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Summary of Question:	Re: Problem With Sikh Converts.
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Friday, 12/26/2003 3:57 AM MST

Sat Shri Akal,

To my Sikh Brother, you seem to be very misinformed about the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib.

One cannot claim to be a Sikh because they were simply born into a Sikh family, one can only claim to be Sikh their actions reflect the teachings.

You are angry about people who are not of Indian origin converting to Sikhi, yet are ignorant about the Sikhs lives that are being lost through Gurdwara politics, lack of guidance being given to our generation and how much the people who run the Gurdwaras make a show of showing how "Spiritual" they are.

You continually wrote about the purity of race therefore using this logic any one who converts must be impure(?). From this all I can see is that you have been heavily affected by old Brahminal thinking which has no place in a Sikhi. Not then and definitely not now.

People who have converted to Sikhi do so for a variety of reasons.
One of them must be that the teachings touched them so deeply and they have realised that what is taught in the SGGS is so perfect that they decided to follow the path of the Guru, Panch Kakkars and all.

If people wish to convert to Sikhi, why do you wish to stop them? As a Sikh you should help them and if you do not have the strength to do this, then at the very least do not spew out hatred.

May I recommend the following article to counter such people in future.

www.gurbani.org/webart42.htm

I have taken great strength from this when people tell me that I should simply follow protocol and fall into non-Sikh thinking. (eg purity of "race" as was continually being repeated before)

It describes the concept of a swamp, lotus, and frog (Society, Gurmukh, and Manmukh respectively) and describes how they interact with each other.

The lotus (Gurmukh) lives within the swamp (Society) and is not affected by all the dirt that surrounds it as it is totally focused on God, living its life according to the scriptures and will make its accent towards Him.
The frog (Manmukh) on the other hand, will choose to live off the muck in the swamp (Society) and follow all the rituals, superstitions etc... Fuelling his ego, making him an even greater fool then before, and taking him further away from God as these mean nothing to Him.

Please read the Sri Guru Granth Sahib before saying such things, here are a few pages to get you started <!:)

SGGS P324

Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
In the dwelling of the womb, there is no ancestry or social status.
All have originated from the Seed of God. ||1||
Tell me, O Pandit, O religious scholar: since when have you been a Brahmin?
Don`t waste your life by continually claiming to be a Brahmin. ||1||Pause||
If you are indeed a Brahmin, born of a Brahmin mother,
then why didn`t you come by some other way? ||2||
How is it that you are a Brahmin, and I am of a low social status?
How is it that I am formed of blood, and you are made of milk? ||3||
says Kabeer, one who contemplates God,
is said to be a Brahmin among us. ||4||7||

SGGS P472

First Mehl:
All impurity comes from doubt and attachment to duality.
Birth and death are subject to the Command of the Lord`s Will; through His Will we come and go.
Eating and drinking are pure, since the Lord gives nourishment to all.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs, who understand the Lord, are not stained by impurity. ||3||

SGGS P1240

Impurity comes from turning one`s face away from God. ||1||

If you do not have a copy please go to:

www.srigranth.org

for an online copy.

Gur Parshad,

Kamal Singh