not at all! it's just that most of the time, you seem to be upset by or dismissive of the fundamental "code of conduct" in sikhi... i only meant that if one doesn't feel 100% about their chosen faith, there's nothing wrong in looking elswhere. i mean no offense by this, it's just what i have picked up from your posts. i'm sorry if i have misunderstood you.
but sikhi is always open to anyone, so no, i would never try to "get rid" of anyone. there's a reason Gurdwaras have four doors, and i agree with that philosophy completely.
I was just kidding. :u):
As per "code of conduct" -- I'm just reticent about it till I learn more. It might help to understand me to know that I work side by side with the poorest of the poor, literally one of the poorest communities in the western hemisphere... a place where people eat dirt to stave off the pain of hunger. I'm also a field anthropologist. It's hard to be accepted in communities like that if you don't get right down in the trenches with them, which is how I've always gotten accepted. So many times, doctrines and rulebooks are designed to exclude the very people I serve. Not only that, there have been generations of missionaries in and out of these people's lives that came to save them by showing them why they were cursed. These missionaries very rarely sit down and wash clothes with them, share a plate, or anything like that. You wouldn't believe what it does to foster a relationship with someone when you sit down on a rock and start scrubbing clothes with them. And when they're thirsty, pull the thermos out of your bag and ask them, "Wanna drink?"
Nobody has ever treated these people like equals, even though there is a missionary under every rock in these places and has been for longer than most of them can remember.
Anyhow... sorry to blither on and on. But there are reasons behind my reticence when it comes to anything that seems as though it might distinguish one person above another. Now, I realize you can't avoid it and still live in this world. But I'm touchy about it for a lot of reasons.
I am, however, learning about the background of these "rules" and understand more about why they became necessary, i.e. infiltration and degradation of Sikhi by hindutva etc.. It makes a little more sense now. But I think, like the kirpan girded Khalsa, I am always standing a little bit at attention when it comes to certain things.
I am not allergic to rules though. Although that's kind of funny. The reason I don't like Unitarian Universalists is the same as was mentioned above. They are absolutely TOO loose for me. I mean -- they're nothing really. It just seemed like something for non-religious people to do on Sunday morning.
But in their defense, they do a lot of peace and justice work and I salute them for that. But still... the service has NO mention of God at ALL. No prayers, nothing. Then a person gets up and gives a lecture about literature or something and they all go home. Naw.... not for me.
As for the getting rid of me thing. I was just giving you a hard time.
Expect more of that.
:shifty:
