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Summary of Question:	Regarding Guru Gobindh Singh Ji
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Friday, 2/08/2002 12:08 PM MST

sat sri akal ji,

i was wondering about Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Sikhism is about finding God, and being true and just is it not? What i dont understand is that why Guru Gobind Singh took it apon himself to give the sikh people all these rules, and these strict rehits to follow. I have heard many times that u cannot be a true sikh if u cut your hair, (im not saying i agree or disagree im just bringing it up)but in reality it really shouldnt matter. If we get stuck in all these strict practices, i think somewhere along the way we will lose the path to waheguru. We see it everyday with our youth who are frustrated with Sikhi, and they are our future. They tell me that its too hard, too much pressure, that they just dont care about god. THese people grew up in sikh practising houses ( there parents being amritdharis) what will they teach there children, if they never find god? This is something that disturbs me, I understand that becase Guru Gobind said it, we MUST obey, but Guru Ji is not god. We should focus on telling our youth, first try to be open with Waheguru, then worry about cutting your hair, or not cutting it. All these strict practices ( resembling other worldy religions) are getting us no where. Guru Gobindh Singh ji might have been trying to give people a way to be recongnized as Sikhs, but if you do not have Sikhi in you to begin with, what will be identified??
Thank you

REPLY:
Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fathe.
Sikh has become an 'ism' by way of the Sangat. This is God's Will and we must constantly check our assumptions and tendencies toward rituals and superstitions. You are absolutley right, it is not our place to judge whether someone is a "true" Sikh or not, whether a person is a Sikh (or student)of the Guru is between them and the Guru. It is our job as a Sangat to support eachother on our path to God.
Guru Gobind Singh did more than set up a way of recognizing Sikhs, he has set up guidelines for living that will give any person dicipline, beauty, grace, and that promote spiritual excellence. Dicipline is necessary in the quest to conquer one's mind (Maan jeet tai jag jeet). These guidelines are not set up for us to jugde eachother against but for each of us to use to live up to our highest Excellence. First we must listen (Sunia) to the Guru's teachings, then we must have faith (Manai) in the Guru's teachings. Guru Nanak lays out the steps to liberation in Japji Sahib and the entire Siri Guru Granth Sahib expands on that.
As to whether Guru is God or not, Sikhism teaches that God is Truth. Guru speaks the Truth, shows us the reality, is the path to God but is also the embodiment of God.
It is by God's grace that some find God, and some are led astray. We are all in God's hands. It is our prayer that God will take the youth by the hand and lead them on the path of love of Him.
GSKK