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Summary of Question:	The 'Caste System'.
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Friday, 6/07/2002 2:46 PM MDT

I just wanted to point out my beliefs on the caste sysytem.......I think its really SAD...I totally disagree with the caste system and I can't believe that our parents, and their parents have to continuously resort to such unethical 'teachings'.

Our religion teachs that CASTE IS WRONG! I'm only young, but when I'm much older, and maybe married with kids, I will teach them equality, regardless of what my parents think......if anyone out there is in love with someone 'out of caste', stop and think....why should you hesitate to persue your dreams of being with someone you love? All because your parents think its wrong? If he/she is SIKH, thats all that matters. If we could just spread the word a bit, about the wrongs of caste, then one day in the future, it will be history. It should be 'history' today, but if it don't happen in our lifetime, our children at least will benefit from it....
..if anyone asks you what caste you are when they first meet you, tell them you have no caste,...we were all given the names 'Kaur' and 'Singh' for a reason....sikhs should beleive in equality........its what OUR religion teaches. I'm not sayin that people who belive in the caste system are sinners, I'm just pointing out the fact that caste is out dated and is a left over of old Hindu tradition.......when I say old, I mean OLD!
My sister in law is 'Jatti' and my brother is 'dakhaan'.....I respect my sister in law as if she were my real sister,........ocupation has nothing to do with it.......
I know what to say to other sikhs when they criticise my family because of our caste......."it's wrong......" but how can you make your point without causing things to go out of hand?
This is to all the other young sikhs out there, "we all worship in a gurdwara......and belive the same thing....Ik Onkar......so whats the difference?
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa...
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

(Reply)
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh

Thank you for this beautiful and passionate post. I feel that your commitment to a life without prejudice is admirable, and I greatly respect your lack of judgment of your parents and others who still may be attached to the concept of a caste system as a way in which to create a divide between "us" and "them".

You mention that all Sikhs believe in 'Ik Onkar', and thus we should not be concerned with our divisions. Ik Onkar could be translated as "There is only one God". Or as Guruka Singh's recent translation of Japji states, one could translate Ik Onkar as "We are One with God." Either way, the concept of Ik Onkar extends to the entire creation; all people, beings and objects are Waheguru and Waheguru alone.

It is a worthy and difficult task to focus on repairing the divisions that the Sikh community currently suffers from. However, you may want to extend your view of Ik Onkar to see all people, Sikh or not, as true brothers and sisters, despite their different belief systems.

Sat Nam

Dharam Singh