Previous

Next

Ask a Question

Summary of Question:	Marry Some One Who Has Same Last Name
Category:	Love & Marriage
Date Posted:	Saturday, 3/29/2003 1:24 AM MDT

I am interested in some girl but she has the same last name as me. Its a jatt last name, we are not even distant distant cousins, but i belive my family is against this and i know it is a taboo in our community. I am not sure how this girl feels but I would just like to know your general belief on this.

(REPLY) Sat Nam. You ask about our "general belief." Well, it sounds stupid to me, since you are not blood relatives at all. Taboos in communities usually come from antiquated customs that are not based on the teachings of our Gurus, but on cultural bias and prejudice. It is time to separate ignorant cultural practices from legitimate Sikh teachings. Perhaps many years ago, people with the same last name would have been related, and should not therefore marry, because the children from such "inbreeding" usually suffered from various handicaps. But this is not the case with you, so what difference does it make? Other than God's Name, as Shakespeare said, "What's in a Name?" (Remember, last names used to indicate the caste of the person, but our Guru tried to eliminate that divisive, prejudiced separation among people, teaching us that all are equal.) Blessings, SP