General Lost Online Battle?

Kanwaljit.Singh · Aug 29, 2018

I was never really an online warrior

but in most of the online Sikh forums I tried to fight against misinformation. I have subscribed to the Sikhism topic on Quora. And there are so many wrong answers out there. But somehow I don't feel like making an effort now. I have become disapproving of people. If they cannot listen/read Gurbani and change their lives, how can my intervention help? I am better off finding my way Home.

Harry Haller · Aug 29, 2018

Kanwaljit.Singh said:
I was never really an online warrior but in most of the online Sikh forums I tried to fight against misinformation. I have subscribed to the Sikhism topic on Quora. And there are so many wrong answers out there. But somehow I don't feel like making an effort now. I have become disapproving of people. If they cannot listen/read Gurbani and change their lives, how can my intervention help? I am better off finding my way Home.

Everyone has their own path and no one knows the answers, not just better off, but best period is to find your own way home!

Ishna · Aug 29, 2018

Well said, both.

Admin · Aug 29, 2018

And then we have the example of Guru Nanak, who never gave up!

And his battle was one on one!

Harry Haller · Aug 30, 2018

Aman Singh said:
And then we have the example of Guru Nanak, who never gave up! And his battle was one on one!

ah but there was a difference, he knew his way home...

Tejwant Singh · Aug 30, 2018

Harry Haller said:
ah but there was a difference, he knew his way home...

As a matter of fact we all know our way home. We refuse to take that way because we are looking for the scenic route which is filled with potholes

Harry Haller · Aug 30, 2018

Tejwant Singh said:
As a matter of fact we all know our way home. We refuse to take that way because we are looking for the scenic route which is filled with potholes

are you including the deluded? the ones that think they are home?

RD1 · Aug 30, 2018

I feel like this is applicable to so many things. When we learn something new, something 'earth-shattering,' something that is not well understood by the masses, a thrill can run through us. We want to share our enlightening experience with others, share this 'joy' we may feel. But as we go along, we realize that so many are living their own truths. So how valid is my own? Some may though be quite oblivious and ignorant. We learn that not everyone may share our own passions. Eventually, it turns more inward.....and we stop fighting....but at the same time this means that we accept that we can only control ourselves, and live as an example.

Ishna · Sep 3, 2018

@Kanwaljit.Singh Perhaps this phenomenon occurs to people who have been on forums for years. Perhaps we just get forum'ed out. Forum fatigue.

I have hardly any will left to make posts, and it's not because I don't have anything to say (I love hearing the sound of my own typing hahaha), it's because it never goes anywhere. I'm not a scholar, so it's all just my opinions rattling around with other people's opinions and getting nowhere and nine times out of 10 ending in an argument.

So these days usually all I can muster is a one-liner. There are more important things to be doing with one's time, frankly, including reading and practicing what we preach out in the real world. If you know where the good information is to be found, you can point people to it instead of just giving your opinion. The power is always theirs to go and learn it, otherwise they're asking without really wanting an answer, which seems to be most of the time.

Admin · Sep 3, 2018

One of the most fascinating threads on SPN are from pre-facebook or twitter era. I think, the advent of social media platforms killed the fun of spending quality time on online forums.

The present generation is so used to posting one-liners (twitter! FB! WhatsApp) and spoiled by instant recognition that its funny & sad to see people simply do not know how to socialize on a forum any more.

The problem with Facebook or twitter and for that matter WhatsApp is that they do not retain the information in an easily retrievable format. I have been a member of a few sikhi groups on whatsApp with nice discussions but all the information is lost on our mobile devices. Forums present one solid platform to preserve and make the information readily available for a long long time. The fact that FB is investing so heavily on their Social Groups and Communities, it is apparent that future lies in Forums as more and more people are getting alienated by the Social media.

Sikhilove · Sep 14, 2018

Kanwaljit.Singh said:
I was never really an online warrior but in most of the online Sikh forums I tried to fight against misinformation. I have subscribed to the Sikhism topic on Quora. And there are so many wrong answers out there. But somehow I don't feel like making an effort now. I have become disapproving of people. If they cannot listen/read Gurbani and change their lives, how can my intervention help? I am better off finding my way Home.

U don't need to find your own way home, you're already there, He's everywhere.

When Nanak went to Mecca, he taught people, some of whom turned around and wanted to kill him.

But he fearlessly taught anyway.

Teach people if they're willing to listen. If they're not, then don't. And if they listen and threatened death upon you, who cares..at least you did the right thing.

A humanitarian stands for justice and equality, and does their humanitarian duties fearlessly and without regret.

There will always be people who have lost their way...but that's, for the main part today, the human condition.

There are more bad people than humanitarians.

Harry Haller · Sep 14, 2018

Sikhilove said:
Teach people if they're willing to listen.

do any of us have the right to teach anyone?

Tejwant Singh · Sep 14, 2018

Sikhilove said:
U don't need to find your own way home, you're already there, He's everywhere.

When Nanak went to Mecca, he taught people, some of whom turned around and wanted to kill him.

But he fearlessly taught anyway.

Teach people if they're willing to listen. If they're not, then don't. And if they listen and threatened death upon you, who cares..at least you did the right thing.

A humanitarian stands for justice and equality, and does their humanitarian duties fearlessly and without regret.

There will always be people who have lost their way...but that's, for the main part today, the human condition.

There are more bad people than humanitarians.

I agree with Harry, we cannot teach anyone except ourselves. Guru Nanak has never said anywhere to go out and teach but he gave us the tools how to become a conversationalist through his own actions. Sidhgosht is a good starter to hone this..

Sikhilove · Sep 15, 2018

Harry Haller said:
do any of us have the right to teach anyone?

What you've learned so far yes.

Even Jesus sent people he taught out in different directions to teach the truth.

It's not rocket science. It's being a humanitarian, being a good person, doing good to others etc.

Harry Haller · Sep 15, 2018

Sikhilove said:
What you've learned so far yes.

what I have learned is about me thought, how can I teach someone what applies to me?

Sikhilove said:
Even Jesus sent people he taught out in different directions to teach the truth.

I may know my truth, but how can I know yours?

Inderjeet Kaur · Sep 15, 2018

Harry Haller said:
what I have learned is about me thought, how can I teach someone what applies to me?

I may know my truth, but how can I know yours?

You can't unless I communicate it to you. There are several kinds of truth. There is your truth and my truth. And then there is Truth. That is Gurbani. Our understanding of it changes and grows, but it remains constant.

Harry Haller · Sep 15, 2018

Inderjeet Kaur said:
You can't unless I communicate it to you. There are several kinds of truth. There is your truth and my truth. And then there is Truth. That is Gurbani. Our understanding of it changes and grows, but it remains constant.

do you know of anyone who knows this truth enough to teach it?

Inderjeet Kaur · Sep 15, 2018

Harry Haller said:
do you know of anyone who knows this truth enough to teach it?

I am so far from that I probably wouldn't recognize such a person if hse were walking beside me.

However, I am capable of reading and meditating on Gurbani - albeit in English - sharing my experiences and thoughts, and reading also the experiences and thoughts of others. Every insight, however minor, is a step forward.

And I keep stumbling along...

Sikhilove · Sep 15, 2018

Harry Haller said:
what I have learned is about me thought, how can I teach someone what applies to me?

I may know my truth, but how can I know yours?

Truth is the same for everyone Harry. That's the point of Gurbani- it's telling us that we're one.

It tells us that it's existed eternally and infinitely and is all pervading.

We're One, not one of a kind. The point is to lose the ego.

Sikhilove · Sep 15, 2018

Tejwant Singh said:
I agree with Harry, we cannot teach anyone except ourselves. Guru Nanak has never said anywhere to go out and teach but he gave us the tools how to become a conversationalist through his own actions. Sidhgosht is a good starter to hone this..

What's the higher purpose of living if not to help others?

U practice it and teach others to find their way home. If He teaches u in experience, what would keep you from sharing it with humanity as Nanak did?