Sikhism - A Primer for the Unenlightened

It is obvious from the events of last week, in which a gunman and possible accomplice, shot and killed several people in a Sikh house of worship, that the public needs to be educated about the Sikh religion. They are perhaps the most peaceful, although strict, of all the religions on the planet. They strive to offend no one.

Their belief system is based upon the existence of 10 Gurus, beginning with Nanak in about the 15^th century. They have no affiliation with the Islamic community as far as their religious beliefs, or requirements. The public’s confusion about this distinction between the two regions became abundantly clear after 9-11, when some gas station attendants were murdered at work for wearing Turbans, which have no relation to any type of Arab garment. The dynamics of this tragedy, at the present time, appear to be similar. An ignorant group (it is not clear yet if this was a group action, or a lone gunman, though there is a person of interest being sought in connection with the murders) with no knowledge, or tolerance, of people who are different have once again shown the lack of what freedom means.

So, for the unenlightened, here is a brief re-cap of the Sikh religion based on my own knowledge. Please feel free to correct me if I have it wrong.

The religion is based upon the beliefs of a man known as Nanka; who was the first Guru; followed by 9 others. Their practice consists of 3 basic tenets; the Sikh Rehat Maryada ; which consists of the Prohibitions, much like our own 10 Commandments. They also believe in Ardās; or, Kirtan Dasvand; which is akin to the Baptismal ritual. Their final belief is in the 5 Evils vs. the 5 Virtues, much like our own 7 Deadly Sins. So, you see, they are very much like us in the Judeo- Christian sphere of worship. It is the 5^th largest organized faith in the world today, with something like 25 million adherents. They are mostly congregated in the Punjab region of India.

To be sure, this is a very brief and possibly slightly inaccurate portrait of the Sikhs, based upon my own travels and experiences, but you get the picture. This was a senseless crime, allegedly committed by a man who could not even earn an Honorable Discharge from the Army; which is like obtaining a GED. Whether or not the “person of interest”, who is being sought at present, is related to this crime, there is surely a problem in America today. There is no longer any tolerance for anyone who looks different, acts different, or believes in something you do not. The man being sought; and who filmed the events; wore the same 9-11 tattoo as the shooter did, which points to some possible connection.

This is the same crowd that brought you the Oklahoma bombing several years ago at the Murrah Federal Building. That tragedy was at first blamed on the Islamic community. But the big secret is this; when it comes to killing in the name of ignorance; it’s a tie score between our side and “theirs”. With neither side willing to tolerate the other, there is likely to never be peace.

To educate yourself further on the Sikh religion; or just to reinforce what you already may know; hit up Wikipedia at this link and then pass it on. Communication is the only answer to the ignorance which prevails in today’s society. Here is the link; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikh_beliefs

Please excuse any inaccuracies in my brief overview of the religion. I was writing from my own memory of the religion as I have encountered it in my travels. The only assistance I drew upon was the spelling, and identification, of several, well, all of the names except Nanka.

Tenders Fresh Food Winner

Well, it’s taken a long time, but I have finally won something larger than a free $1 lottery ticket. Well, that’s not quite true, I did once win $10 on Keno in Maryland, but that was so long ago that I almost forgot about it. So, you can imagine my surprise when I won the 1^st prize at Tender’s Chicken in Cornelius the other night.  That's $500 worth of my favorite food.

I eat there 6 out of 7 nights a week; or I should say, I get my food to go, and then I eat it on the side of one of the most beautiful roads in the state, Westmoreland Road, between Route 73 and Mayes Road. There, among the rows of corn and other various crops, I eat my dinner each night, except on weekends.

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When you walk in, you are greeted by name, and that alone makes you feel special. My favorite order is the Grilled Salad, which contains cran raisins and sliced almonds over a bed of fresh lettuce and red cabbage with sliced carrots. There are at least 6 different dressings to choose from for the salads.


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