Is Facebook Ok

I was wondering is having a Facebook account ok.

At first I thought facebook was complete manmat because it seemed like it encouraged people to have an ego , and think more about themselves. I also remember in class they discussed how many teenagers have become even more obsessed with self- image since facebook. These things have always kept me away from facebook.

But now I realized im perhaps the only person in the world who doesnt have a facebook and I noticed many respected Gursikhs had facebook So now im not to sure about facebook. Facebook could be used for good things like discussing religion but it also has its downside.

What is everyone elses views

Vaheguroo jee ka khalsaa, Vaheguroo jee kee fateh!

Veer Sukhdeep Singh jeeo, what makes you think being different/virlaa is a bad thing?
Yes, there may be chaRdikala Gursikhs who have facebook, but I'm sure there are more chaRdikala Gursikhs out there who dont even know how to use a computer, never mind have a facebook account! hehehe

Sukhdeep Singh jeeo,

I am sure there may be some positive points of having a Facebook account but from what I hear from people who have this account, there is more harm than benefit of it. Twitter, Facebook or other such accounts seem to be increasing manmatti tendencies amongst the ones using them. From what I hear, Singhs advise against having such accounts.

Having said that, if someone can do something positive and spiritual using these accounts, then it would be fine to use this tool to spread Gurmat. But to use this account to inform the world you have just been to the washroom or just had a shower or just had lunch is not wise.

Internet is like fire. If we use fire wisely, then there are numerous benefits of it but if we don't take care in handling fire, it can burn us or our house or the entire neighborhoods.

Kulbir Singh

i think if you use it for sangat, for learning about sikhi, it's not so bad.

it was on facebook that i first heard of AKJ samagams, it was on facebook that i was invited to my first raensabai. it was on facebook that i first made friends with rehetvan singhnis with dastaar, and was encouraged to pesh with AKJ. it's from facebook that i will have a bebeki home to stay in/eat in anywhere i go in the world. it can be a great place to meet gursikh contacts. i've created a facebook group for singhnis to talk, privately, about their questions and concerns about the more private aspects of living a gursikh life, and it's been really successful. so there are good points.

that said, you have to be careful. don't get involved in fights/arguments with manmukhs (this is the hardest part for me). don't accept friend requests from manmukhs, or from people you don't know. there's lots of people on facebook who are just there to meet boys/girls, so if you see signs of that, stay far away from those people. don't be afraid to delete your facebook friends if they don't behave like a gursikh should.

like veerji said, it has good and bad points. but there are a lot of inspiring sikhs on there, and it can be a good source of info on upcoming events, sikh related news, etc.

i guess you have to decide for yourself. whenever you can't decide... take a hukamnama. guru sahib knows best.

Thanks for the feedback

I agree with outwardly that there is nothing wrong with being different. I strongly agree with Bhai Kulbir SIngh Ji who mentioned people abuse facebook with completle manmat topics, and I also strongly agree with IKaur that people can use facebook as a tool for sangat.

My goal is too use facebook to propagate Sikhi to non- Sikhs inlcluding family members, friends, and people I dont even know. Im planning to post information about Gurmat from Gurmat Related forums and post where this information was obtained. Then people can visit the sites and learn more about Sikhi.

bhai kulbir singh jees post makes perfect sense

i would not discourage you to make a facebook account

but some input from a personal experience

i joined facebook 2 years ago for the same purposes you mentioned with the same ideology. That did work for maybe 6-7 months. I was busy promoting EKTA and etc on facebook.

however facebook realy sidetracked my sikhee and rehit

it was due to spending too much time on it, worrying way too much about panthic issues and gursikhee parchaar to a point where I forgot to work on myself and my sikhee and meeting certain people on facebook and keeping a bad sangat.


considering all that, you know I'd suggest not making an account at all.

I have been off facebook for a good 7-8 months, and just like you sometimes, I happen to feel like the only one not on it. Even I know gursikhs that use it. Yet, it's just not my thing. LOL
Now I have time to work with myself and apnee kamaee karnee
I tried the whole gurmat parchaar thing, and only ended up with huge disagreements with people.
Certain people were very extreme.

I shared this experience with you to let you know, that even with the right intentions in mind, sometimes we slip and fall.
It's hard to get back up veer. Trust Me

But don't get discouraged. It's all about self control and time management.
I'm sure you can do it!

Bhul Chuk Muaaf
VahegurooJeeKaaKhalsaa VahegurooJeeKeeFatheh

Tanvir Singh

Thanks for the heads up Bhai Sahib

I made a facebook account just to post Sikhi related articles and it seems most people are not interested in talking about religion on Facebook. If anything I think people are probably getting annoyed by seeing these articles everytime they open up their facebook,lol. Personally I do not feel like facebook is not my thing but I thought I could be used as a tool to bring people into Sikhi or talk about Sikhi, but this is not working as expected. So most likely I will stop posting articles on there.

I feel extremely greatfull that Guru Ji has given me Sikhi and in a way I feel its my duty to help others find Sikhi. Because Sikhi is so beautiful I feel extremely guilty keeping it to myself. But then again maybe its useless to show colors to people who only want to see black and white.

Veer Ji; I feel, the interests of the people in general and especially on such social sites are different. So, instead of talking in terms of Religion or Sikhi; we may try on subjects like nature, health, science, social problems, personal experiences etc and relate Gurbani with it. Certainly; religion is a boring subject to talk. Your personal touching experiences, about God, may be of some interest to your friends. Otherwise, people never like to be given "religious lectures." At the most, they are interested in you; never in your Lord.

Quote

Certainly; religion is a boring subject to talk.

Bhai MB Singh jeeo, it depends on who the person is. For some people religious talk is most interesting but for others it is not. It is quite interesting to watch and listen to people with different tastes. When few Cabbies get together they talk about fares and passengers. When truck drivers get together, they passionately talk about loads and oil prices. Bunch of investors like to talk about investing, stocks, shares, bonds etc. Politics is one of the favourite talks when people get together.

I remember from my early days, when the Khalistan movement was on its top in Canada, at get-togethers, after the drinking sessions, the talk about Khalistan used to go on for hours and hours. The strange thing was that the people doing the talk themselves were not following Dharma i.e. were drinking and cutting hair but they used to talk about Khalistan very passionately. Now a days, I am not sure what the main topic of talk is when Punjabis get together but I am sure Badal, SGPC, Pakhandi Sants etc are still discussed hotly.

What is the favourite talk for Gursikhs:

ਕੋਈ ਕਰਿ ਗਲ ਸੁਣਾਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਸੋ ਲਗੈ ਗੁਰਸਿਖਾ ਮਨਿ ਮਿਠਾ ॥
(If someone talks about Naam or tells them about Naam, such person is felt as sweet to Gursikhs i.e. Gursikhs like such person)

Discussing Gurbani, doing vichaar on Gurbani is the sweetest talk. Of course reciting Baani and chanting Naam is the ultimate sweet thing to do but next to the these divine activities, Gurbani and Naam Vichaar is the best.

Kulbir Singh

Veer Kulbir Singh Jee, Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Thanks a lot, for immediate check and very informative & interesting response. I am sorry that I came forward with a wrong statement ultimately.

Actually, I wanted to speak of my feeling that religious talks do not attract interest because they lack personal and practical touch in it. Gurbani speaks of religion, as Guru Ji sees it in person. That is first hand information.------------------------------------- And those who do not see that and have no personal experience of their own; generally bore when they talk religion. The speaker himself loses interest, after sometime.

Spiritual topics are interesting for a really religious person, of course.

And then GALL HARR NAAM KI-----------is certainly a different plane.

daily hukamnama sahib, gurbani, and such others, there are many pages totally based on devotion. so one can opt this.