Can someone who knows more about Sikhi than me educate me on a few things?

[MisterrSingh]

@californiasardar1 What's your real reason for not wanting to become an amritdhari if you feel so very strongly about kesh especially when our religion places an emphasis on kesh upon baptism? I don't buy that "polluting genes" faux-humble nonsense; that's from the playbook of pakhandi saadhs. That may work on women, but guys don't buy it. Why does your passionate kesh-adherence remain strictly within the sphere of secularism? I'm not for one moment compelling you to take amrit. I'm just curious why someone with your mindset hasn't travelled that road upon realising a few of the valid issues you've identified. It seems like the natural next step. If you don't think you're going to get any female interest -- and if that was the overriding reason for not getting baptised -- then surely the door is open to embrace the Sikh identity in all its glory?

[californiasardar1]

8 hours ago, MisterrSingh said:

@californiasardar1 What's your real reason for not wanting to become an amritdhari if you feel so very strongly about kesh especially when our religion places an emphasis on kesh upon baptism? I don't buy that "polluting genes" faux-humble nonsense; that's from the playbook of pakhandi saadhs. That may work on women, but guys don't buy it. Why does your passionate kesh-adherence remain strictly within the sphere of secularism? I'm not for one moment compelling you to take amrit. I'm just curious why someone with your mindset hasn't travelled that road upon realising a few of the valid issues you've identified. It seems like the natural next step. If you don't think you're going to get any female interest -- and if that was the overriding reason for not getting baptised -- then surely the door is open to embrace the Sikh identity in all its glory?

 

I am not sure why you have labeled my thoughts as "faux-humble nonsense." At some point I realized that if I am struggling so much to do basic things in my life, it must be because of having too many inherent flaws. I don't want to pass those on to poor children who will grow up without a hope. I also don't want to ruin the image of the amritdhari community (there is no way I can live up to what an amritdhari should be).

I don't understand what you mean by my "passionate kesh-ahderence remaining strictly within the sphere of secularism." When have I talked about it being secular? Keeping kesh is part of being a Sikh, which is inherently a religious choice.

I'm not sure why you would suggest that not being amritdhari would help generate female interest. I would argue that being keshdhari but not amritdhari makes it more difficult to get married. Any girl who actually wants to be with a singh will be amrithdhari and naturally look for an amritdhari.

 

[californiasardar1]

20 hours ago, SinghPunjabSingh said:

1. No

2. Emphatically not!

3. Not really - how holy could a City where Muslims were the majority before 1947 (and Hindu's are the majority since 1947) possibly be?

4. It is not essential (after all Amritsar is not our version of Mecca or Benares as Sikhi opposes the "pilgrimage" concept)

5. In terms of what Harmandir Sahib means to the Qaum it is "primus inter pares" (first among equals) for what it means to our Itihaas but if you matha tek before Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj at any other Gurdwara in the world daily that is in no way any less a positive and equal blessing.

PS: I will answer your other posts as soon as I can later and just by answering your questions does not mean I know more than you. We are all students (Sikhs). And yes I'm including as fellow students even the moneh you hate so much!

  

 

Thank you for actually sharing your thoughts on the questions I posed.

Much appreciated!

[californiasardar1]

20 hours ago, Redoptics said:

I'm a mona, whats the beef Keith?

 

Why are you a mona?

[ipledgeblue]

23 hours ago, dallysingh101 said:

FFS dude, and you're the one going on about monay the most......

 

he is still keshdhari, keeping kesh is still seen as important to keep by any sikh by the Guru sahibs. Just read some bachans of Guru Gobind Singh.

[californiasardar1]

20 hours ago, Jai Tegang! said:

All fair points. But isn't this true of all ethno/religious groups? The vast majority of men of any religion are only observant in the orthodox sense if there is a heavy-handed religious authority that wields actual power over them. Left to their own choices, the number of "true followers" is never in majority. Maybe there are only a few hundred "true Sikhs"  if we apply more stringent  criteria, but where does that take us as a group? You can keep applying rules to prune down our numbers to no end. First it'll be kesadhari only. Then it can come down to only Amritdharis are Sikhs. Lets take it one more step and say only those Amritdharis who have weapons training and keep atleast 5 weapons at all times are Sikhs. Then we can jump into the spiritual realm and start pruning out those who don't get up early enough. Pretty soon the definition is going to end up at only a well trained brahmgyani khalsa is a Sikh. 

 

Sure, I understand what you are saying. But surely there needs to be some dividing line, right?

If not, Sikhi is just going to disintegrate into "anything goes" Hinduism.

It's amusing that so many people are now upset about "interfaith anand karaj" ceremonies, for example. We got to that point by adopting an all-inclusive "anything goes" attitude in terms of how Sikh weddings are conducted. And when the pro-"interfaith anand karaj" crowd points out the immense hypocrisy, it is difficult to answer them.

 

 

Let me ask you this: if I got "I am not a Sikh" tattooed to my forehead, what would you think?

Would you say "well, he has singh in his birth name, and he goes to the Gurdwara every once in a while and he posted a photo of the Golden Temple on his instagram, so he is still a Sikh"? Or would you think "if he feels so strongly that he wants to emphatically signal to everyone in the most visible way possible that he rejects Sikhi, then maybe I should believe him?"

[ipledgeblue]

2 minutes ago, californiasardar1 said:

 

 

It's amusing that so many people are now upset about "interfaith anand karaj" ceremonies, for example. We got to that point by adopting an all-inclusive "anything goes" attitude in terms of how Sikh weddings are conducted. And when the pro-"interfaith anand karaj" crowd points out the immense hypocrisy, it is difficult to answer them.

how about Singhs start practising puraatan anand viyaa ceremonies and monas can do Anand Karaj, that sounds fun lolz

[californiasardar1]

1 minute ago, ipledgeblue said:

how about Singhs start practising puraatan anand viyaa ceremonies and monas can do Anand Karaj, that sounds fun lolz

 

How about monay go straight to the wedding reception?

Then they wouldn't have to waste $500 paying some guy who just arrived from India to a tie a pagh on them.

[ipledgeblue]

4 minutes ago, californiasardar1 said:

 

How about monay go straight to the wedding reception?

Then they wouldn't have to waste $500 paying some guy who just arrived from India to a tie a pagh on them.

yeh in Reading Berkshie, I know a family where the boy refused to wear a pagh and do Anand Karaj. I guuess they just did the court marriage  (civil ceremony) and then there was a party!

[Redoptics]

1 hour ago, californiasardar1 said:

 

I am not sure why you have labeled my thoughts as "faux-humble nonsense." At some point I realized that if I am struggling so much to do basic things in my life, it must be because of having too many inherent flaws. I don't want to pass those on to poor children who will grow up without a hope. I also don't want to ruin the image of the amritdhari community (there is no way I can live up to what an amritdhari should be).

I don't understand what you mean by my "passionate kesh-ahderence remaining strictly within the sphere of secularism." When have I talked about it being secular? Keeping kesh is part of being a Sikh, which is inherently a religious choice.

I'm not sure why you would suggest that not being amritdhari would help generate female interest. I would argue that being keshdhari but not amritdhari makes it more difficult to get married. Any girl who actually wants to be with a singh will be amrithdhari and naturally look for an amritdhari.

 

You obviously are struggling with the basics of sikhi, why are people trying to run before they can walk. You do know you are not supposed to judge people. Its people like yourself that push 'monay' away from the panth.

Anyway I have seen it alot people jumping into 5 ks , Dasam Granth etc, without even reading and understanding Guru Granth Sahib Ji.