Today I took our four children to the temple to celebrate Tamil New Year. This was one of our rare visits to a Hindu temple and as I sat praying that my three year old Tercero wouldn’t break, steal or set fire to anything, I wondered what we were doing there. In my teenage years my parents took us to temple every single Friday night. Whilst my friends were getting drunk down at El Rancho in Manuka (Canberrans, you know the place), I was sitting in a small, cold temple, stumbling through Tamil hymns that I didn’t really understand. I didn’t want to be with my friends getting drunk. I actually wanted to be at home watching Beverly Hills 90210. Mostly I just wanted a choice.
Twenty years later, I found myself at the temple again watching my children run around with their cousins, and I felt disconnected from the building and the deities that I don’t visit very often. I felt disconnected from the ethnic community that I no longer know very well. I felt like praying but was distracted by my children stealing the sweets that were meant for God. So I watched the congregation instead: marriages were negotiated and arranged; the HSC scores of young Sri Lankans were compared; rumours were started and scandals exaggerated; births were celebrated and divorces whispered about; Sri Lankan politics were debated and more marriages negotiated. People prayed, they connected with God and with each other. It was a normal day at the temple.
A friend of mine once described herself as a Christmas-Only Christian, and sitting there, I wondered if I might be the Hindu equivalent. It occurred to me that in another twenty years time, none of us would be attending temple, especially if I couldn’t work out what we were doing there in the first place. As I sat there being dramatically disconsolate about the death of culture and community, my grandparents walked in. Tercero ran up to them and offered them a handful of sticky, sweaty sugar candy. They laughed and accepted his gift, recognising him for the little thief that he is. And suddenly I felt connected to something even if it wasn’t the building.
We pray, we believe and we live as Hindus. We just don’t attend much. The children and I are philosophically practising but increasingly culturally lapsed. I think I will continue to take them to temple a few times a year – not out of obligation, but more out of a sense of history and my connection with it rather than the temple or the rituals of worship themselves. I would like the children to learn where their religion and values started thousands of years ago and celebrate that with 100million Tamils around the world. And when they are old enough, they can choose what to do on a Friday night with those values. Dear God, please let them just be watching 90210.
Shankari Chandran is a recent returner to Australia after ten years in London. Formerly a social justice lawyer, Shankari chronicles the day-to-day of her family’s return on her blog here.
Are you a Christmas Christian, Hannukkah Jew and Eid Muslim etc? Do you worship only on special occasions or regularly?
Comments
101 Comments so far
i amcatholic, but couple of years ago i wished to be christan, there was this lady, she told me if i would like to come to church with her (i knew her children) and i said yes, i loved it, i loved praying, i loved everything that had to do with god, i became more friendly and talkable, my friends adored me, but they thought i was annoying because i talked about god 24/7, i talked about how god saved me and stuff, i loved talking about him because everytime i did i felt a warm glow inside of me that wanted to burst out of my chest, but know, i could only remember living like that, my mum told me that i shouldnt go to church because it scared her that the fact that they spoke in tounge, i dont blame her, but now i only live in the shadows, i dont even dare to talk about god no more, but i still have a little glow in me when i prey to god every night!!!
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I don’t think attending church automatically makes you religious and vice versa. I was raised a Catholic, went to a Catholic school. I believe in God, pray regularly and observe the Catholic holidays (Christmas, Easter, Lent) I however do not attend church.
I know many people who attend Church weekly, however they are in no way religious and honestly, they’re terrible people. They might act religious one day a week, but don’t observe compassion, care and many other qualities during the other six days. I think trying to be a “good” person throughout the week is far more important then attending church for an hour a week.
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Thank you anon, I could not agree more – how you behave and how you treat other people is one of the most important things i want to teach my children. For me, religion has given me some guidance on that, as have my parents, my friends and my own instincts. Thank you for reading and commenting.
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Of course there can be part time religion. That is until its job is done through intimate prayer and seeking knowledge and a full time inner faith blooms. Then the religion is simply an externality with all of its joys and sorrows, goodness and wrongness.
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Another great column, Shankari! By the number of comments I think there are so many people wondering what religion is and what it means to them. Jade just read “religion for atheists” by Alain de Botton. It’s got a quite aggressive name, but the book is really about embracing all the wonderful things about religion without necessarily believing in a literal god (or gods). Still leaves one in a weird middle ground, but it’s food for thought! chrs
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Hey Pat, thank you so much for reading and commenting. Don’t tell me about thought-provoking ADB books – the pile by the side of my bed (unred, I’m ever hopeful) is growing! Love to you, Jade and W. xx
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I simply love this post and totally agree with Appa’s comment. We need to inculcate the right set of values and expose are kids to our religious culture. Places of worship have a lot of positive energy which all of us need.
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Thank you Reema, that Appa is pretty clever isn’t he.
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I think that if a religion doesn’t demonstrate love, cultural relevance and community it is worth attending only part time! These are such essential needs for humans. And there are many forums, religious and other which may provide these wonderful gifts. For me, this is the essence of how Jesus Christ wanted his followers to live and relate to others. Hopefully we all encounter a group of people living in love community and respect at some point… Surely it is worth seeking out! After which time we may WANT to attend more than part time!
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Im a Christian and attend church weekly, I have ha a relationship with God since I was a child but haven’t always attended church, howeve I definitely feel more connected when I am with other Christians and able to worship with others.
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Third generation atheist (at very least), sent kids to co-Ed public schoolsl, saved a fortune in fees – kids doing brilliantly, academically and otherwise.
Love the way atheism saves you guilt, angst and school fees.
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Thanks Shankari for another personal and thought-provoking post.
Having only recently decided to stop attending church I do not know yet whether I may become a sub-marine Christian. What I do know is that I have yet to find a community like the one I once had… and the sense of loss is very great indeed!
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Dear Nat, thank you for your comment. I can imagine that your decision was a hard one and I am sorry for the loss of community. I really hope you find a community that will value you for who you are, and one that you will love and feel supported by and enjoy as much as you did your previous one. Shankari
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I would love the next census to instead of asking to tick a box for religion to ask how many times you have attended in the last 12 months.
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Thanks Shankari for your article. I loved it and could certainly appreciate your family’s religious experience.I am a hindu, while my wife is catholic. We have 2 boys, both of whom will be raised in a new religion we are creating, called ‘Catholinduism’. We’re still trying to work out the nuts and bolts of our hybrid belief system however i am sure we’ll get there eventually! Thanks for another entertaining and engaging family story. I always look forward to your posts. The more i read them, the more i actually feel part of your family!
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Hi I admire the way you have written and expressed your innermost feelings the day you were in the temple. I cant disagree on this feelings and I have also up to a certain age where I also should have had a choice gone every friday evening to the temple and I guess i felt more connected with the rituals and the deities more as a child then I feel that I am now. Could it be because i was more innocent and unaware of what was going in that age or was it some kind of bonding that took place as it became a ritual going to the temple every friday? I have no answer to this. But one thing I understand from the article you have written is that ,there must have been some effect on you and me in that age that makes us bring our children back to the same temple that we were “forced” to go to ? maybe its just the feeling of doing whats right and to feel that your part o something bigger and valuable that you would like to pass on to your kids!
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Another post which is bang on the money in my opinion. Our busy lives make lapsing all too easy – church-going was just what we did on Sunday when I was growing up, like it or not. But the shops were shut, no other activities were on, there was a Sunday school to keep the children occupied… I saw a cartoon in a church paper which set out all the reasons why people don’t attend church like they used to and I thought it really reflected that modern existence we seem to have. My daughter also makes it tricky – and it becomes an easy excuse to use my fear about her (possibly!) disruptive behaviour as another reason to stay at home and say ‘maybe next year…’
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Thank you so much for reading and commenting Camilla. I have always loved your writing and was so happy recently to find out about your first book, Pictures at an Exhibition. It’s a lovely and intriguing premise for a book.
Congratulations – I am inspired and hoping to follow in your footsteps. I don’t know how you found the time but thank you, it makes me want to try harder and keep writing.
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It is always nice reading your thought provoking notes. Going to a place of worship does not necessarily make one religious. It could be simply a mechanical action. One may never go to a temple, but be religious by following the teachings and practices of one’s religion.
However, when like minded people get together in a place of worship they reinforce each other in their faith – Satsang. Further places of worship may be considered as having positive vibrations or even like a vortex of energy fields ( as in Stargate a science fiction TV program ) allowing greater access to God or a higher level of Consiousness. It is important for children to be exposed to this before other competing and negative influnces set in. It is the parent’s responsibility to explain this to them.
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Once a fortnight we have a celebration in a church. The other week a discussion over morning tea in a friend’s house. Lapsed Catholic, now Uniting Church. Really enjoy the people who are there to show love for each other and the community.
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I’m an ex-catholic now uniting too!!!
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Sorry, I meant to answer the question……..I’m not religious, so that means I’m not part-time religious either………..I go to religious buildings for christenings, weddings, funerals etc and I’ve marvelled at the architecture of huge cathedrals & quaint churches, temples etc here & overseas and behave respectfully even if I’m not enamoured of the religious hierarchy that controls them. I have way more respect for the people of very simple faith that attend them. I think that if Spirituality is a real thing it’s not actually connected to religion at all – Religion is just a way to control the uncontrollable…………during meditation I’m aware of something “other” that’s very special, unique and personal and so I’m compelled to say – “Keep it simple”.
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I suppose our household was “Anglican” when I was growing up. I know I attended “Sunday School” for a while ( I was 6 to 9 years yrs old) but I got bored as the “stories” were silly & illogical and the teacher couldn’t answer my precocious questions………..I became an Agnostic very early and it’s only because I’ve been reading Philosophy for a long time that I’m sure that no-body can prove anything – and that’s just fine by me. ‘Keeps it interesting……..I don’t have a head full of guilt or fear – and neither do my children……Imagine a whole country filled with people who are waiting for a cataclysmic religious “event” to happen in their lifetime, where some of their family & friends would die horribly simply because they didn’t “believe”…….Oops !….Too late…..lol.
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For me ,I was raised a catholic and would not have stepped foot in a church as an adult until I had a personal revelation.Now I love church and the people.I go to be encouraged to live a Christ centered life.2 of my 4 children come with me and I pray the other 2 will have a personal encounter with the living God also.
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I’m definitely a part timer. I was raised going to mass most sundays with my mum and grandparents. I still go to church events occasionally, mainly to keep mum happy, but I do take some comfort out of all the familiar faces I can recognise from my childhood. There are people who oh and ah remembering when I was born (I’m now in my mid twenties). It’s a wonderful community.
If I am truly honest with myself I think I’m a complete athiest and I have real issues with the catholic church. But the local church is such a part of my history that I like to recognise its role in my upbringing and touch base with the community that was such a big part of my childhood.
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Hi kate, I like the history and community aspect too. We grew up in Canberra so I prefer the temple in Canberra where I see people who were my “aunties and uncles” as we call it. People who loved my parents and saw me grow up. Thank you for reading. x
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Yeah, I’m a part-timer/recovering-Catholic, I guess.
The big dilemma was whether to baptise the kids or not. It was their future education that made the decision for us. The local Mick school is statistically way better academically than any other school in our area. Also, many friends who have worked at all the local schools all agree that the care/empathy/values etc in the Mick school are more prominent than any other school in our area. So it was a no-brainer.
Hypocritical? You bet. Much like the Catholic Church
Our local priest is from the Philippines and can be difficult to understand. My daughter can’t follow him at all. He unfortunately conducted our youngest daughter’s Christening, not long ago, and his take on Catholicism was embarrassingly simplistic and outdated. He waxed lyrical for a good 50 minutes before the actual Christening. Then he was frustrated that our baby was restless. I had a feeling that would happen so I was so glad I had kept it to immediate family only.
It’s a shame he is so out of touch.
I miss some of the Jesuits who I really used to love listening to. None around these parts sadly.
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Just today as I looked at school fees I pondered the morality of converting to Catholicism! I suspect we wouldn’t be able to fake it. x
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Many Catholic schools will take non-catholic students. I don’t know the guidelines but I know when I went to a catholic school there were a few non-Catholics there as well.
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Duck I’m a fifth generation Catholic and sometimes I feel like I’m faking it.
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Have actually had friends teach at Catholic schools (they are non Catholic) and have said really positive things about their experience. Our local Catholic school also seems to have a really great positive vibe… go figure. Check out the school and if it seems right for your kids – well why not?
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“Mick” schools ? Hate to be a prissy pants but I find that pretty dismissive & borderline offensive
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So sorry you feel offended Thes. I am Catholic (albeit a lapsed one) and have always called myself a Mick. So do many of my ‘Mick’ friends! I think of it as a term of endearment actually!
AND my daughter attends such a school. It’s ace. And very Mick 
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My mum is a Catholic (her whole family is) and my dad is an atheist.
She raised me and my siblings catholic- took us to Mass most Sundays, had us baptised, but we weren’t sent to catholic schools, as my dad was against it (he thought we’d get brainwashed by priests and nuns).
I disagree with A LOT of what the Catholic church has to say, I (mainly on birth control) but I go to church at Easter and Christmas. I believe in some sort of higher being but not necessarily ‘God’ and I don’t pray.
I do want to get married in a church though, and i think i might get my children baptised.
I have no idea what this makes me lol.
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Oh my god Harriet. Are you me? (oops, just took Gods name “in vain”…whatever that means. I don’t remember!)
I too, was raised a catholic and attended a catholic school. I’ve done all my sacraments except for marriage and I go to church every Easter and Christmas (except for the past 2 Easter’s when I’ve been away -which I subsequently felt guilty about). But I identify as agnostic. I feel as though there is some higher being out there but no idea what it is.
I guess I could say I’m just spiritual but not religious.
Oh and I want to get married in a church. They’re beautiful lol
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I have strong christian beliefs, I pray regularly my children attend a church run school but I don’t go to church regularly. It doesn’t make me a lesser person than those people who go to church every week.
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I guess that makes me a full time religious! Not quite, but training to be a priest I go to at least 3 services a week. A few people have said they feel bad about only coming a few times a year – please come! When I see a crowded church at Christmas/Easter/baptism/whatever, it makes me so happy and so sad. Happy because so many people are there, but sad that the Church is failing them. If we could provide what people needed, they would come! I know so many priests/Churches that are trying to give people what they need. Please don’t give up on us just yet!
BTW, many churches have mid week/Sunday evening services for those who aren’t naturally early risers.
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I am full time Atheist…but I would defintately listen to you talk Josie Y, u are such a wise and lovely person and actually really what a religious person should be like! You are not disrespectful ever to anyone that thinks differently to you and i always love to hear your opinion!
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This is a fantastic post. For the first time I actually am reading content on MM that has resonance for me; not just because I’m another minority Hindu in a largely Christian country but because I have the same feelings about the religion-community bind. Thanks for this.
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Hi Arati, thank you so much for reading and commenting. I worry a bit that people won’t like these kinds of posts (I worry about just about everything) but these things are on my mind and I just write about whatever I think about. And I am really grateful to MM for publishing the posts, giving these views some airtime and allowing other people to engage with them. x
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I’m kind of a submarine Catholic but I don’t do christmas and easter. I cross town pretty regularly (at least once a fortnight) to go to mass at a parish I love, with priests I love.
I’ve baptised my children and if I win the argument with the local catholic school, they’ll be educated Catholic.
I don’t mind submarining, but I do mind it for show pony purposes. Like Christmas Mass is the annual get together of your school chums before you head out on the piss. I prefer my submarining to be entirely selfisha nd private lol.
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Hey Dee, thanks for reading, Submarine Catholic? I love it! x
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Michael: I guess you could call me a non-practicing jew
Lelaina: Well hey I’m a non-practicing virgin
(that’s from Reality Bites by the way)
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Loved the movie and the music. Even got the haircut.
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Most of my family are Christmas & Easter church attendees, but Christians all the time.
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I am the opposite, Shankari. I go to church every Sunday except for Christmas day or Easter Sunday. I find it too frustrating to share these special days with all the once-a-year comers.
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Please dont take this the wrong way, but doesn’t seem very Christian to not want to spend the day with people because they don’t go to church every Sunday.
Seems like a great chance to meet others and reach out. Good on them for recognizing the cultural background of the holiday and experiencing Easter or Christmas in church.
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My friends and I woke up early on Easter Sunday, and as we had a few hours to kill we decided to go to Mass. We are all definitely part time Catholics; Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and the occasional wedding/communion/confirmation/christening. Apparently we had been away so long the Church found time to change all the traditional responses; cue they very confused and out of place looking twenty-somethings! We did wonder if that was done to identify the submariners from the regulars.
I fundamentally disagree with some of what the church has to say, but I still believe that the basic message of “love one another” is a positive one. And there is a sense of comfort and calm that I get from church and the rituals that I enjoy. However, as others have said, just not enough to get me out of bed regularly on a Sunday morning!
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Just between the two of us, growing up, I thought that I was a deity.
Yes. Every time I’d appear people would exclaim, “God, are you here again” !
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That was funny! Did you steal it from somewhere or make it up? ha!
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I am a traditional Jew. I celebrate Passover and Jewish New Year, I send my kids to a Jewish school and I identify with my heritage. Increasingly though I am more connected with the cultural and historical aspects of my religion rather than the religion itself. I love our traditions and customs but they don’t necessarily facilitate a connection with God. I am proud of my heritage and enjoy the festivities that colour our community, but I don’t identify as a religious person. I rarely pray or attend synagogue. Instead, I embrace the values and customs of Judasim and appreciate the framework that shapes my life and that of my family. Religion and tradition are so closely intertwined. I guess that makes me part time religious too!
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Hi Lil, thank you so much for your comment. I really appreciated it. You remind me of one of my favourite people T. Shabbas dinner at her house is pretty special. I think she’d really like and identify with your comment. best wishes Shanks
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i miss the ranch. that is all
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The last time I went there was in 1992 after our Year 12 exams. My dad picked me up at 11pm with my little brother asleep in the car. It was mortifying. I don’t think I can go back.
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I was born and raised a Catholic, attended mass each Sunday, and went to a religious high school that required we attend chapel every morning. Whilst there is much that I disagree with in the Catholic church, it is a sense of my family tradition, and a very strong connection to my beloved Grandmother (now passed). There is a peace I feel in a church, though I very rarely attend anymore.
I don’t think you need to be in a “house of God” to worship your God. My partner is not religious at all, but understands that I want our children to know my family’s religion because through that comes more understanding of our family, and heritage.
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I grew up in the church, school, service every Sunday, etc, and then I spent 25 years travelling the world, learning and studying, and now try to avoid organized religion, I don’t believe I need to go to a church to validate my belief in God, but my problem is my husband is wanting to attend a church (could it be midlife crisis) but what ever it is I am concerned, concerned that it could be the beginning of the end of our marriage, maybe I am being silly, but my gut is saying otherwise.
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Why does he suddenly want attend do you think?
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In The Color Purple there’s a scene where the characters talk about God and one of them says “I never found God in a church, just a whole lot of people hoping he’ll show”.
I’m Catholic but attend Mass rarely. My children are baptised but i am sending them to a public school. I often talk with my 5 yr old about God and she is an avid viewer of the Vegetales series of DVDs. I practise my faith through striving to make the world a better place and giving thanks for the good things that I see. I am trying to install in my children the sense that the world is a complex place and that they hold a privileged position within it. I also want them to understand that just because we hold a particular religious view it doesn’t mean we are superior to our Jewish or Muslim neighbours.
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Hi Flowers in the Spring, whoever you are, I really love how you think. Thank you very much.
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Thank you. I find raising children with a religious perspective tough because I’m trying to strike the balance between raising them with faith but not raising them to feel superior to others.
For parents out there who are atheist I’d love to know how you answer the inevitable questions about what happens when people die? It’s such a difficult thing to discuss (and broke my heart when Pumpernickel asked about it) and in my talk we discussed heaven and people watching over us. I’m not trying to be harsh with this question, I just can’t imagine talking about death without talking about heaven, especially to little kids.
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I think kids can be told that we don’t know what happens….because we don’t, we are merely speculating.
Have you ever read a book twice? The second time you appreciate things in more detail and have more empathy for the characters decisions. If we can accept death, and not fear it, then our lives can be like this. I feel lucky having been in critical situations with my dodgy heart to have discovered this.
As to your pondering in the article i heard this once which came back to me while reading; religion is for those who have been scared into avoiding hell, spirituality is for those who are prepared to walk through it.
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Oh goodness. I remember El Rancho – ‘The Ranch’. So well named. Eek.
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Not a Christmas Christian, just a Christmas-minus-religion person. Most of these so called “Christian” celebrations were morphed with pre-existing pagan celebrations so I’m not even sure if its fair to say they’re Christian. Makes me smile a bit when churches encourage us to remember the “true” meaning of Easter or Christmas. The goddess of spring had first dibs on Easter.
Anyhow, I digress. No, I’m not religious. In fact I am personally anti-religion and see it as a way to control and manipulate people. But I usually keep that opinion to myself so as not to offend (sorry if I have here). I teach my kids they can believe what they want, spirituality is a personal thing and means something different to everyone and more often than not has nothing at all to do with religion.
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Kaz, you took the words right out of my mouth ;D
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Ive turned into a submarine Catholic…only surface at Christmas and Easter. I grew up going to Mass every Sunday and I went to Catholic schools, Catholic University and then became a teacher in the catholic system. After all that now I very rarely go to church and my children go to the local public school. None of this is because I had some great renouncing of my faith or anything…honestly, it’s just sheer laziness on my part. I prioritise a relaxed Sunday morning with a chance of a sleep in over hauling everyone out of bed and dragging them off to church. That being said, when I do go I enjoy the familiar prayers and hymns and that sense of belonging…just not enough to get me out of bed the next week.
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I love this article. I was raised in a intensely religious Christian family, found my own path at a young age. I was the scandal that was whispered about.
I do not miss the church at easter or christmas, as to me it’s all ridiculous and empty symbolism. What I do miss is feeling connected to my family because of our shared religion.
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I’m a submarine Catholic – I only really emerge for Christmas (and funerals, weddings and Christenings I guess).
My parents raised us as Catholics, but they also gave us the freedom to choose whether or not we wanted to continue practicing. I went to Catholic schools and learned about all kinds of religions and started forming my own beliefs and opinions about religion and God. I try to live my life based on a lot of principles I have learned as a Catholic, but I don’t agree with everything in Catholicism.
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This is exactly me – word for word!
Glad to hear im not the only one who takes only the ‘good’ from catholicism
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Hi lauren91, that encouragement to choose and think for ourselves and pull together what works for us is important isn’t it. I really hope I am giving that to my kids too. My parents raised us with an awareness and respect for all world religions and we were able to see the values that stemmed from Hinduism (and so many other religions), separating that from the stuff about religion that we wanted to leave behind. I’m sure my parents wish we were more religious but I am grateful that they gave us the tools to create our own path. I am liking the submarine word – I guess I am a submarine hindu.
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I stopped going to church years ago when I realised I went out of habit not belief. I have one sister that attends church on regular basis. I go to ceremonies (confirmation, communion etc) that are important to my nieces and nephews but otherwise never attend church. Having said that I am glad I had religious education as a historian religion plays a role in so much of what I have studied.
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One of my best friends is an Irish Catholic. He is only a Weddings/Funerals/Baptisms guy except for Xmas time when he does his yearly confession. I call it ‘Forgiveness in Bulk’.
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Costco Christianity perhaps?
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I’m a practising agnostic.
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My mother refers to ‘bush Catholics’ – only come to ‘town’ (church) a ouple of times a year. She goes for Christmas & Easter, but also more regularly (I think?). I used to the ‘twice a year’ thing but then I stopped, because I felt dishonest doing it.
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As soon as I saw this headline I was hoping it was you who’d written it Shankari. Having just negotiated Easter in a sometimes-Christian family I can really relate to this. But watching 90210 was a slippery slope to other terrible things, like Melrose Place. I think your folks made the right choice
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You always make me laugh! I agree, 90210 might have been far more subversive than The Ranch, thank God for temple. x
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I was raised in an atheist home and am not religious at all now. But I do consider myself to be a spiritual person.
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I’ve been known to call out the name of “the creator” on Saturday night.
Generally it will be after the Lotto balls have dropped and I’ve missed out on a prize….again.
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There’s only one time and place I find my *insert deity here*….
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I am a practicing muslim. I pray five times a day, fast the month of ramadn and do extra throughout the year, read Quran regulsrly and eat only Halal foods. A lot of decisions i make in life, i refer back to religion and i find this very fulfiling and feel guided. I do though understand the part timers as i used to be like that many years ago when i wasnt well educated in islam. It mskes me really happy when i see prople regardless of what religion they are practicing it.
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I love Shankari’s posts.
This is definitely me, a part-time Hindu. I used to go to the temple 2-3 times a year until my parents moved interstate a couple of years ago; I haven’t been at all since then. I suppose I can practise by believing and by behaving in certain ways. In my view, I don’t need to go to the temple to be Hindu. Religion for me is more about the beliefs than the practice.
I hope that when I have kids I can take them along to the temple, maybe once a year, just to see what it’s about and so that it’s not a totally mysterious place for them.
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Hi ophobo, thank you so much for reading. i agree, it’s not the going to temple that makes you a Hindu. BTW, my parents do religion classes at home with the kids on a Monday night – it is the cutest thing to watch my dad try to control my children and teach them about the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu whilst they insist on telling bottom-jokes. Kids and Hinduism = great potential for toilet humour apparently! x shanks
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Sometimes when I’m really worried about something or someone I think ‘Oh God, please let it/them be OK’. But I’m not actually talking a specific bloke, I’m just wishing and hoping for things to be alright.
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We share our time between our home in the city and a small country town. At Christmas we go to church and usually at Easter. So – definitely a part time catholic. However, it struck me this year that what you get with church is community and that’s kind of nice. I silently hummed along to the hymms I didn’t know the words for and noted that at the end of the mass, people were named and congratulated for their 50th wedding anniversaries, 80th birthdays and births were applauded, and the infirm or unwell were thought of. I felt almost part of something special (I say almost because while I was there and part of it, they were strangers to me). I don’t think I’ll suddenly start visiting church and going to mass every sunday but when we have children I might start a regular visit then. I think I’d like them to be part of that community.
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