Shasterkovich

Apart from hashish containing impurities like car tyre, droppings and shoe polish, probably the most harmful thing is to regard the use of cannabis as "recreational". This is a powerful plant - not to be messed with. And it is a big deal - the effect on meditation and awareness is substantial (if you have potent stuff). Surprised that you attach no significance to it.

Ordinary human consciousness is a fragile edifice. BUT WHAT COLOUR IS THE TAPESTRY OF LIFE ??? Can the amritdhari answer this question? Can the mona answer this question?

"in some cases bongs and other paraphernalia" These are presumably worse than indecent intimacy and tobacco? For obvious reasons, it's true to say that tobacco is a nasty, addictive and evil substance. How can a bong be worse? Why is a vaporiser a bad thing to a khalsa Sikh? Would a pestle-and-mortar count as paraphernalia? If it's not the paraphernalia but the substance, is weed bad? How about ganja/skunk (flowering tops)? I'd be interested to know roughly what proportion of monay toke up (i.e. burn up/smoke), and how this sort of activity is regarded among them (i.e. whether it's considered a shameful thing or no big deal). Would an amritdhari khalsa Sikh keep matches in his house (for emergencies, lighting up the cooker, etc)? How about an ordinary lighter? Sometimes the questions are more interesting than the answers. Funny boundaries set by people for others.

I did'nt get that from Google. I got it from a real-life Gosain.

It's a nice response, but the fundamental inconsistency in this argument is that it's false to try to do away with the science of logic on the basis of logical reasoning. The truisms that allegedly proved to be fallacies (the examples given are those of time or light travelling in a straight line, whatever that means) proved to be fallacies not because the science of logic was wrong, but rather because the postulates on which the theories were based were false. Inconsistencies are very important, when it comes to ascertaining the truth of a series of representations from the same source on the same subject.

Example: Vietnam war. US soldiers (mostly conscripted youths), not properly conditioned for the realities of this type of war, took to using diamorphine (heroin) regularly in Vietnam. This stuff papered over the cracks so that they could continue to function as soldiers and fight in the field as directed. When they returned to the States, they simply stopped using heroin (which is normally an addictive substance), without experiencing any particular difficulty giving up. This was possible because it was according to dharam for them simply to fight as ordinary soldiers in Vietnam, and anything they took to help them to do that would have had an almost negligible harmful effect. Hence it's OK to do drugs if thereby a greater good is served.

An act in liberated consciousness: to take a substance voluntarily, to change your mind to achieve a dharmik object. An act in enslaved oblivion: to be directed by one's mind to take a substance, because of dislike of a present mental state.

I'm older than you are and I have more education as well as experience in life than you. I can appreciate that you may have certain limitations in your capacity to express yourself using the written medium, but I would urge you to try anyway. Treat this as a form of exercise, to help you move along on your road to coherence. I would'nt rely on emoticons too much if I were you. Not everyone would agree that your emotional responses are typical of a rational, well-adjusted and balanced human being. But don't let that bother you - you're in good company here. I know your game, sonny.

:roll: To confirm what?

Have you considered that these figures (if accurate) are most likely to reflect cultural norms in immigrant communities rather than religious norms? For instance, a 3rd generation someone I know has a mother with 4 brothers and 1 sister, and a father with 3 brothers and 3 brothers. While he himself has only one sibling. The cultural habit of having many children can be seen not to survive even one or two generations in UK immigrant families. Therefore, the projections and extrapolations you have come up with are based on the false premise that Muslims will continue to multiply at a rate much higher than the indigenous population.

Would you be kind enough to explain it, whatever it is?

Yeah? "The HUT and other Muslim groups have said that they aim to make FRANCE, an ISLAMIC REPUBLIC by the year 2015 and Britain by 2025 through CONVERSIONS, IMMIGRATION and high MUSLIM BIRTH RATES." If you're taking crap like this seriously, then there is something seriously wrong with you.

I guess that means "yes".

Perhaps you would call those type of dumalla shasters "sher mukhia"?

Iron that's a beautiful shaster.

I am nothing but a humble learner of Guru Sahib Ji. Please don't jump to conclusions. What are your thoughts on the kung fu teacher who seems to not like shasterdhari Sikhs?

Dynamic, could you show a pic of that sort of dumalla shaster?

I suppose you're right Nihal. The only annoying thing is that others with similar insecurities (skinheads and neo-Nazis - literally) go and learn wing chun kung fu from him. Probably, the Chinese community would be mad with him if they knew he was teaching people like that. Plus, skinheads and the like take advantage of the assumption that their victims are unarmed. With wing chun, they have a chance to win fights. Therefore, his attitude requires adjustment. Besides, he's right on our doorstep. Not in Stoke-on-Trent or wherever the majority of the racists are.

No he will not. I've tested him out on this point (this is all in writing, by email). He was unequivocal that I (myself personally) was not allowed or welcome at his club, because in my daily life I carry a kirpan ("We do not allow people to train, who carry knives") I would'nt use the kirpan to fight anyone (except in self-defense or in defense of honour). He's a little fascist, with a big problem. A totalitarian dictatorial mindset, and the arrogance to put the rules of his piddling insiginificant grubby little money-making organisation (with a handful of classes around the south which are held in hired halls) above the law of God, and the rights of man. A very poor specimen of a human being, with a control fetish. I've tried my best to explain it to him nicely, but he is simply an enemy of religious faith, and will not be reasoned with. He has the mental attitude of Pol Pot, combined with the insecurities of Mussolini. He wants a little space for 2 hours, in which nobody who has a religion he does'nt like can enter. That's all there is to it. AFAIK, he started out in this country all threatened and scared by drunk white people. He then learned kung fu. Shame it has'nt removed his insecurities and perceived deficiencies. Shame it's turned him into a sort of unsuccessful Napoleon Bonaparte. I'm all for persuading this guy that he has to allow freedom of religion (i.e. he has absolutely no choice in the matter).

This is what I got on email from the instructor, after I explained what a kirpan is and why it's carried: "People who carry knives (Kirpan) for whatever reason are not welcome at the club, it is the general policy of the club" This guy is the head of some kind of militant fascist organisation, which trains its students in wing chun. How is it they possible that they can get away with this in places like Hounslow?

I'm not in Canada. You might try contacting this white Sikh convert guy in the States, who makes a living from making swords (by hand, himself). Can't remember his name, but he's very well-known. He is recommended by Chas Clements, so he must be very good.

Would'nt you rather have a decoration piece that you know is also useable? Also, do you really want a chunk of stainless steel on your mantlepiece? Or a leaf-spring from a truck, with cheap and fussy fittings bolted on? Or even a deco piece that has a bolt-on pommel? Choose and buy the steel very carefully, and then get some good tools. Then you can make one. The nasty ones from India (which according to Mugermach cost about 50 rupees in Amritsar) are an insult to the word "sword". The really good ones are great. If you are determined not to make one but to buy one, let me tell you I've been trying to do the same, and the only place where there are really excellent examples is eBay. I still recommend you try to make one, though. My latest piece is very good-looking (better than cheap mass-production ones), and most importantly very strong and sharp, and with an OK balance (does'nt feel too awkward).

You have to make them, dude. If you want anything useable, that is.

Nihal, Please don't change the subject. What do you think of the kerambit?

Singhvik, the Ahmadiyas are considered members of a heretic cult by the vast majority of Pakistani Muslims (who are Sunni). In other words, they are NOT considered Muslims. In particular, because of their failure to accept nabuwwat (finality of Mohammed's (PBUH) Prophethood), which is one of the 5 pillars of Islam. There are militant organisations of Sunni Muslims in Pakistan (such as Sipahi Sabha and Lashkar-i-Tayba), whose most important goals are to wipe out and do away with what they see as the Ahmadi heresy and its followers, and also to rid Kashmir of all non-Muslims. Plus, the Ahmadis' centre is not Qadian (the birthplace of the founder of their religion) in India, but Rabwah in Pakistan, which has a well over 90% Ahmadi population. On the face of things, Ahmadis may call themselves Muslims but as they do not accept Nabuwwat they are not Muslims. Therefore, you cannot construe this article as a sort of Muslim conspiracy to pervert or misappropriate Sikhism or Sikh heritage. Real Muslims see the Ahmadis as a far greater threat to their religion than the Sikhs, because the Ahmadis persist in calling themselves Muslims but have very strange ideas about "Qadiani".