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Summary of Question:	Casts
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 2/11/2003 4:08 PM MST

SAT SHRI AKAL

Hello, my name is Michael, and I’m not actually a Sikh but I was really interested in your site. I have a question to ask and if it’s not much of a problem I’d like to ask for some advice. I am actually a 17-year-old Buddhist and well my family does not believe in casts. The problem is well I say problem but it’s more of my good fortune, anyway I have fallen in love with a Sikh girl and she seems to feel the same way about me too. I have done a bit of research on your religion and I have been led to believe that casts do not have any affect on your religion, so why is it that this girl is scared to tell her parents because of the fact that her parents might say; ‘He’s the wrong cast’. Personally I don’t have a cast because I refuse to believe in them, I don’t think that we as children should be classed by the means of what our grandparents used to do as a living. So what I am basically trying to ask is, why is it that Sikhs in general tend to live their lives by order of casts when it is boldly stated by the teachings of Shri Guru Gobind Ji and Shri Guru Nanak Ji that casts should be abolished. I also would like for you to give some advice on this situation if you could please, I would greatly appreciate this.
WAHE GURU JI KA KHALSA
WAHE GURU JI KI FATEH
I do apologise if that is incorrect.

(REPLY) Sat Nam (that means: "Truth is your identity" and/or "TRUTH is GOD's Name!") Michael, of course you are right, castes should have been abolished long ago. Unfortunately, many people cling to old cultural beliefs, which actually are against the teachings of the Sikh religion. However, you have an even more difficult problem, whichis not one of "caste" but the fact that you are of a different religion altogether! No wonder the girl is afraid to tell her parents! Marrying someone of a different religion brings up lots of obstacles, such as, how would you raise the children? How would you worship together? As Sikhs we have great respect for all religions, therefore we do not try to convert anyone. But marrying someone of a different religion creates social problems among the families as well. How would your own family feel about your marrying a Sikh girl? I don't have a solution for you, I can only say that you need to discuss these issues with the girl you think you love (you know, at 17, it's too easy to fall in love, but that's not usually the best basis for a happy and enduring marriage. Common aspirations and goals, common approach to life makes a marriage much smoother. And even then marriage is not all romance, it's a major adjustment and takes constant care and intelligence and real love to succeed) Just take your time, and don't make any commitments. Give yourself (and the girl) time to get to know other people, ideally someone of your own religion -- this relationship is not impossible, but it's not probable! I hope you understand what I'm trying to tell you. May God bless you with wisdom to know God's will and the courage to follow it! SP