Sikhs, guns, and CA

[JV_]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...st-gun-contro/

Gursant Singh Khalsa, a practicing Sikh for 35 years, charges in the lawsuit filed this month that California’s laws banning military-style, semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines violate mainstream Sikh doctinre requiring Sikhs “be at all time fully prepared to defend themselves and others against injustice.”

[TGS]

That's pretty cool!

Unfortunately, I don't think they'll get anywhere. As I understand Smith v Oregon, you have to right to believe whatever religion you want.......not the right to practice. Ditto with the case about shark-fin soup, I can't remember the name.

[SeriousStudent]

I wish them luck. One of my neighbors is a Sikh, and is an excellent fellow.

He always carries an old Benchmade Nimravus that is like a razor. He's also a big fan of the 12-gauge shotgun.

[Tamara]

There was a small Sikh community back in K-town, a fair number of which were regular patrons at CCA. Apparently they have their own variety of martial art they teach their kids? I'd have been more enthusiastic about Sunday School if there were kung fu lessons involved.

[NickA]

Apparently they have their own variety of martial art they teach their kids? I'd have been more enthusiastic about Sunday School if there were kung fu lessons involved.

I'm sure you're already on a Wiki-wander about this but IIRC there is a Sikh martial art, and the original version at least involved using the steel bracelet they wear as knuckles. I think it was called Iron Fist boxing.
They're also required to carry a kirpan (dagger) to defend the helpless, which makes it one of the coolest religions evah IMO.

[Shellback]

This guy should be an example in the When to Carry thread.



I know nothing of the Sikh religion or philosophy other than, like Nick mentioned, they're required to carry their Kirpan. From Wiki:

The Kirpan (/kɪərˈpɑːn/; Punjabi: ਕਿਰਪਾਨ kirpān) is a ceremonial sword or dagger carried by baptized Sikhs.[1] It is a religious commandment given by Guru Gobind Singh (the tenth Guru of Sikhism) at the Vaisakhi Amrit Sanchar (a holy religious ceremony that formally baptizes a Sikh) in 1699, all baptised Sikhs (Khalsa) must wear a kirpan at all times along with other Articles of Faith...

Sikhs embody the qualities of a "Sant-Sipahie"—a saint-soldier. One must have control over one's internal vices and be able to be constantly immersed in virtues clarified in the Guru Granth Sahib. A Sikh must also have the courage to defend the rights of all who are wrongfully oppressed or persecuted irrespective of their colour, caste or creed.

The kirpan has both a physical function, as a defensive weapon, as well as a symbolic function. Physically it is an instrument of "ahimsa" or non-violence. The principle of ahimsa is to actively prevent violence; the kirpan is a tool to be used to prevent violence from being done to a defenseless person when all other means to do so have failed. Symbolically, the kirpan represents the power of truth to cut through untruth. It is the cutting edge of the enlightened mind.

Some really interesting stuff. Understanding the Kirpan for non-Sikhs by Sandeep Singh Brar

[LHS]

Working in IT, I spend a fair amount of time with Sikhs. I generally find them to be squared-away folks.

That said, I doubt this lawsuit will go anywhere. If religion allowed any actions whatsoever regardless of the law, we wouldn't have nailed Warren Jeffs for marrying multiple underage girls on his FLDS compound. But I applaud Mr. Khalsa for trying.

[ToddG]

OTOH, if it does work, I'll be accepting tithes to the new Church of Carrying Fully Automatic Suppressed Guns Everywhere.

[JConn]

OTOH, if it does work, I'll be accepting tithes to the new Church of Carrying Fully Automatic Suppressed Guns Everywhere.

Praise be!

[TGS]

Praise be!

Praise Vāhigurū and pass the ammo?