How To Get Rid Off Past Religious Beliefs.

[Palarmux]

So as you can see from topic title, I am struggling between sikhism and christianity atm. I have raised in christian family and everytime I try to "connect" with guru I remember things from my past what father have said about other religions: "you will never find peace from any other religion, they are from satan..." etc.... It haunts me SO much. Only thing I "desire" in this life is Love and happiness, thats all.

For example when I chant shabads I can almost feel the presence of guru, when im starting to feel gurus love and joy etc. That moment is ruined by my fathers thoughts what he have said to me.... "Other religions are from satan, only christianity will bring you true peace" - yet I havent felt anything spiritual in christianity..... even I have been in church countless times.

How to get rid off past religious beliefs? how I am going to find happiness as sikh?

It is so frustrating when I am doing even small amount of progress to my path of sikhism and then my fathers "seed of hate and hesitation" starts to affect in my mind.

EDIT: My mind is also strongly haunted by my father "dreams from god". He once saw a dream where Jesus said to him that I am lost case - that my soul is condemned to hell aldready, for worshipping other/"false" gods (waheguru, krishna etc.) This is one of thought that I cant get rid off...

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offtopic:

I have also been struggling alot with Question "what is meaning of my life". I feel so useless and worthless. I have asked it and tried to find it trought many religious point of view but I still cant see it. I have heard and read alot meaning of life in "common" like live in peace and love etc.... but how I am able to live in peace and love, without getting peace and love from god himself? its imbossible to spread it if you dont have it.

[cool water]

basically you need to renounce abhramic thought process of "if you are not one of us your going to hellfire" or satan is controlling you. These are medieval and backward thinking ideologies that were used by abrahamic ancient elites in positions of power (the priestly and king classes) to control the uneducated simple minded masses for centuries.

You must see that rejecting Christianity concepts totally is a must only then you can move on to Sikhi thought process, do naam simran, research and read up on gurbani and everything will come naturally and your love for Sikhi and Waheguru will glow within you.

[harsharan000]

Dear Palarmux,

we must never forget, that whatever good or bad phases one goes through, it is nothing, but one´s own karmas. There is nothing absolutely possible without karmas...either we are sowing a new seed, or either we are reaping a past seed, but anyhow, everything is karma.

Secondly, about your question of what is the meaning of your present life?

Well, your life´s meaning is a very simple, clear and objective one, like the rest of us all human beings, and that is, to get the most of this blessing from the personal gift from Wahiguru to us, which is having born as humans, as per to realize Him.

This human body is called the temple of the living God, where He resides. This human body is got after the fruits of countless good karmas in several lives ....

So just arise above the level of mind, which is the cause of all our misery and tension in any sphere in life.

This mind will have its ego hurt, and make us feel regretful, full of grudges, it will keep us sad and resentful, these are all its tricks, to keep one entangled in this world.

But as said in some other post, we(souls) too are not less, we are of the very essence of Wahiguru Akal Purukh. We just need to realize this truth, to overcome all the mischefs of the mind. Once we understand, who we are, then nothing can prevent us, from moving firmly towards our sole goal, which is none other than Akal Purkh himself.

Religions as such, are all responsible from keeping us away from Wahiguru. Because the Bani says only one thing, and in all religions we have rituals, ceremonies, dogmas, an endless list of outer activities, which take us farther from Wahiguru.

Religion, is a latin word, which means, the path which takes us to our origin and merges our individual consciousness(soul), in the infinite ocean of Cosciousness, which is the supreme being Wahiguru.

And in this sense, the Bani very cleary says:

awar kaaj tere kitteh na kaam, mil Sadh Sangat, bhaj kewal Nam.

Jin Har japeeya, se Har hoeeya. The Bani says, whosoever ever repeats His Name in meditation, merges in Him, becoming Him. The Bani does not say, you have to belong to this or that religion, you have to be from a particular nationality or community, rich or poor, young or old, male or female....nothing of these man made limitations upon himself...

Nooo, Wahiguru is not like that, His path, His mat or Gurmat, is universal for the whole of humanity, for any soul willing to go back to Him.

Just as, if the ocean has no nationality nor creed, what nationality or creed is going to have a simple drop of that ocean?

In a similar way, if Wahiguru has no nationality, nor class, no creed, what nationality, which creed, colour or class is going to be of the soul?

Naturally, none. All outer man made limitations, are layers of ignorance upon himself ....

Other thing is, one may belong to a particular caste, land, community, because of one´s interaction of karmas in that location, but that does not means, we have lost our spiritual divine essence of Wahiguru....

Due to maya, we are not aware of it; but in reality, we are spiritual beings, going through human experience.

There maybe many different sizes, shapes and colours of bulbs lit in each one´s house(dharam, mazab, karam khand...), but the light which all get, is from the one Sun, no matter where one is from, but that one Sun, is the Light of all lights....

We tend to dispute and fight for our petty bulbs, but if we just looked up in the sky(within ourselves), we all shall see the only one Sun giving its light in all directions and corners.

In the same way, in outer ways, paths, Wahiguru is not to be found, thus there is darkness, or agyanta....but if we all turned our attention within ourselves, we shall see that there is only one Sun giving its light, no matter from where one is.

If we could only do this, all our disputes and fights shall come to an end, because then we shall see by ourselves, that nobody´s god is superior or inferior, there is only one God giving its light to the whole creation.

So as long as our search is outside, there shall be hatred, wars, and disputes. But once we change the direction of our search within ourselves accordingly to Gurmat, then, there is only one religion, only one God.

So we should be a bit intelligent and abide by Gurmat, for our own benefit and our own evolution, towards our goal of God realization, namely Wahiguru Akal Purukh.

One has not to give up one´s culture, traditions, customs, neither the religion in which one is born, rather live in those conditions with calmness, dignity and respect for all our fellow beings, because our objective is not outside there, but within our own temple, where He has kept Himself for each one of us.

So in that way, no matter what the world says, they may slander you, due to your colour of skin, or your beliefs....but then we also know, that this will not make any diffrence now, because the objective of my search, is out of the reach of such people, and this can not alter anything from our aim, to find Him and merge in Him.

The thing is, one has to be clear in one´s undertanding, then nothing can shake us. Because now I know myself, and I know the reality of the world and its people.

What really counts is one´s belief, not what the majority believe. Because the day, I have to go from this world, no friends, no relatives, no culture, no customs, no politics shall go with me.... I shall be all alone, with my own karmas, my own faith, my own wealth of bhakti(Nam Simran) of Wahiguru, which I gathered during my lifetime on earth.

This all is known and understood through Gurmat only, so the majesty, the infinte grace showered on us by our Guru Sahibans, Bhagats, Gurmukh janas, through the Bani, is most valued, if we follow it and work upon it, to acheive our goal, which otherwise, we may do what we want, but it is impossible.

The key to sucess, is to remember Him at all times, then even bad times shall turn into good ones. But the condition for it, is to love Him and remember Him , through His Simran, at all times ....then there is nothing bad, but only His Grace, His Mauj....

The bani beautifully says:

Je sukh de ta tujhe aradhi
Dukh bhi tujhe dhiayi
Je bhukh de ta it hì raja
Dukh vich sukh Manayi

This means, no matter what may happen, or in which ever conditions I may be, which are all due to my very own karmas, but, I shall never ever forget You, even for an instant.

But we also know, Wahiguru is Nirankar, so how can one hold on to Him, in order to get that protection, love and bliss ?

Here, Gurmat gives us the solution to it. Gurmat teaches us, to hold on the subtle form of Wahiguru, or His Shabad swaroop, through Nam Simran, otherwise there is no other way ....

Gurmat is not path made by any man...it is the eternal path, designed by Akal Purukh Himself, made it known to us, through His Gurmukhs.... that is why it is the most highest Path, and the one which leads us sucesslfully towards our goal, Wahiguru Akal Purukh.

And this Path did not start some centuries ago, but since He created the creation, or do we think, that the souls in in the other times or yugas, had no right to go back to Him? God can not be as unjust as we tend to be. He is an ocean of mercy and love at all times.

If God is one, there can be only one path leading to Him, and this is not something private for a limited number of people of a particular place or land....but for all the beings, within them, irrespective of class, community,gender, or political inclination ....

The path of Wahiguru is of purity, of faith, of devotion and love for His Lotus Feet, rest all can be well said, that all is maya or koor.

Dear Palarmux, trust Him and love Him,

He will not leave you,

He will fill you with His blessings.

Sat Sree Akal.

[swalakh1]

please watch this video about the purpose of life.

[Palarmux]

THank you for answers. I just started watching that Khalsa camp video, I will be watching it in several parts.