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Christianity Why I Chose To Be A Sikh And Not A Christian!

Randip Singh

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This post is meant to be a direct rebuttle to internet troll and Christian religious fanatic Rajs post.

My Reasons are as follows:

1. The Guru Granth Sahib ji was penned by the Guru's and not by disciples, many years later.

2. Sikhism is a non-missionary faith that does not believe in converting other and disrespecting other people beliefs.

3. Sikhism concepts of Langaar (Communal Kitchen), Wandh Chakna, and the Chardi Kalan Spirit.

4. "Higher than Truth is Truthful Living". No point just talking about the truth unless one is prepared to live it.

5. Defending the poor and weak, no matter what their religion, colour, creed.

6. Standing up for Justice, Freedom, and Equality.

7. Sikh women can and have for last 300 to 400 years taken Sikh congregations wheras Christians still argue about female priests.

8. The concept of Gurmatta or mutual consent, which is a democratic principle. Christianity has no such principle.

9. God does not take human form, but rather God is in each and every one of us. It is up to each and every one of us to realise God.

10. Sikhism respects, Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, Ram etc on an equal footing.

11. Believe in the life of a householder and not one of a recluse or a Nun or Priest.

Can anyone else add more to this?
 
May 26, 2005
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Sikhism, science and rationality fit together perfectly. The SGGS talks of other planets and other worlds. There is no denial of scientific truths in Sikhism.

God is within all of us. S/he is no distant master.

God is neither male nor female in Sikhism.

In the West, historically, the theological evolution of liberal, spirituality-centered Christians comes to the same conclusions as Guru Nanak (see, for example, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry Thoreau)

There is no such thing as "fundamentalist Sikhism." The

Five Thieves of Sikhism ask their followers to refrain from habits that apply to everyone. No one is condemned to be a sinner based on who they instrinsically are.

There is no doctrine of "original sin" in Sikhism. Infants are born innocent, not sinners.
 
Jul 30, 2004
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Gurfateh
Das finds Panth as form of Chrisitinaty and rather the best form.We get the status of Lord Jesus sahib himslef when we get in holy Ghost ie Brham Gyan.
 

Navdeep86

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May 2, 2006
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why do ppl believe in religon? religon to me i will put it in this way human created it.. pray n believe in god not religion n powers,greed etc everyone has thier own right aslong not hurting anyone ..all are the same all came from one place heaven yea god ?some ppl believe in god but dun believe in devil ? why have u seen god ? u believe in god remeber there is devil too :) not saying that believe in evil but there is gd n bad :) allah,jesus,budda,10 gurus etc... all are saints[ god ] they are also send by someone just like in a family eg: 1 person send his sons to different religion races stuff like that....

no offence no insults

just my point of view 2cent worth

cheers
Navdeep
 
May 16, 2005
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randip singh said:
2. Sikhism is a non-missionary faith that does not believe in converting other and disrespecting other people beliefs.

i don't really agree with that randip ji... the only reason why you and everyone else, and sikhi are here today, is from the guru's spreadign the message of their guru! Other wise, you'd be a hindu, i would still be JW, and alot of others would be in other religions.

While guru nanak and others have spread our beautiful religion, it was not done by force or trickery like the muslims in their time and by other religions in the past.

Sikhi DOES need to spread, however, we do have to do it in a respectable way - like the guru's did. Its possible, we just need to see the will and realize the potential in the world!

As for missionary's - what is a "missionary"??
 

simpy

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Mar 28, 2006
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randip singh said:
7. Sikh women can and have for last 300 to 400 years taken Sikh congregations wheras Christians still argue about female priests.

With due respect Randip Singh Ji,

If I understand it correctly I think you are trying to say that men and women are treated equally in the Sikh culture.

What are your suggestions on the issue of "Women are not allowed to do Kirtan at Darbaar Sahib, Amritsar".

I have seen a lot of women being mistreated in Sikh(Gurdwara going and AmritDhari) Families. I personally helped quite a few of them, one recent case that I had was of a PHD girl from India, being treated like a slave by her husband and her in-laws for last fifteen years and she eventually had to end up in a shelter, even her parents and brothers did not bother(living in India). What are your thoughts about this.

If we treat women equally, why this is happening?

I know we have few families where women are respected equally, but it is very rare.

It really feels awkward when I see a very well educated sikh girl, financially independent; scared to do anything on her own, scared to make a descision entirely involving her, scared to have a baby girl.
 
May 16, 2005
341
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Vernon, BC Canada
Surinder Kaur Cheema said:
If I understand it correctly I think you are trying to say that men and women are treated equally in the Sikh culture.

What are your suggestions on the issue of "Women are not allowed to do Kirtan at Darbaar Sahib, Amritsar".If we treat women equally, why this is happening?

I know we have few families where women are respected equally, but it is very rare.

Well in the basic and core princaples we are supposed to everyone equal and not go back on it. But then again, are all politicians keep theire word? And do these ppl represent everyone... no. So while these things do happen, it doesn't represent everyon ein the sikh community.
 

Randip Singh

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Bindy_Bains said:
i don't really agree with that randip ji... the only reason why you and everyone else, and sikhi are here today, is from the guru's spreadign the message of their guru! Other wise, you'd be a hindu, i would still be JW, and alot of others would be in other religions.

While guru nanak and others have spread our beautiful religion, it was not done by force or trickery like the muslims in their time and by other religions in the past.

Sikhi DOES need to spread, however, we do have to do it in a respectable way - like the guru's did. Its possible, we just need to see the will and realize the potential in the world!

As for missionary's - what is a "missionary"??

We are not missionaries in the sense we do not actively seek converts or try to put down other religions spiritual paths. When do you see Sikhs going door to door like Jehovas witnesses or Born Again Christians, telling you that you are on the wrong path........never.
 

Randip Singh

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May 25, 2005
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Surinder Kaur Cheema said:
With due respect Randip Singh Ji,

If I understand it correctly I think you are trying to say that men and women are treated equally in the Sikh culture.

What are your suggestions on the issue of "Women are not allowed to do Kirtan at Darbaar Sahib, Amritsar".

I have seen a lot of women being mistreated in Sikh(Gurdwara going and AmritDhari) Families. I personally helped quite a few of them, one recent case that I had was of a PHD girl from India, being treated like a slave by her husband and her in-laws for last fifteen years and she eventually had to end up in a shelter, even her parents and brothers did not bother(living in India). What are your thoughts about this.

If we treat women equally, why this is happening?

I know we have few families where women are respected equally, but it is very rare.

It really feels awkward when I see a very well educated sikh girl, financially independent; scared to do anything on her own, scared to make a descision entirely involving her, scared to have a baby girl.

Sister, I think you are confusing the backward medieval Punjabi Culture, with that of the Universal Forward looking Sikh philosophy.

Although Sikhism speaks out vehemently against all the things you have stated....unfortunately, the backward Punjabi pendu mentality remains. In many respects I think Sikhs have taken a backward step in the last few years because of this "Punjabiat" creeping into Sikhism.:confused:

I think if the SGPC will hold onto Punjabi values rather than Sikh values, then us Sikhs in the west need to break from the SGPC and form our our own Gurudwara Prabhandhak Commitee. :down:
 

simpy

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Mar 28, 2006
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randip singh said:
Sister, I think you are confusing the backward medieval Punjabi Culture, with that of the Universal Forward looking Sikh philosophy.

Although Sikhism speaks out vehemently against all the things you have stated....unfortunately, the backward Punjabi pendu mentality remains. In many respects I think Sikhs have taken a backward step in the last few years because of this "Punjabiat" creeping into Sikhism.:confused:

I think if the SGPC will hold onto Punjabi values rather than Sikh values, then us Sikhs in the west need to break from the SGPC and form our our own Gurudwara Prabhandhak Commitee. :down:


Respected Veer Randip Singh Ji,

I am not confused, I deal with people from all walks of life and culture. And I have found this sense of inequality everywhere.

My concern is, does not matter where you live, in which era, country, place; a Sikh must obey Guru's Word, which is not happening even in total of 5/10% of the SIKH communities (and I mean everywhere).

And Guru's Word is same for every person, every place, and for all the times.

I would like to know if you are aware of a place where it is happening.


This is understandable that where ever you live, the effect of that culture does creep into your mentallity and bahaviour. Effect of media is also projecting a lot of stuff from all over. Unfortunately nothing good is adapted, it is mostly the worst.

There is nothing wrong in all pendu punjabies. You find good and bad both kind, in socalled backward and forward mentality. In my forty years of life, I been in touch with pendu, shehari and desi american, canadian, and europian Sikhs. I have not found much of a difference.

I was ten years old when I actually started thinking about this matter. We were living in Chandigarh, Sector 35. And a couple, who was very actively involved in Gurudwara affairs burnt their daughter-in-law alive in their house. And their maid servant found it out and told the neighbors. The woman was all burnt from feet to the waist. And this girl was a reputed Judge's daughter. And the father in law was a quite rich and forward thinking person, as community thought of him before all this. That instant and all the rest that I have seen in last thirty years just been adding to my list. I have not seen much of a change of attitude in respect of a city, village, country, kind of people. Inequality is there. And it is not been imposed by only men, elderly women are equally responsible for this. And when you talk to these women they say, the society did to them, now they want a revenge. Is not this totally opposite to GURMAT. And I am talking about women who does nitnem as well as who do not, those who are educated as well as uneducated, pendu as well as shehari, Amritdhari as well as non Amritdhari, no exceptions.


It does not help seeing and hearing everything and then keeping your eyes and ears closed. I try to help women, not just Sikhs, any body and everybody. Because this is not just in our culture, it is everywhere.

We say we treat women equally, but actually not. Even after 500 some years of Sikhmat, we are not better than any other faith or community or country or culture. If we are better than others anywhere in this world, I would like to visit that place.

Please forgive me if I hurt anybody's feelings.
 
Jul 30, 2004
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Gurfateh

Das was surprised to see that often in poor Sikh cominuty women hold better postion then say in rich but often reason is that rich may have power to lack education more of Gurmat.

We have seen Bibi Jagerro also as anti female charged of killing own doughter.
 

Randip Singh

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Surinder Kaur Cheema said:
Respected Veer Randip Singh Ji,

I am not confused, I deal with people from all walks of life and culture. And I have found this sense of inequality everywhere.

My concern is, does not matter where you live, in which era, country, place; a Sikh must obey Guru's Word, which is not happening even in total of 5/10% of the SIKH communities (and I mean everywhere).

And Guru's Word is same for every person, every place, and for all the times.

I would like to know if you are aware of a place where it is happening.


This is understandable that where ever you live, the effect of that culture does creep into your mentallity and bahaviour. Effect of media is also projecting a lot of stuff from all over. Unfortunately nothing good is adapted, it is mostly the worst.

There is nothing wrong in all pendu punjabies. You find good and bad both kind, in socalled backward and forward mentality. In my forty years of life, I been in touch with pendu, shehari and desi american, canadian, and europian Sikhs. I have not found much of a difference.

I was ten years old when I actually started thinking about this matter. We were living in Chandigarh, Sector 35. And a couple, who was very actively involved in Gurudwara affairs burnt their daughter-in-law alive in their house. And their maid servant found it out and told the neighbors. The woman was all burnt from feet to the waist. And this girl was a reputed Judge's daughter. And the father in law was a quite rich and forward thinking person, as community thought of him before all this. That instant and all the rest that I have seen in last thirty years just been adding to my list. I have not seen much of a change of attitude in respect of a city, village, country, kind of people. Inequality is there. And it is not been imposed by only men, elderly women are equally responsible for this. And when you talk to these women they say, the society did to them, now they want a revenge. Is not this totally opposite to GURMAT. And I am talking about women who does nitnem as well as who do not, those who are educated as well as uneducated, pendu as well as shehari, Amritdhari as well as non Amritdhari, no exceptions.


It does not help seeing and hearing everything and then keeping your eyes and ears closed. I try to help women, not just Sikhs, any body and everybody. Because this is not just in our culture, it is everywhere.

We say we treat women equally, but actually not. Even after 500 some years of Sikhmat, we are not better than any other faith or community or country or culture. If we are better than others anywhere in this world, I would like to visit that place.

Please forgive me if I hurt anybody's feelings.

I think either way, if you analyse what you have stated, these things go on inspite of Sikhism and NOT because of Sikhism.

In the UK we had demonstartation over a play called Behzti, and many of my white English friends who went to see the play were disgusted by the implication of the play that rape, murder etc happened because of Sikhism.

People pay lip service to Sikhism. They think that by growing their beard long, praying day and night, wiping shoes at the entrance of the Gurudwara, attacking people who eat meat with venom etc etc etc they are Sikhs. This is however wrong.....Sikhism is about code of conduct.

This is what Guru Nanak says about woman:


Page 473
ਮਃ
मः १ ॥
mehlaa 1.
First Mehl:

ਭੰਡਿ ਜੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਨਿੰਮੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਮੰਗਣੁ ਵੀਆਹੁ
भंडि जमीऐ भंडि निमीऐ भंडि मंगणु वीआहु ॥
bhand jammee-ai bhand nimmee-ai bhand mangan vee-aahu.
From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਭੰਡਹੁ ਚਲੈ ਰਾਹੁ
भंडहु होवै दोसती भंडहु चलै राहु ॥
bhandahu hovai dostee bhandahu chalai raahu.
Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come.

ਭੰਡੁ ਮੁਆ ਭੰਡੁ ਭਾਲੀਐ ਭੰਡਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਬੰਧਾਨੁ
भंडु मुआ भंडु भालीऐ भंडि होवै बंधानु ॥
bhand mu-aa bhand bhaalee-ai bhand hovai banDhaan.
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.

ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਮੰਦਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਰਾਜਾਨ
सो किउ मंदा आखीऐ जितु जमहि राजान ॥
so ki-o mandaa aakhee-ai jit jameh raajaan.
So why call her bad? From her, kings are born.

ਭੰਡਹੁ ਹੀ ਭੰਡੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਝੁ ਕੋਇ
भंडहु ही भंडु ऊपजै भंडै बाझु न कोइ ॥
bhandahu hee bhand oopjai bhandai baajh na ko-ay.
From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.

ਨਾਨਕ ਭੰਡੈ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਏਕੋ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ
नानक भंडै बाहरा एको सचा सोइ ॥
naanak bhandai baahraa ayko sachaa so-ay.
O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman.

ਜਿਤੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਸਦਾ ਸਾਲਾਹੀਐ ਭਾਗਾ ਰਤੀ ਚਾਰਿ
जितु मुखि सदा सालाहीऐ भागा रती चारि ॥
jit mukh sadaa salaahee-ai bhaagaa ratee chaar.
That mouth which praises the Lord continually is blessed and beautiful.

ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਊਜਲੇ ਤਿਤੁ ਸਚੈ ਦਰਬਾਰਿ ॥੨॥
नानक ते मुख ऊजले तितु सचै दरबारि ॥२॥
naanak tay mukh oojlay {censored} sachai darbaar. ||2||
O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the Court of the True Lord. ||2||

He goes on to say both are equal as they both have God in them:

Guru Ramdas

Page 605, Line 6
ਸਭਿ ਘਟ ਆਪੇ ਭੋਗਵੈ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਾਰੀ ਪੁਰਖ ਸਭੁ ਸੋਇ ॥
सभि घट आपे भोगवै पिआरा विचि नारी पुरख सभु सोइ ॥
sabh ghat aapay bhogvai pi-aaraa vich naaree purakh sabh so-ay.
The Beloved Himself enjoys every heart; He is contained within every woman and man.
Guru Ram Das
 
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simpy

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Mar 28, 2006
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randip singh said:
People pay lip service to Sikhism. They think that by growing their beard long, praying day and night, wiping shoes at the entrance of the Gurudwara, attacking people who eat meat with venom etc etc etc they are Sikhs. This is however wrong.....Sikhism is about code of conduct.


[/b][/color]

Respected Veer Randip Singh Ji,

All this is happening because most of our preachers are conveying a totally wrong message about Sikhism. Main three reasons for this I have noticed all around the world are-

1. We do not give enough due respect to Bhai Jis. That is stopping any good individual to perform these services. So we end up having most ( not All but Majority) of these people who were not able to do anything else and have choosen this field as their occupation. They themselves are ignorant, what they are going to teach the masses.

Solution(in my opinion): Bhai Jis should be the learned individuals with some spritual advancement of their own(not with the borrowed stories from here and there).

2. We are not educating ourselves, our kids, relatives, and friends well enough about our religion. So many of our people are giving out totally wrong information about Sikhs(by performing bad or uttering incorrect information). And this is hurting our own kids the most, as they are supposed to learn by examle.

Sollution(in my opinion):We as Sikhs should get to the real sources of information. Then share it with others. EDUCATE OTHERS WITH THE CORRECT INFORMATION.

3.Originally what Guru Sahib wanted from a Sikh is not happening at all. A Sikh is supposed to reach out and protect /save/help others fearlessly.

Sollution(in my opinion): We as Sikhs should develop a kind attitude towards others. You do not always need to spend money to help others, spend your time. There are a lot of ways in todays world we can use to save the suffering humanity.
 
May 16, 2005
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Vernon, BC Canada
randip singh said:
We are not missionaries in the sense we do not actively seek converts or try to put down other religions spiritual paths. When do you see Sikhs going door to door like Jehovas witnesses or Born Again Christians, telling you that you are on the wrong path........never.

well there are other forms to bringin in ppl into sikhi... and we should activly seek converts, but in the sense of not putting down other religions as you said, the ppl that should be reached out to is pp lwho don't have a religion and just plain curious ppl, like i was before.

Yes, i don't like how the JW's do that...
 

Randip Singh

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Bindy_Bains said:
well there are other forms to bringin in ppl into sikhi... and we should activly seek converts, but in the sense of not putting down other religions as you said, the ppl that should be reached out to is pp lwho don't have a religion and just plain curious ppl, like i was before.

Yes, i don't like how the JW's do that...

Bindy we are a religion of attraction and not of conversion. Our way of attracting people is by our code of conduct and setting an example.
 
May 16, 2005
341
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38
Vernon, BC Canada
randip singh said:
Bindy we are a religion of attraction and not of conversion. Our way of attracting people is by our code of conduct and setting an example.

Well how can you do that when we stay in only several places in the world...

please do tell me.

My point is, yes we ar not a religion of conversion, however we are a religion o light and truth. We have a wealth of knowledge that we take for granted, most of us. It's a crime that we don't spread it, and give someone out there in the lonely world the same oportunity as we do!

Well, this kind of work, has indeed gotten my attention and passions... however, in the meantime, i will be loking to just dealing with our ppl first.

But i want to eventually shows others the path that i foiund.
 

Randip Singh

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May 25, 2005
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Bindy_Bains said:
Well how can you do that when we stay in only several places in the world...

please do tell me.

My point is, yes we ar not a religion of conversion, however we are a religion o light and truth. We have a wealth of knowledge that we take for granted, most of us. It's a crime that we don't spread it, and give someone out there in the lonely world the same oportunity as we do!

Well, this kind of work, has indeed gotten my attention and passions... however, in the meantime, i will be loking to just dealing with our ppl first.

But i want to eventually shows others the path that i foiund.

We should get involved more in visible professions. Maybe the Media etc.

We should be visible as ambassadors, as scientists, doctors, soldiers, surveyors, in government..............then you tell me why we should not be visible?
 
May 16, 2005
341
11
38
Vernon, BC Canada
randip singh said:
We should get involved more in visible professions. Maybe the Media etc.

We should be visible as ambassadors, as scientists, doctors, soldiers, surveyors, in government..............then you tell me why we should not be visible?

i dunno, ask the uestion to yourself...

Those are the proper ways of giving the message of sikhui - through media, arts, messages and websites.

Seva and basicly jsut reaching out to others is how sikhi is and was spread.

That's the proper way.
 

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