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Summary of Question:	Marring Out Of Religion
Category:	Love & Marriage
Date Posted:	Monday, 1/15/2001 2:44 PM MST

Hi,

I am a student, and i am nearly 24 yrs old. I think quite deep about religion and every day life, i can be quite an emotional person.

I'm not the sort of guy to get involved with a woman, just for the sake of it. I always think ahead of what i am doing, basically i have met a girl and we really get on well and share similar attitudes and intrests. The only thing stopping me taking it further is that i am SIKH and she is HINDU PUNJABI, if i was to get involved now, would to me, mean possible marriage. As my parents want me to get married soon. They would not be happy me marring out of religion or caste. Also I don't want to leave marriage too late, as I want to see my kids grow up.

How does our religion see a SIKH marrying someone that is not SIKH??? Does she have to be SIKH

The other thing on my mind is that any kids I have in the future would not have a TRUE IDENITY, what do you think about this???

At the moment i'm being strong, and holding back from phoning or meeting up as otherwise i don't want both of us to get attached and involved. I don't want to hurt her. Any advice will be helpful and your answers to the questions above.

Can you plaese e-mail me your reply
Thankyou!!!
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reply
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Greetings to you in the Name of God the light of every soul and in the Name of Guru the life of every Sikh.

You are so wise to take the position that you hold.

According to the Sikh faith, marriage is a sacred union between husband and wife to acheive the goal of human life together, with each other's help and support. The husband and wife seek to have one mind and one goal to achieve success in their lives.

The Sikh perspective is as follows:
When you marry you become one SOUL in two bodies. The goal of your human life is to realize truth and live in God consciousness. The Sikh way of life is based on fulfilling your spiritual life as a householder. Being a husband and father and living your faith with your spouse and teaching it to your children is the path. Your spouse is your companion, a support and the life partner to living this path of "truth". This mutual dependence, understanding and interelationship between the two is a deep committment and more than a passing attraction. They should think and act as a unit. It is best for a Sikh to marry only a Sikh.

If a Sikh marries someone who is not from a Sikh family, they should be assured before marriage that the non Sikh spouse will voluntarily live like a Sikh beleive in the Sikh faith and teach the children to follow the Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Marriage is a challenge and an expansion in every way. You are multiplying your level of difficulty by choosing a partner of a differect faith. This is not a judgement of another's faith. This is a reality based on the difference of your perpsectives. This may be subtle now, yet subtleties have a way of becoming quite large after marriage.

God bless you and keep up with your devotion and surrender to your faith in Wahe Guru.