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Summary of Question:	Re: Amritdhari's
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Wednesday, 1/22/2003 2:51 AM MST

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa

Waheguru JI Ki Fateh

First of all, i thank all the Sikhnet people for doing this incredible seva for youth. i have learned a lot about Sikhi from this Youth Forum.

Dear Khalsa Ji, this is not a question, but a response the answer given to a previously asked question. i hope you will pay attention to it.

On 11/12/2002, this question and answer was posted on the forum and i have to say something on the answer given. The title of the question is "Amritdhari's" and here is the question and answer:
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is it wrong 4 amritdhari(gurmukh) sikhs 2 go clubbing and pubbing as long as they don't drink or do anything wrong. coz i find it offensive but others i know, think nothing wrong of it. am i a sinner 4 judging them?

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Sat Siri Akal.

It is fine for Amritdhari Sikhs to go clubbing with friends as long as they don't drink, smoke, use intoxicants or behave in sexually inappropriate ways and as long as they are wearing their five K's. The order of the Khalsa, as given by Guru Gobind Singh, was to create a group of people who were willing to remain pure in an impure world. The purity of the Khalsa comes from inside him or her and is not dependent on what environment he or she is in.

Amritdhari Sikhs can just be in life and have fun with their friends without comrpromising their values one little bit.

Hope this answers your questions.

All love,

GPK

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Dear Khalsa ji, please don't mind, but i have to say something about the answer given. i hope you will forgive me for this. According to you it is OK to go to clubbing as long as you don't drink and smoke. But when we look at the environment in the club, we see that people are drinking all over the place, they are smoking tobacoo and the air is full of tobaccoo smoke. Lets say Amritdhari Gursikh does not drink or smoke, but how can he or she avoid second hand smoke, which is as extremely dangerous??? how can Amritdhari Sikh avoid breating in that air which is full of smoke and the smell of liquor and beer. Dear Khalsa ji please dont take me wrong please.

One day Guru Gobind Singh Ji was riding a horse and suddenly Neela (Guru Ji's horse) stopped. Guru ji tried a lot to make him move, but the horse won't move. Later on then Guru Ji found out that there is a tobaccoo field in the front.

This sakhi teaches us a lot. Guru Ji's hourse could go through the tobacoo field because he was not going to eat it. But Neela did not even put his foot in the field. I think it is enough for us to know to answer the question asked above. Why to go to a club where tobacoo is smoked even if you are not going to do it urself. I thing Guru Ji's house is siana than us and took a very deliberate decision. We should learn from Neela. Every Gursikh needs to be Neela in order to earn Guru Ji's blessings. You know its gonna be smoking in the blub, you know people will be drinking in the club, you know they gonna be involved in some kind of sexual activity in the club, all in all you know eveything. but why not to avoid it just like Neela did.

And second thing, I think we should not go to a place where Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji refuses to go. And ask ourselves, would Guru Gobind Singh Ji go with us to that club????? If our response is Yes, then you can go. If the answer is No, then it is ur personal decision and do what u think is right. Remember, wherever a Sikh goes, Guru goes with him/her because a Gursikh is an image of Guru and it is not allowed in Sikh to pollute that image.

And second this is said about living pure in impure world. Dear Khalsa ji, i understand that if you have very very very high and strong spirit then you can keep you mind clear from all the sexual activities taking place in the club, BUT HOW CAN YOU KEEP URSELF FROM BREATING IN THAT PULLUTED ENVIRONMENT??? or u will take an oxygen cylinder with you in that club???

if we are walking on the street and we see someone coming in the front smoking, we tend to avoid the second hand smoke by changing our way or stop breath momentarily, etc. etc. so the point is avoiding second hand smoke. secondly, if someone is behind us smoking and we dont know that and when that person passes us and we smell smoke, then we feel bad because it happened accidently. and there is no way to avoid it cuz no control over it and noting is wrong with it.
But in clubbing, you will be inhaling second hand smoke and polluted air with smoke and liquor (when drunk people exhale) intentionally and you will call this enjoyment. Dear Khalsa Ji i am not trying to contradict your response. i am only expressing my views on this according to how i view it in the light of Sikhi. So moral of the story is: a Gursikh should not go clubbing. go to Gurdwara and it will be hard at first but later on slowly slowly you will find much more enjoyment in it than clubbing and this enjoyment will turn out to be everlasting, not temporary like clubbing.

so please forgive me for expressing my views on ur response. and i hope you will post this message.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

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Thank you for your opinions. It is good to have different views expressed on the student forum. We moderators don't pretend to have all the "right" answers all the time for everyone. We only try to give you something to think about. It is up to you to make up your own mind about what is best for you, according to your own consciousness. I personally wouldn't go clubbing for the reasons you gave...and I have other ways of socializing with friends...but I think the answer given is also true...mainly, it is possible to maintain your Sikh Rehit while socializing with others who do not follow the it. It is then up to us to decide how we are affected by being with those who are not following a lifestyle we are. The Guru talks about the "company of the holy." I personally feel better when I am with others who are also practicing my lifestyle. On the other hand, we are in the world with people who 99% don't live a disciplined life. The people we work with usually don't either. We have to go to work, right? So, the point is, we have to be committed to our convictions and live them to the best we can, as hard as it is to maintain, in this crazy world in which we live.

Keep sharing and giving your opinions. It makes the forum more fun and interesting. GTKK