Previous
Next
Ask a Question| Previous | Next | Ask a Question |
| Summary of Question: | Why Many Youths Are Becoming Apostates ? |
| Category: | General Sikhism |
| Date Posted: | Saturday, 12/09/2000 8:59 AM MST |
my question is " why r many youths becoming "patits" or apoststes these days.
in the last 3 years of my college life , i have seen many of my sikh friend s cutting their hair , trimming thier beards , smoking, etc.
seeing them , even i have been tempted to do so,.
but to prevent myself from going intheir steps,i got myselgf baptised.
hope it was the correct thing to do, than following my mind,
even then i have often wondered what exactly prompts today's youth's to take this extreme step . please take a survey and tell me. alos advice me how i can dissuade my friends .
hope to hear from u soon.
thanx.
***********
REPLY
***********
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa!
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
A spiritual path is not easy to follow. The lure of maya is strong. While you are seeing a lot of your friends drift away from conscious living, I am seeing a lot of people who are seeking answers, who are seeking knowledge of how to live consciously. Life flows in all directions.
One reason a lot of people abandon the Sikh path is that they have not connected to it as a spiritual practice. They have only experienced it as a cultural practice. Many people, from all countries and religions, find it difficult to continue the cultural traditions of their parents when the culture of maya is so much more alluring. Moving to a foreign country makes it even more difficult to continue "outmoded" customs and traditions.
You have been blessed to receive the Amrit of the Guru. The best help you can give your friends is to live the teachings of the Guru and live with the grace and courage of the Khalsa. If you maintain your grace in all situations and face life's challenges with courage, your friends and people you meet will naturally inquire as to how you live. In some cases, with close friends it may be appropriate to confront them directly. If you see that they are making bad decisions, confront them and make sure they understand what they are doing and why they are doing it. Often times, the best you can do is to encourage the best in your friends, never judge them and always be a source of upliftment.
May the Guru guide you and make you a beacon of inspiration.
Humbly,
Mangala Sadhu Sangeet Singh Khalsa
Why Many Youths Are Becoming Apostates ? (12/09/2000)