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Summary of Question:	Guru Gobind Said To............
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Sunday, 3/17/2002 8:47 PM MDT

I'am confused. Help me. I am born into a sikh family. However, i do not follow all the things. For example I cut my hair, and shave my legs. i don't think that makes me a bad person. i know Guru Gobind said to be distinctive and to be a as close to the way god has made us. But how about the ppl that are soooooo fat. I don't understand why we can not cut our hair. i really do not think keeping long hair makes u stronger or smarter or a better person. i beleive their is one god for all white, chines, black, spanish, indian, west indian, etc all ppl, and u will be judged by god based on ur daily actions and deeds in life. But not by cutting hair. I have read ur answers from previous questions, but i still do not think it makes sense, can u please tell me. Alot of "white" ppl ask me why sikh men do not cut their hair and i have a real hard time to explain the reason. i really do not understand at all. Help me please.

Also what happens to all teh good non sikh ppl when they die, they may be a
better person than sikhs that follow the rules, so pls explain. Life makes no sense
(REPLY) Sat Nam. When you say life makes no sense, it says to me that you don't have an idea what the purpose of life is. When you understand the purpose, then everything makes sense. So, what is the purpose? I'll tell you what I understand our Gurus taught about life. First, that it is temporary, and that the ultimate Reality is GOD! And that we all came from God, and will eventually return Home to God -- but meanwhile, until and unless we learn the lessons that we come to this planet to learn -- until we have worked out the Karma that we have earned from previous lifetimes -- until then we keep getting born and rebon all over again. Earth is a school, and until we graduate, we keep getting the same lessons over and over. The way to graduate is to realize God lives and breathes inside each of us, and when that becomes and experience, not just a philosophy, then we become One with that One God. We get closer to that realization the more we follow the blueprint, the guidelines given us by our Gurus (look up on the Sikhnet website and read in simple form what Guru Nanak taught, and then read what Guru Gobind Singh taught the Khalsa)to help us make sense of life. Just as in school when we are younger, we don't understand what's the value in learning certain things, but when we get out into the world we find that those teachings are what we need to succeed in life. The Gurus had graduated, and they are trying to give us help, so that we can also graduate. Yes,there is One God, and God allows for the fact that He created mmany different kinds of people. He made some black, some white, some tall, some short, some skinny, some fat. So what? Because inside each one, God lives and breates. And God also lets everyone choose to worship Him in their own way. One of the many beautiful things about the Sikh religion is that we respect other people's beliefs and practices. But we are so blessed to have our way, and if we choose not to follow it, that's our problem. God doesn't punish anyone, God loves all of His creaturs, but the law of karma can't be denied, and if we do wrong, we suffer. If not in this lifetime, then in the next. Doing good deeds creates good karma, but to get liberated, we need the Guru to get us out of the cycle of birth and rebirth. You may not want to believe that cutting your hair makes any difference, but the fact is that it does. But you have every right to deny it. Choice is yours. Just as an experiment, why don't you try letting it grow long enough so that you can tie it up in a rishi knot at the top of your head during the day, and then let it down at night. And see for yourself how it makes you feel? The truth is that hair does act as antennae for the energy that surrounds us, and when it is cut, we cut off the ability to access our full share of that energy. But, please don't believe anything I say. "Doing is believing." Try living according to the teachings of the Gurus -- and then see what you "believe." There are four main pillars that support the life of a Sikh: Bana, Bani, Seva, and Simran. Guru Gobind Singh had the EXPERIENCE (as did all the other Gurus) of knowing GOD lived in him, and he gave us things we can do to bring us to that same experience. You don't have to follow the road signs when you're traveling anywhere, but you can get lost for a long time on side roads. (And fall into the ditches along the way, too!) Of course it's hard for you to answer non-Sikhs when they ask about hair, because you don't believe it yourself! But the "reason" that is acceptable to most people is that it is one of the fundamental characteristics that identifies us as Sikhs -- and we honor that instruction from our Guru to live as God made us. -- no matter how often you cut your hair, God keeps sending more! Doesn't that tell you something? Anyway, I think it would help you a lot to do some reading about all the lives of our Gurus, and learn what they went through, and then what they shared with humanity in order to help others. Blessings, SP