. There are no different schools with different viewpoints on the 5 k's. All Sikhs accept them. The Sikh Gurus laid down a path which if followed 100% will mean you are a Sikh. Even if you detract by 1% you will not be a Sikh. Guru Gobind Singh Ji himself wore the 5 k's and ordered Sikhs to do likewise. Amongst other concepts, this is an unchangeable part of Sikhi and will remain so.

4.) As Sikhs we are to earn an honest living. The ranks of capitalism do not apply if u r a Sikh because u will see ur over seers and those under u as humans and treat them as such. U also have to understand that all u have been given is by God and hard and honest work will result in you being given more benefits by God. Ultimately though the world is like a dream and so are the benefits prevalent in it. In Sikhi your ultimate goal is to merge your soul in God, these benefits pale in comparison to meditation on the lord. They are only there for you to get ever closer to God.

[Guest Learner]

wow Alias I really enjoyed reading that. Was a very nice summary of what it is to be a Sikh

[alias]

mm. thank u brother. im lower than a bemukh tho.

all i can do is try to be as good as i can be.