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Summary of Question:	Truthfully
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Thursday, 5/23/2002 6:29 AM MDT

I have just read you reply to the question should I cut my hair? I agree with the remarks you made about identity. However, I have never cut my hair and doubt I ever will but I do not believe that such a small detail will effect a persons belief. Truthfully I believe that it is based on the person inside and how we feel in ourselves. A person can smoke drink and have short hair but if they believe in good and a true God then what crime have they committed? I have been blessed with a strong family who believe that each person has a role to play. My parents are very supportive and are religious yet they still believe in freedom of speech and expression and they believe in discussing and helping each other through.

I would like to know how one single person can answer questions personally with not fully understanding the circumstances?

(REPLY) You are quite right, "without fully understanding the circumstances" all we can do, who engage in this Discussion Forum, is to provide our best responses, based on what we have learned, what we know and what we have experienced and therefore understand. I don't think anyone claims that we are the ultimate authority. However, you are throwing in a lot of mixed messages in your statement above. Free speech? of course! That's what this forum is! Are you recommending that we discontinue posting questions ? As for people being "good" on the inside and smoking and drinking, well, I can say authoritatively (!) that they are polluted physically on the inside! And that's simple common sense. Smoking has been proved to cause Cancer. Alcohol dulls the brain and can destroy the liver. So, whether we want to believe it or not, our Guru gave us a code of conduct to follow, not to restrict us, but to help us to live as healthy, happy , and fulfilled human beings, remembering God so that we can finish our lives in dignity and grace -- and when we leave, go Home to Akal Purkh. Keeping hair is one of the ways we remind ourselves of our commitment to the Guru. (I guess I don't dare mention the physical benefits, the energy that our "antennae" provide.) We all are free to believe whatever we want to believe. And on this forum, that's what we share. Blessings to you! SP