To all brothers and sisters in the Panth:
Stop and think before you drink that glass of scotch, that bottle of beer, or vodka, gin, brandy, or rum. Sure, it might be fun and socially accepted among your friends and fellows from the work-place, however, just because something is fun that does not make it right of even healthy to do.
Sikh Rahit Maryada specifically declares alcohol to be an offense, but where does one find the scriptural or traditional justification for this claim? Justifications do indeed exist, however all lend them Selves to alternate explanations and the question remains then doubtful. It is common knowledge that alcohol is copiously consumed by many other members of the Panth and very few of them seem inclined to give apologies for the practice. Others insist that it is Wrong and the issue thus remains yet undecided).But if we once again look to the Sikh Rahit Maryada page 27. TSSS, page 85.The testimony of the Adi Granth to nasa (intoxication) arouses considerable controversy. A quotation such as the following is a case in point: duramati madu jo private bikhalipati kamali;
ram rasaini jo rate nanak sach amali.
(They whom consume the liquor of evil are like a Shudra’s wife; They who have drunk Ram’s draught are intoxicated with truth.) Guru Arjan, Asa 114, Adi Granth, page 399, Texts of this kind can be construed to mean cither that they oppose drinking as such, or that the Gurus are comparing it to the results of the infinitely superior “Ram’s draught” (the truth of Ram or of Akal Purakh).
The Ram’s draught may enlighten one with the Truth of Akal Purakh or the Name but “Alcohol” is a drug, it is a poison, it, in fact actually kills…Slowly, but must assuredly, with each and every sip, closer and closer it brings one to an unnatural death.
During the past several years, I have personally witnessed a depressingly dramatic increase of alcohol consumption by the Sikh Community, particularly the young males. Granted, coming to live and work in the West has caused many individuals to change their personal dietary and exercise habits. Most individuals, in order to support themselves and their Families back home in Punjab, forced to work long Hours at low wages, six and seven days per week leaving little time for needed rest and relaxation. Indeed, here in North America, within our highly social and extremely competitive society, stress is three-fold. Within the Sikh Community the clement of Stress is three-fold, with not only survival of themselves away from the Punjab on their minds, they are in constant concern regarding the safety of their Families and’ Friends back home…this brought on particularly by the current senseless acts of violence, imprisonment, and even murder of the Sikh people by the Indian Government, And unfortunately one substance above all others is being used to relieve tension and encourage sociability: alcohol. Although it is true that most people who drink do so without any noticeable detrimental effects, there are thousands of young Sikhs whose excessive drinking day-after-day and night-after-night endangers their own health, the happiness of their families and the future and wellbeing of the Panth in general.
It is my intention in writing this article, and in those to come, to educate and to openly discuss the cause and effects of alcohol abuse and to encourage an atmosphere conducive to treatment. To not only provide for a better understanding of the process leading to alcoholism, but also to enable those with in the Panth to provide better methods of treatment and effective approaches to prevention, Alcoholism is an extremely complex and pervasive problem, involving physiological, psychological, cultural, and eyen economic factors. In addition, it is the kind of root problem that greatly impacts on many other areas of concern within the Panth—from traffic safety, to both child and spousal abuse. Indeed, I can state without a doubt, that the future of the Panth is not only being threatened by the corrupt powers that be in India, but is also being compromised from within by Alcoholism.
In the following paragraphs I will outline in brief many of the physiological and psychological’ problems associated with alcohol abuse, but first we must have a clear definition of alcoholism. The following is the definition presented by the Yale Center of Alcohol Studies and the World Health Organization.
Alcoholism is a chronic behavioral disorder manifested by repeated drinking of alcoholic beverages in excess of dietary and social uses of the community and to an extent that interferes with the drinkers’ health or his social or economic functioning.
The significance of various parts of this definition will come alive as we describe the results of alcoholism in detail. In general, excessive alcohol use results in an increased risk of dying from alcohol-specific causes, from drinking-related accidents and violence, and from a variety of interrelated illnesses. The relationship between alcohol use and morality has been demonstrated by several kinds of data. Clinical research shows that alcoholics and those admitted for treatment of alcohol problems have a higher mortality rate than do people in the general population. These studies consistently have demonstrated that alcohol problems in males are associated with a mortality level six to 12 times” higher than expected. Vital statistics also show a substantial number of deaths each year from alcoholism, alcohol psychosis, and alcohol-related cirrhosis. Alcoholism and problem drinking also play a major role in accidents, homicides, suicides, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, cancer, and other life-threatening illnesses to be continued in future issues.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 29, 1994
