Khalsa
In the Sikh religion, the Khalsa is an order of believers that, over the course of centuries, has become the basis of authority and practice. Derived from the Arabic word for "pure" and considering itself an army of God, the Khalsa was founded in 1699 by the last of the gurus for those who undergo an initiation rite and follow certain precepts for daily living. These include never cutting one's hair and always carrying a sword, in addition to dietary rules and upright behavior. To this day, especially among Sikhs living outside of India, there are debates about whether non-Khalsas count as full members of the Sikh community.