Although i do agree that if there is a method of reaching other people to embrace sikhi we should try our best to use it, that doesn't mean lowering our own standards. i understand your agrument about us reciting gurbani or god's name when for example we don't have our heads covered or are walking down the street, but that doesn't mean that we should promote dancing to gurbani mixed with jungle or other types of modern western music. as the parji who first responded to you said, it is Manmat to physically dance to kirtan not Gurmat. my reasons for this personally are, that firstly, had any of the gurus wanted us to dance to gurbani/kirtan, they themselves would have promoted it, and it would be okay for us to dance in the gurdwara. but it's not. the only thing that i can think of that is related to some sort of dance is in gatka with the pantra, and that was only on the battleield.
my second reason for this is, that as u previously said, where would we draw the line, except this time between simply dancing in god's praise and taking it to a level where it becomes inappropriate?
i also don't agree with what u said about having already left one religion for being too "uptight for humans" and that you would have walked away had u known this about sikhi. Sikhi is about discipline, that is why we have a rehat, it is made clear that we must have discipline in the lives that we live. without this discipline it is impossible to be a true khalsa.
i hope i haven't offended anybody by anything i have said, but i also like the parji before said feel that the point of this forum is to promote Gurmat and not Manmat.
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa! Waheguru ji ki Fateh!
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You make some good points. Gatka is about as lively a dance as you can do and it is not only for the battlefield. It is to be practiced daily so that we may be prepared and in perfect condition if the call should ever come to go into battle. And Bhangra is very good for the physical conditioning and helps the brain function when done properly.
I actually never said we should dance to Gurbani, I said to God's Name. And you are right, we must be conscious and careful about how we present it musically. It should not stimulate the lower nature. Those are conscious choices we make.
I didn't say Sikhi was "too uptight for humans". I was saying that would have been my impression if I didn't know much about it and someone had said that to me.
We can have all the opinions we want, but the reality is this. Many have been brought to the Guru's feet through hearing the Naam played in modern ways on western instruments. It's not theory, it has already happened.
I apologize to everyone for turning this Q&A section into a discussion forum. I thank you for your input, but this should move over to the discussion area after this.
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RE: Music.........Kirtan (04/22/2000)