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Summary of Question:	Young Sikh/Girl
Category:	Other
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 3/22/2005 11:07 AM MDT

hey...i have quite a few qusetions i wanted to ask you

but first of all i wanted to say this is such a great site and i have learnt so much about my religion than i ever new....
here are my questions
1.my auntie died...she has a daughter who is my age...and i went to the funeral which is the saddest thing ive ever seen...why does god take lifes...i understand about the elderly...but mothers,fathers,children ?

2.Why is sikhism so strict for...im 15 and i have my belly button pierced and i wax my body hairs...because i feel better about my self and what god has given me...if we are not supposed to cut our hair as it is natural...why do we have to cut our nails ?

3.and most of our parents say muslims are bad...and us jatts are the best...they are older then us and are supposed to teach us that every one is equal...how come older sikhs feel this way...that they are better then another life...dont u think because sikhism is so old it has got a few things wrong and should be changed a bit ?

...and im really sorry if anything i have said is found offencive...i pray and believe in god no matter what...but i seem 2 b braking the rules abit but it doesnt feel like a sin...its not like im hurting any one


xx thank you xx

(REPLY) Sat Nam. Well, let's take your questions one at a time. First: Everything comes from God, and everything shall return to God, including us! Ideally we have paid off our karma, and then we don't have to remain on Earth any longer, and can go HOME to God! It is sad for those who are left behind, but usually when a young person dies, that soul was pure enough to only have to stay on Earth a short time. Life on Earth is a school, and one of the hardest lessons to learn is to love our family, but not to be "attached" to them, knowing that that everyone already belongs to God. It is natural and human to mourn, but at the same time, we need to rejoice and pray as we chant AKAL, that that soul has completed its journey Home to God.
(Second Question: Just yesterday or the day before on this site, someone answered about why we cut nails (they die and fall off anyway if we don't) so you might research on this site and read the full explanation. As for waxing your body and piercing your navel, I am sorry to tell you that you are not doing yourself any good, you are catering to "fashion" instead of thinking about the Guru's instructions about not altering the body. Hair has a valuable physiological function and the navel is a very sensitive area where 72,000 nerve endings are gathered. Our Guru knew what He was doing when he gave instructions to not alter the body, and to keep hair! Most Sikhs who follow the Rehit Maryada (code of conduct) may not know the scientific reason for it, and just follow on faith, which is great, but I think it also helps to know there is reason behind it! As for feeling "good" about yourself, well, I wonder whether your soul feels good about what you're doing?
THIRD: I am sorry to say that as well meaning as the older generation may be, they are not correct to say all Muslims are bad, and certainly not right to claim that ANY "caste" is better than another. Unfortunately, these cultural traditions that separated people and in some instances led to religious wars absolutely have to end! Our Gurus taught that we should respect all people, and we need to understand that God lives and breathes in everyone! Which doesn't mean that we are all "alike." Probably your parents want you to take pride in being who you are, but they have not taken the next step, which you obviously have. You belong to a generation that belongs to the Aquarian Age, in which, God willing, people will learn to live in harmony. (Don't take this as encouragement to marry a non-Sikh ! Again, there are practical obvious reasons for maintaining your Sikh heritage so you can pass it along to your children. We, as Sikhs, have been given a precious, sacred gift, our Shabd Guru! As guardians of this treasure we want to keep all its sacred wisdom and inspiration intact so that future generations may be blessed.
Finally, The only thing that needs to be changed about Sikhism is our failure to understand and apply its principles without being lazy or fanatic! The only person you are hurting by breaking "rules" is yourself, and you have a right to do that, but ultimately, I hope you will reconsider and think about who you REALLY are ---- a divine , immortal soul, temporarily here on EArth! You are "SAT NAM." (Truth Identified) Blessings, SP