tbutalia@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Tarunjit S. Butalia) (02/17/91)
In response to Bill Mayne's enquiry regarding Sikhs -
1) Yes ! I am atleast one Sikh who reads this newsgroup (though not often).
2) Sikhs are forbidden to eat "Halal" meat (meat which is cut as per Moslem
rites). However, other than that Sikhs are allowed to eat all types of
meat as well as vegetarian food. But, a Sikh may choose to be a vegetari-
an. But saying that Sikhs are required not to eat meat by their religion
is not true.
3) A Sikh is forbidden to adopt any guru other than the ten Gurus of Sikhs
and Siri Guru Granth Sahib (Holy book of the Sikhs which is accorded the
status of the living and eternal Guru). Moreover, Sikhism in itself is a
non-ritualistic religion to some extent. Sikhism severly criticises the
mantras and tantras as useless and unnecessary. Here is the definition
of a Sikh as per the "Rehat Maryada" of the Shromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak
Committee (the sole central Sikh authority in the world) -
" A Sikh is defined as a person who has faith in the One God,
the Ten Gurus and their teachings and the Siri Guru Granth
Sahib only, and does not believe in any other religion or
sect. In addition he must believe in the necessity and
importance of Amrit (initiation) and intend to take it. "
I hope that answers Bill's querry.
Tarunjit Singh Butalia
(tbutalia@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu)