Should We Serve Alcohol As Guru Ka Langar?

[Bmandur]

Re: To celebrate or not?

OK, you are saying that to serve alcohol as Guru ka Langar is perfectly normal and not misleading because it is part of Punjabi culture??

I am a bit surprised to be honest. I think it is unlikely that SPN is supported by Guinness, but I may be wrong.

This issue I was trying to raise is it acceptable to serve alcohol as Guru Ka langar? The consensus here is that it is?

As Langar is given to everyone, regardless of gender and caste, I presume it would be acceptable as female to drink as well? But that's not part of Punjabi culture.

Guru Ka Meet ji,
I would like to seethat invitation says Guru ka Langar and they were serving the No veg thing & Alchohal I need the printing proof with the card holder name & phone number so we can verify that
Otherwise do not twist the words. If it was different hall that it has nothing to do with Gurudwara
It's family fault ifthey mislead

 

[Harry Haller]

I have just had a chap walk into my shop, wanting to sell some IT hardware. After agreeing to pick it up, I noticed the address was a local methodist church. He asked to me come to the community hall. I enquired whether the hall was open to all, it was, he replied. I asked whether they allowed alcohol on the premises, and explained the problems this had caused us, as sikhs, no, he replied, but they had a similar debate, and it was decided that it would be up to the local priest. However he did say that at that particular church, it was an absolute no, and people were advised to go to a church with less stringent rules if they wanted to have drink on the premises and in the community hall.

Interestingly if a methodist church is sold, it is written into the deeds that no building can be built and subsequently sold that is any way linked to the sale or consumption of alcohol and tobacco.

 

[spnadmin]

Harry ji

I got very excited when I read your remarks. All during this discussion, I knew that this had to be an issue for many Protestant denominations where alcohol (and tobacco) is either forbidden or strongly discouraged. I am aware of at least one (politically liberal) Episcopal church in my area where alcohol and tobacco are not allowed, even in adjacent church buildings or the parking lot. This was true before the days of "smoke free." And this particular church also rents space for all sorts of religious and nonreligious events to nonmembers.

And it struck me that I should call around and find out how this very issue was resolved. Whether there were divisions within their congregations on the matter of alcohol. Just about everyone now is on the same page with tobacco as a society. The priests or ministers are advised by governing boards in Protestant religions, making it hard for a priest to act in a solitary fashion. Believe me the elders would not let something that stirred passions pass without some serious grumbling. I would want to know the history of how their current position on alcohol was settled. So many questions, and so much ignorance on my end.

So you got to the bottom of one situation. Thanks so much for your quick thinking. Maybe I will check out some others to satisfy my own need to get closure on the interfaith front.

 

[Gurukameet]

Re: To celebrate or not?

Guru Ka Meet ji,
I would like to seethat invitation says Guru ka Langar and they were serving the No veg thing & Alchohal I need the printing proof with the card holder name & phone number so we can verify that
Otherwise do not twist the words. If it was different hall that it has nothing to do with Gurudwara
It's family fault ifthey mislead

I am not going to give you the card and invitation, that would be dangerous. I knew feelings can be very passionate on the issue and it was close family programme.

If you want to you can send me a private email and I will give you the address of the Gurdwara and hall. The problem is the langar hall is small, so if people want to use this particular Gurdwara for weddings and functions then they always end hiring the hall as well, which is adjacent to the Gurdwara they only thing that separates the Gurdwara to the hall is a brick wall, there is walking distance other than 5 yards.

It is was last minute decision to have acholol and meat. It was obviously a surprise to me, even if I protested at the beginning I don't think my protests would have been adhered to, I have not written to the Gurdwara yet. I am not sure if they would understand English, but I am sure the committee would.

When people in a particular circles or communities always celebrate with parties, then when that particular family turn comes then they are too an extent feeling obliged to turn to give the rounds of drinks, I am not part of that circle anymore and have been exposed to a different circle, hence my values and outlook have changed, influenced by a different breed of sangat, and it is no longer acceptable.

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

People CAN STAND UP and be counted..or be afraid of..what people will say...blah blah blah...my dad did stand up and declare..I DONT DRINK...I WILL NOT SUPPLY DRINK..I WILL NOT LET anyone come with hsi own Drink !! This was in answer to some who said..Gyani ji..we know you dont drink..but why not just PAY the Caterer and he will give US the drinks...and yet others who said..Gyani ji..you dont drink..what about WE bringing our own drinks and drinking privately ?? TO ALL 3 groups..my dad said firmly..NOTHING DOING. If you dont like my rules..DONT ATTEND the wedding/join the Baraat. None was absent !! (they must have dissed dad like no body's business behind his back...saying things like cheapskate..kanjoos..miser..saving moeny and not feeling happy ?? at least make merry once at his sons wedding ?? what a cheapskate Gyani !!
SAME goes for ME..there will be ABSOLUTELY NO DRINKING at any of my kids weddings. period. I am too CHEAPSKATE to waste money even on beer !!..and also drumsticks and wings.

2. btw..I have been attending weddings and dinners since i was 5..and mingling with the crowds...I have YET to come across a wedding/dinner/function etc..where the "valued guests" DID NOT SNIGGER..whipser behind palms to the neighbours....and it was always..What a CHEAPSKATE..this so and so...serving chicken..but its all Coloured Water with chillis and massala powder..cant find a piece of bone even..let alone chicken !! SEE how that woamn is standing behind the server..watching clsoely that no one takes a second helping..see how they control the beer cans..see how they stand guard over the whisky..pouring tiny pegs..!! etc etc types of DERISIVE REMARKS !!! SO such remarks are all too common..no matter if the HOST goes BANKRUPT trying to satisfy everyone..its just IMPOSSIBLE..this feeling to satisfy everyone and BALLEH BALLEH is the main reason for alcohol/meat etc...and now DJs Bnads, naked singers bhangras, etc etc..everyone is deathly afraid he wont be able to keep up with the JONESES..Punjabis are going into DEBT for false Pride...when will we sense up....when will we wake up..and stop making a fool of ourselves..at such a HIGH COST. People come just to have a free meal..and fun at your expense....

 

[Harry Haller]

I have been to maybe 5 or 6 sikh weddings in my entire life, mostly thanks to being the black sheep.

and I thought I was missing something!

 

[Mai Harinder Kaur]

PPunjabis are going into DEBT for false Pride...when will we sense up....when will we wake up..and stop making a fool of ourselves..at such a HIGH COST. People come just to have a free meal..and fun at your expense....

The highest cost of all being the murder of our daughters whether before or after birth . motherlylove

(Honestly, I can think of a hundred ways alcohol can make my life worse and not a single way it can make my life better. Sikhi is at least partly about improving my life.)

 

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

Mai Ji I LOVE your Avatar..BERSIH means CLEAN UP ..and Right Now Civil Society led by a wide ranging groups like 92 NGOs, political parties, social groupings, etc etc are fighting peacefully to asser their RIGHT to Fair and FREE Elections in malaysia...free of corruption, gerrmandering, unfair practises of the Ruling Govt like proviiding grants and projects and making development promises near elections ..all of which are beyond the opposition to do..and so elections become tainted and manipulative.This initiative is led by Datuk Ambiga of Indian origin former Bar council president.

 

[Mai Harinder Kaur]

Mai Ji I LOVE your Avatar..BERSIH means CLEAN UP ..and Right Now Civil Society led by a wide ranging groups like 92 NGOs, political parties, social groupings, etc etc are fighting peacefully to asser their RIGHT to Fair and FREE Elections in malaysia...free of corruption, gerrmandering, unfair practises of the Ruling Govt like proviiding grants and projects and making development promises near elections ..all of which are beyond the opposition to do..and so elections become tainted and manipulative.This initiative is led by Datuk Ambiga of Indian origin former Bar council president.

Thanks, Gyani ji. I made several before I settled on this one.

I like to support causes that help people get freedom and better lives. What better way than an avatar/profile picture that all sorts of people will see? Some will see it and be encouraged; some will see it and become curious; some will see it and, I hope, be infuriated.

I also try to combine Sikhi and whatever else I'm supporting, since being Sikh is the reason I care.


Not serving meat and/or liquor in langar will become one of my causes should the need arise. I wonder what that avatar would look like?!

I still believe what we used to chant in demonstrations in the 1960s:

THE PEOPLE
UNITED
WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!​

There may be - there will be - casualties, even fatalities but if we stand in solidarity, we will eventually win.

animatedkhanda1


If necessary not serving meat and/or liquor in lagar will become a cause of mine. I wonder what that avatar would look like.

 

[lionprinceuk]

I am sure in the Dals they do Guru Ka Langar with jhatka anyway, and they couldn't care less for Anti-dal Khalsa panth SRM anyway!

 

[spnadmin]

A collection of recent comments has been moved to a new thread at http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/36187-one-too-many-a-discussion-alcohol-2.html entitled One Too Many? A Discussion of Alcohol and Sikhi. The thread was going off topic

Back on track with the words of Gyani Jarnail Singh Arshi

People CAN STAND UP and be counted..or be afraid of..what people will say...blah blah blah...my dad did stand up and declare..I DONT DRINK...I WILL NOT SUPPLY DRINK..I WILL NOT LET anyone come with hsi own Drink !! This was in answer to some who said..Gyani ji..we know you dont drink..but why not just PAY the Caterer and he will give US the drinks...and yet others who said..Gyani ji..you dont drink..what about WE bringing our own drinks and drinking privately ?? TO ALL 3 groups..my dad said firmly..NOTHING DOING. If you dont like my rules..DONT ATTEND the wedding/join the Baraat. None was absent !! (they must have dissed dad like no body's business behind his back...saying things like cheapskate..kanjoos..miser..saving moeny and not feeling happy ?? at least make merry once at his sons wedding ?? what a cheapskate Gyani !!

Thanks/Spnadmin

 

[a.mother]

Why we should serve it in langer when this is not allowd and it is 'buzzer kurahit' ? Is this oxygen, that we could not survive ?

 

[DrRavtej]

Re: To celebrate or not?

Kuramai is pre-engagement programme from the grooms side, where the bride family come with fruits etc..at the Gurdwara.

For my clarification? Spnadmin you believe it is acceptable to have meat and alcohol served as Guru Ka Langar??

Gurukameet ji
As stated by you that it was a Kurmai or pre engagement party, it becomes conclusive that this was a private function and not a Langar at the gurdwara which is open to all.

 

[sachbol]

Re: To celebrate or not?

Waheguruji Ka Khalsa Waheguruji ki Fateh
Meat must not be served in Guru Ka Langar because Guru Ka Langar is for all. Vegetarians and Muslims
may object to it. So meat must be out. If you take meat at home, it is still Guru Ka Langar but for us only.

Personally I am not against alcohol and sometimes I ENJOY MY SCOTCH in privacy. I think alcohol must
be banned in Gurdwaras as some body may be intoxicated and a very ugly scene may be staged.

So No alcohol and NO meat in Guru ka langar.

I also do not like preparation and consumption of Bhang (Sukhha) in Gurdwaras.

I also do not like Jhatka and tilak of shastars with goat blood in the Gurdwara

Please guide me if I AM WRONG

 

[lionprinceuk]

Re: To celebrate or not?

Waheguruji Ka Khalsa Waheguruji ki Fateh
Meat must not be served in Guru Ka Langar because Guru Ka Langar is for all. Vegetarians and Muslims
may object to it. So meat must be out. If you take meat at home, it is still Guru Ka Langar but for us only.

Personally I am not against alcohol and sometimes I ENJOY MY SCOTCH in privacy. I think alcohol must
be banned in Gurdwaras as some body may be intoxicated and a very ugly scene may be staged.

So No alcohol and NO meat in Guru ka langar.

I also do not like preparation and consumption of Bhang (Sukhha) in Gurdwaras.

I also do not like Jhatka and tilak of shastars with goat blood in the Gurdwara

Please guide me if I AM WRONG

I will try and guide you.

You may not like jhatka and sukha, but is a part of kshatri dharam of the Khalsa.

For those who practise kshatri dharam, these practises are required! And a Khalsa without kshatria dharam might as well be Brahmins lol !

 

[Mai Harinder Kaur]

Re: To celebrate or not?

I will try and guide you.

You may not like jhatka and sukha, but is a part of kshatri dharam of the Khalsa.

For those who practise kshatri dharam, these practises are required! And a Khalsa without kshatria dharam might as well be Brahmins lol !

Lion_Princre_Jatinder ji,

ME, might as well be a brahmin? :angryyoungkaur: I think not. Please explain yourself.

 

[BaljinderS]

The next thing you will be asking is, can we have disco in the Gurudwara!!!

Are people that ignorant that they even raise these kind of questions? What is going on with people? If you have no interest in Sikhi then don't go to the Gurudwara!!! nobody is forcing you..

Sikhs have sacrificed too much to let these hypercritical people make fun of us...
animatedkhanda1animatedkhanda1

 

[BaljinderS]

I feel sorry for people who have dropped so low... where has the Sikh character gone? surely we didn't win so many wars with this kind of character?

 

[Harry Haller]

Baljinderji,

Although I respect your sentiments, just so you can grasp the question at hand, it is not so much the serving of alcohol at Gurdwara, as the whether we should turn a blind eye to the serving of alcohol at events after the 'religious bit' in buildings associated with the Gurdwara, just so you do not think the question is as silly as it might seem

 

[BaljinderS]

Thank you for clarifying this for me

When you say "serving of alcohol at events after the 'religious bit' in buildings".

* By religious bit, do you mean "Anand Karaj" and then party in the same building afterwards?