[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Who Is A Sikh?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]-Harsimran Singh
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] What does it take to become a Sikh? If my parents are Sikhs, does that make me a Sikh? If I have unsheathed hair and wear a turban, does that make me a Sikh? If I go to Gurdwara every week, does that make me a Sikh? So what does it take to become a Sikh?[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]By [/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]-Harsimran Singh
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Guru Nanak Dev Ji said this many times, and it was also repeated by all of the following Gurus. Well that was easy. There’s your answer: Pray, Share, and live an honest life. So is anybody who does these three things a Sikh? These are the basic principles of Sikhism, but there is much more required to become a Sikh. Along with these things, a Sikh must be pure of the five thieves, Kam (Lust), Krodh (Anger), Lobh (Greed), Moh (Attachment), Ahankar (Ego).
Guru Gobind Singh Ji said every Sikh must take amrit. So therefore everybody who takes amrit is now automatically a Sikh. In everyday when we see someone who has taken amrit we do assume that they are Sikhs. Usually they are, but we must realize there is more to becoming a Sikh than doing path and wearing the five K’s. One can take amrit, but still not be in control of the five temptations listed above. This is very possible, just look at the people around you. Is their anyone you know who has taken amrit, but is also greedy or lustful or attached to something or is angry or has a huge ego? You probably know some one who is, and do you refer to them as a Sikh? Guru Gobind Singh Ji did not say, If you take amrit you will become a Sikh. He said, if you want to become a Sikh you must also take amrit. There is a huge difference in the two. The latter implies there are other things you must also accomplish. So how do you become a Sikh?
Many Sikh scholars state, that in order to be considered a Sikh you must read gurbani and meditate on Nam. Following the general pattern here you can see, that there is going to be a catch. We all know people who read gurbani on a regular basis. We also know some people who do this but also sin on a regular basis. I know people who read gurbani and still cut their hair, people who still drink, people who still discriminate.
Do these people understand what they are reading? There is a difference in reading gurbani and studying gurbani. You have to be able to understand the meaning behind what is said. Yet, even after that, you must implement what you have learned in every decision you make. You must use what you have learned from the teachings of Gurbani on a daily basis. This will also help show people who Sikh’s truly are. Now we are close to discovering who a Sikh is.
The main problem to answering this question is that the Sikh society has become too loose. We have lost the strictness that many other religions still retain. So just because someone calls themselves a Sikh, do not believe them. I apologize if I being too frank, actually I will not apologize. This is an example of the leniency we must shed. We should not stop ourselves from informing our society just because we may insult someone whom we know personally. We have made too many levels of Sikhism: we have the Puran Sikhs, the Amritdhari Sikhs, the Gursikhs, and Sahjdhari Sikhs. I believe you are either a) Not a Sikh, b) a Sahjdhari Sikh, or c) a Sikh. Usually people consider themselves Sahjdhari Sikhs. Most of the time the people who refer to themselves as this, are not even Sahjdhari Sikhs. If you know something you are doing is said to be wrong in gurbani, but yet you continue doing it by making an excuse, then you are not a even a Sahjdhari Sikh. It is not wise to question whether what the guru’s said or did is right or wrong. The most common way people try to find a loophole around this is by misinterpreting a quote from gurbani. They will either take a quote out of context or they will give an incorrect translation because they do not know gurmukhi, the language gurbani is written in. This way they can indulge themselves in whatever unsikh practice they wish to partake in without any guilt. There are many issues in Sikhism today such as "Meat or Vegetarian" or "Photos of Guru’s or Not" or "Sit on Chair’s in Gurdwara or on the floor" or "Alcohol or Sobriety."
As a Sikh the answers to these questions lay in gurbani. The Guru Granth Sahib is very similar to the US Constitution in that they are very general. The answers to these questions are not specifically stated because the questions are endless. Therefore the Guru Granth Sahib gives general laws that can be used to answer any question. When people want to do something that is wrong they usually say "Show me in gurbani where it says I can not…." They must realize the answer will not be stated straightforward, but instead it will be found by deeper understanding of gurbani. Remember this, even if you some how manage to convince yourself it is correct, God still knows that you are sinning. A Sahjdhari Sikh is someone who as they learn what they are doing is against the rules of sikhi, immediately stops and try to become closer to god and prepare themselves to take amrit. Only after you have taken amrit and achieved a level of knowledge about Sikhism and gurbani are you prepared to correctly represent this religion? Here then is the answer a Sikh is person who has taken amrit and actually lives his life according to the teachings of gurbani.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What Next?[/FONT][/FONT]
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] If you are not prepared to become a Sikh than stop calling yourself a Sikh. It is truly better to not be a Sikh rather than a false Sikh. "But how is this, is Sikhism not the ultimate religion, will god not penalize me more if I do not call myself a Sikh?" NO, this is where Sikhism differs from every other religion. Every religion states we are all created equally, but at the proverbial "Judgement Day" god will only except you if you are part of this religion. In Sikhism we believe god created everyone equally, and no strings-attached. Yes it is possible to live during your physical existence as a member of some other religion or even no organized religion at all and still become one with God. Anybody can realize God by Truly loving him, but to become a Sikh you not only has to love God, you will also have to follow other rules laid down by our Gurus. God does not discriminate. Only God can judge whether what we do is right or wrong. Therefore we can not judge someone else’s beliefs or religion or actions due to the fact that we are not God.[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
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-Harsimran Singh
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