Well you've ignored the essence of Sikhism, which is an open, empathetic religion, and chosen to pounce on a technicality about hair.
Religion, what's the point?
- Thread starter TheRedFlag
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Not sure what you mean by this? I think I understand what you're trying to get at, but I haven't twisted anything to suit any agenda, I am trying to give examples as well as proof where I can.
I agree that where mental health is concerned, this can blur the lines. I'll be honest I'm not sure where you would draw the line between vanity and mental health. It always comes down the same principle though, it's your honest thoughts and intentions. I remember I read a case a while back about a Sikh man who was injured in a car accident, and the Hospital staff shaved his chest for the defibrillator. In such a case that wouldn't be considered a bad action for the Sikh, despite the prohibition on hair removal.
Which is why we have evolved to have less hair. It's not that God decided to give us hair, it's that we have evolved this way in accordance with God's will and as such should respect our form. God didn't actively design us to have hair, it's evolution and nature that has shaped us. It's why I said earlier if somewhere along the line we evolved to have minimal hair, the principle remains it's the non-cutting rather than the having that is the key part.
Nah, my point is that it's absurd. We have hair to protect us from cold temperatures not because of a god.
Isn't the case at all really. Women in India dig the proper bearded sikhs with turbans a lot more than the average Hindu bloke. Helps that most sikhs are usually well built and especially incredibly high on self confidence. I've never really met a sikh who's anything but an absolute tornado of self-esteem.
Yeah, it was an ideological reaction to the time it began in. But that people are still stringent followers of the words of dead people is kind of ridiculous.
What does that have to do with my question?
Nope. God had nothing to do with it, it was because those with hair were more likely to survive long enough to go to bone town and have babies.
You asked if low self esteem is a problem for them, when none of them are actually on low self esteem whatsoever due to their hair.
What if their hair is really shit? Like, all oily and patchy and pubescent looking?
No I didn't, my question was nothing to do with hair. It was to do with being born with deformity.
They don't care. They don't understand the concept of being anything but totally awesome. True story.
Not very bleedin' effective, is it?
*shivers*
Well, isn't dying gods will as well and a natural process? Why interrupt that with technology or medicine?
According to Sikhism, hair is beneficial spiritually, and thus it makes sense to respect this aid to us. Alcohol, Pot, Cancer and a burst appendix all represent things that would cause you to regress spiritually, hence as a Sikh you do your best to avoid them. This is the essence of it. I feel I should've mentioned the slanted bit earlier.
That's your personal opinion being projected as fact now. The second part doesn't contradict anything that I said. If the universe proceeds according to God's will, then God has everything to do with it. It's a matter of whether you agree with that notion or not.
Premature death at the expense of a life of truth would be spiritually regressive. The key idea is that hair cutting is prohibited because hair is spiritually useful for a Sikh. That's why we cut our nails despite them being natural too. It's always about practicality first. Killing yourself, Alcohol, Pot, Cancer and a Burst Appendix don't help in that context.
No you're just being scientifically illiterate now. God's will had zero interjection in evolution, otherwise we wouldn't get any of the litany of pointless deformities we do.
They're both made of protein and contain no spiritual matter.
So no relief if you've got elephantiasis of the testicles?
God doesn't have an interjection in evolution. Evolution is proceeding as evolution does, it's Gods will that it is evolution that we are progressing via and not another mechanism. God is not personally orchestrating every outcome of evolution. If a mother chooses to smoke and drink whilst pregnant, and gives birth to a baby with deformities, God isn't to be held responsible. Where there is no obvious cause of deformities, it's most likely the unfortunate genetic profile and environmental mix that have contributed to that. If someone has a deformity we wouldn't say it's God's will we should respect that, we do what we can do make their life as best as possible. See this difference?
Didn't say they do. When you meditate, the prayers you utter vibrate along your hairs. Whilst physically this is negligible, spiritually this amplifies your prayers several fold (According to Sikhism). By the way spiritual matter wouldn't be considered observable, in the same way your soul wouldn't.
Why is it ridiculous? The words of these dead people give them comfort and their lives meaning.
You're emotionally invested in 11 men kicking a ball and spend your spare time chatting to strangers on the internet - isn't that also ridiculous?
I've not problem being drawn up on a technicality. But yes I didn't expect so many people to jump on one matter and attempt to discredit the religion as a whole.
Sure is. But I recognise how stupid it is.
That's not how deformities come about. A rabbid crack addict can have a perfectly healthy baby and a perfectly healthy woman living great environment can give birth to a three legged, cancer ridden baby.
You don't have a soul either.
There's no real difference. You are picking and choosing what to follow, which is fine, as long as there is no pretense otherwise.
That said, Sikhism is probably the best religion out there. It has a lot of the inherent nonsense of other religions without the other batshit crazy parts which people still cling on to.
It's closer to Buddhism in my opinion than the other religions and is quite open minded and accepting of all people which is cool.
Hence: "there is no obvious cause of deformities, it's most likely the unfortunate genetic profile and environmental mix that have contributed to that". Deformities are usually the case of a genetic error(s).
As for the soul part, again it's your personal opinion being stated as fact.
I don't mean to be rude and I've no problem if you don't agree and/or want to criticise Sikhism or religion in general, but I get the feeling you're just looking for a way to put it down. I don't really want to go down that route. I'm more so interested in those who are interested in what we believe, and are open minded in their criticism. I'm not saying you're not open minded, but at the same time you have definitely got a preformed opinion on Sikhism, because it's a religion. Your agenda is prove what I'm saying is BS, as opposed to attempting to determine whether it's plausible or not.
There's a clear distinctive difference. All this started from hair right? So if we believe hair is useful spiritually (and this a Sikh belief by the way I'm not presenting is as a scientific fact), it makes sense to keep it. Everything else that has been mentioned is just attempting to find a contraction whilst ignoring the key essence. It is absolutely about picking and choosing what to follow, because we filter out the stuff that doesn't help us in that context. But there's no contradiction. It's simple, we respect our hair because it's an aid for us. We reject alcohol and the like because they hinder us.
As for the rest, that's your opinion which is fine. But it doesn't hold up for me when you've not given me any examples.
This is the trouble with all religions. They sound good in general but when you get into the details you find that the followers have to tie themselves in knots to explain things. Then they usually just fall back on 'it's god's will' or something.
Ancient religions just don't mesh well with modern knowledge. Which is why you see them get periodic software updates from leaders of the day to cope.
Ancient religions just don't mesh well with modern knowledge. Which is why you see them get periodic software updates from leaders of the day to cope.
And the food at the golden temple is great
It's not picking and choosing, it's just pure fantasy. Hair is there to become erect when it's cold and trap heat - or stop harmful particles entering our nose and eyes. It has no other functions and any spiritual beliefs around it are fictitious.
Equally the trouble with Athiests, is that they look to religions for scientific answers. Sikhism isn't a scientific source, it's a way of life.
In your own personal opinion. Before you ask for scientific evidence, Spiritualism isn't scientifically observable.
Atheists can be a narrow-minded bunch - I'd just let this go.
Like religion, football really isn't stupid but you seem to think so - anyway if you indulge in stupidity why do you care so much when others do?
I'm conviced my uncle's chose to get fully baptised into Sikhism because they were getting bald. Now they can deal with that by rocking a turban full time. Pretty useful attribute.
Aye, in most langars really.And the food at the golden temple is great
I may be starting to sound like I'm trying to undermine other religions or something but religious sikhs usually have come across as ones who genuinely like helping others without any sort of expectation of any kind in return. I dunno, perhaps it's the essence of their faith that is carried down in every generation but it's something that is easy noticeable. Just recently during this whole ATM queue chaos quite a few sikhs in a lot of parts here were offering tea and food to the poor people standing in queues. Sikhs have carried out violence and everything like everyone else but I don't remember much of it being propelled by religious beliefs like in other religions. They are definitely a very united community who always fight for themselves but (as far as I know) not because their religions tells them to. Strictly speaking religion wise they are a peaceful group of people.
Because much like religion, those who run the biggest footballing institutions are money grabbing whores who care more about their pockets than the people involved.
It's not only unscientific, it's also illogical and plain stupid.
Except in the case of Sikhism, this is simply not true. I'd say generosity and service to others is the defining feature of the religion. You'd know this if you actually read @AXVnee7's posts instead of belligerently pouncing on one small feature of the religion.
Some of them in the UK, do Pizza now on weekends. I would've gone a lot more as a kid, if it was on offer back then.And the food at the golden temple is great
Literally mentioned that in my previous post haha. He clearly is clueless about Sikhism.
Yeah, sure, they're the one great religion who isn't at all interested in money.
Donations welcome.
Is it really illogical and plain stupid to suggest the Universe has a creator that sustains it? Or are you still stuck on the hair technicality (which I've explained several times now). Your response to my explanation(s) is that it's just fantasy...
Either way I guess we will have to agree, to disagree.