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If There Is A God

namritanevaeh

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Oct 14, 2012
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I posted this elsewhere the other day...just things I would enjoy discussing...

If there is a god… (Philosophical musings)



Things I don’t understand:

If god created the earth AND the heavens and universe, and things that are “on the ground” for me in Canada are on “the top of the world” for someone right around the globe for me, and there’s no true “up or down” in space, why should it be wrong to put a gutka or religious book such as ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ on the “ground”??

Did god create feet to be dirtier than hands? Why is it a sign of respect to touch someone’s feet with your forehead or kiss their feet, but disrespectful to put your feet facing the ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ? And what of the idea of the people who go about in the shoe room at the gurdwara dusting them and touching them…to get the knowledge of their wearers symbolically?

Are bacteria weaker than we are because we are bigger and we think we can fool them? Or are they stronger, more powerful, and therefore superior to us because a single teaspoon of them could sometimes kill us? Why the fear of bacteria in food or with the idea of washing your hands before praying or eating but do you wash your money (which has a LOT of bacteria typically on it!!) before putting in the slot for donations at the gurdwara? If you don't wash your money right before doing so, doesn't the fact that you washed your hands before manipulating contaminated money kind if seem rather like a useless ritual in the end?

(All this being said I personally think bacteria are absolutely necessary and mostly beneficial, because if we tried to live in a sterile world we would be sicker not healthier).

I have more but I’ll think some on it…

questions
 

Harry Haller

Panga Master
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Jan 31, 2011
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Allow me to give my pragmatic reasons

If god created the earth AND the heavens and universe, and things that are “on the ground” for me in Canada are on “the top of the world” for someone right around the globe for me, and there’s no true “up or down” in space, why should it be wrong to put a gutka or religious book such as ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ on the “ground”??

someone might kick it, it might get dirty, it is interesting to note that the ground is not up or down, if you were to do a loop the loop on child's electric car track, the car is still on the ground even though it is upside down..

Did god create feet to be dirtier than hands? Why is it a sign of respect to touch someone’s feet with your forehead or kiss their feet, but disrespectful to put your feet facing the ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਜੀ? And what of the idea of the people who go about in the shoe room at the gurdwara dusting them and touching them…to get the knowledge of their wearers symbolically?

There is a Sakhi that involves Guru Nanakji pointing his feet, and pointing out that God is everywhere, so I will leave you to draw your own conclusions as to whether these actions are Gurmatt or not, that is a right we all have, which we can practice without making others feel they are wrong, after all, we are all on a journey, learning, unlearning and learning (c) TM

Are bacteria weaker than we are because we are bigger and we think we can fool them? Or are they stronger, more powerful, and therefore superior to us because a single teaspoon of them could sometimes kill us? Why the fear of bacteria in food or with the idea of washing your hands before praying or eating but do you wash your money (which has a LOT of bacteria typically on it!!) before putting in the slot for donations at the gurdwara? If you don't wash your money right before doing so, doesn't the fact that you washed your hands before manipulating contaminated money kind if seem rather like a useless ritual in the end?

Pragmatically, I think this is just to freshen one self up before entering an area where the word of God is being read.

I have more but I’ll think some on it…

please do, posts like this dispel a lot of myths and help explain where Sikhism is at present.
 

Harkiran Kaur

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Jul 20, 2012
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I thought touching feet of elders was just a cultural thing as a sign of respect, and nothing to do with religion? It's like making a statement that you are elevating them above you or humbling yourself because you recognize all the wisdom and life experience they have over you?? I don't think it's a religious thing at all or thought of as such.
 

Ishna

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May 9, 2006
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Touching the dust of the feet of saints to the forehead is a custom I see occurring at the Gurdwara all the time. Devotees touch the floor at the door or Darbar Sahib and then touch their foreheads. They touch the steps up to Gurdwara Sahib\Darbar Sahib and do the same.

But I'm with Harkiran Ji, where touching the feet of elders (or people you respect, like your parents and grandparents) is a cultural activity to mark respect.

Regards to having the soles of your feet facing Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, I figure it wouldn't be a very pleasant sight for Guru Sahib to look at the soles of the devotees' feet.
 

Tejwant Singh

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I think you guys are confusing ,matha tekna in front of SGGS, our only Guru, and touching the feet of an elder although the former is used for the latter in the written language. Touching feet of one's elders is a sign of respect in a patriarchal hierarchy (patriarchal hierarchy, good or bad would be a new thread) to learn from them whether they have gained wisdom or not with age is the discussion for another thread as well.
 

Tejwant Singh

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Confusing between 'Matha Tekna' and 'Touching the feet'. The former is when one's forehead touches the floor as in Gurdwaras where as the latter is for the elders as a sign of respect.
 

namritanevaeh

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Oct 14, 2012
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Regards to having the soles of your feet facing Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, I figure it wouldn't be a very pleasant sight for Guru Sahib to look at the soles of the devotees' feet.

With all the other bad things that do go on in today's world, and could go on, I personally couldn't imagine a god/guru whatever you want to call it, him, her...that really cares what the soles of our feet (that they presumably created?) look like...not when they could also be looking at people fighting or whatever.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses, it's interesting reading them. :)
 

Jasdeep118

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Dec 4, 2015
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Touching the dust of the feet of saints to the forehead is a custom I see occurring at the Gurdwara all the time. Devotees touch the floor at the door or Darbar Sahib and then touch their foreheads. They touch the steps up to Gurdwara Sahib\Darbar Sahib and do the same.

But I'm with Harkiran Ji, where touching the feet of elders (or people you respect, like your parents and grandparents) is a cultural activity to mark respect.

Regards to having the soles of your feet facing Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, I figure it wouldn't be a very pleasant sight for Guru Sahib to look at the soles of the devotees' feet.
I do that as well when I go to gurdwara, I just copy my parents.
 

Ishna

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May 9, 2006
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With all the other bad things that do go on in today's world, and could go on, I personally couldn't imagine a god/guru whatever you want to call it, him, her...that really cares what the soles of our feet (that they presumably created?) look like...not when they could also be looking at people fighting or whatever.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses, it's interesting reading them. :)

Oh no, sorry I wasn't clear. I meant the actual human Gurus sitting in Darbar Sahib.

However, I do believe the same 'no feet pointing' custom is observed in Islam with regard to the ka'baa.

Most likely, a cultural habit.
 

Ishna

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May 9, 2006
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I do that as well when I go to gurdwara, I just copy my parents.

Can you ask your parents why they do it? It would be good for you to know why you are doing something, or else it is just a hollow ritual to you, which Guru Sahib warns us against.

Also, I'd love to know why they do it :)
 

chazSingh

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Feb 20, 2012
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With all the other bad things that do go on in today's world, and could go on, I personally couldn't imagine a god/guru whatever you want to call it, him, her...that really cares what the soles of our feet (that they presumably created?) look like...not when they could also be looking at people fighting or whatever.

Thank you everyone for your thoughtful responses, it's interesting reading them. :)

great post ji,

point your feet in any direction...nothing is really dirty and nothing is really clean...all is waheguru...
that being said...i never feel comfortable pointing my feet at anyone or anything...whether it's ok or not, i get a weird feeling whilst doing it

cleaning shoes at gurdwara...to gain knowledge? i've never heard of this...
cleaning shoes is a sure way to kill ones ego and propel you closer to waheguru like nothing else...
cleaning shoes whilst friends and family look on you like "what the hell is he doing"...and you battle your own mind (ego) which tells you "you're embarassaing yourself, stop cleaning shoes...your better than that, everyones looking at you"

makes you humble...

Don;t think waheguru cares about seeing your feet...He's within you, and within everything else...where can He not be, and what can He not see...He is the one pointing the feet and he is the one looking at them...what matters is your thoughts, your deeds, your actions...keep them clean...fight the corrupt mind.

good questions...keep asking them :)
 

swarn bains

Poet
SPNer
Apr 8, 2012
774
187
there are two word: God and god. first you have to learn the difference between the two . any one can put a question, but to answer is something else. in my opinion; you sir do not understand what the spiritual system talks about. You should raise a question with conscious or the eternal commitment. that can happen if you are spiritually inclined or something else. you have to know your own state of mind to raise a serious question. explain your own state of mind and then we will talk
secondly you say you are in Canada and you are on top of the world. why do you need to know anything if you are already there. next point i have is that i visited Canada more times than you. I did not find it to be the top of the universe or the world except cold. Answer this and i will tell u how many times i visited Canada.
i will answer all of your questions if you are capable of understanding what sggs talks about and touching someone's feet etc. will wait.
 
Last edited:

namritanevaeh

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Oct 14, 2012
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Surrey, Canada
Thanks!! :)


great post ji,

point your feet in any direction...nothing is really dirty and nothing is really clean...all is waheguru...
that being said...i never feel comfortable pointing my feet at anyone or anything...whether it's ok or not, i get a weird feeling whilst doing it

cleaning shoes at gurdwara...to gain knowledge? i've never heard of this...
cleaning shoes is a sure way to kill ones ego and propel you closer to waheguru like nothing else...
cleaning shoes whilst friends and family look on you like "what the hell is he doing"...and you battle your own mind (ego) which tells you "you're embarassaing yourself, stop cleaning shoes...your better than that, everyones looking at you"

makes you humble...

Don;t think waheguru cares about seeing your feet...He's within you, and within everything else...where can He not be, and what can He not see...He is the one pointing the feet and he is the one looking at them...what matters is your thoughts, your deeds, your actions...keep them clean...fight the corrupt mind.

good questions...keep asking them :)
j
 

namritanevaeh

Writer
SPNer
Oct 14, 2012
220
303
Surrey, Canada
Wow. You know, I hope it wasn't meant this way but your post struck me as very uppity/snobbish/(egotistical).

If you want to tell me what your purported difference between god and God is, go ahead. Personally, typing on an iPhone, capitalization sometimes goes out the window. Additionally, I kind of like the fact that Gurmukhi itself doesn't use capitals or lower case, as I can find them tedious at times.

there are two word: God and god. first you have to learn the difference between the two . any one can put a question, but to answer is something else. in my opinion; you sir do not understand what the spiritual system talks about. You should raise a question with conscious or the eternal commitment. that can happen if you are spiritually inclined or something else. you have to know your own state of mind to raise a serious question. explain your own state of mind and then we will talk
secondly you say you are in Canada and you are on top of the world. why do you need to know anything if you are already there. next point i have is that i visited Canada more times than you. I did not find it to be the top of the universe or the world except cold. Answer this and i will tell u how many times i visited Canada.
i will answer all of your questions if you are capable of understanding what sggs talks about and touching someone's feet etc. will wait.

I'm not sure what you mean by explaining my state of mind. I feel that I am quite spiritual, though I am not super religious.

By top of the world/Canada I thought it was pretty clear I meant in comparison to somewhere like say Australia, being on the complete other side...but also said it's obvious in space there is no "up or down" really.

Anyhow, I hope you were attempting to be humourous but I personally didn't read it that way.
 

swarn bains

Poet
SPNer
Apr 8, 2012
774
187
if you were spiritual, your question would be: how do i pray to God. how do it proceed further. it is all with humility to know something. simply saying that i am spiritual does not make one spiritual. In the west where you live the code of conduct which were born with and lost with time is called the spirituality. In the east the spirituality is the trial and process and practice with love and devotion to unit with the master is called spirituality.
i was not humorous because the way you put your question indicated that you are thinking the way the westerns think. that is what felt and that is why i was harsh to answer your question. sorry for any wrong feelings if i created as such
 

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