Growing up, my South Asian friends referred to me as a ?hamburger Hindu.? While most Hindus avoid beef, my family regularly ate burgers. We celebrated Christmas as well as Diwali, and we rarely made it to temple services. Religion just wasn?t something we really talked about or did much with. In fact, after several years at a Catholic school, my concept of ?God? became a mash-up of Jesus, Ganesh and Athena the Greek goddess of wisdom.
I?m still trying to sort out exactly what or in whom I believe. I don?t reject the idea of God outright, but I?m not drawn to organized religions, either. Like many Canadians, I fall somewhere in the messy middle. According to recent data gathered by University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby and the Angus Reid Institute, only 30 percent of Canadians embrace faith, while 40 percent call themselves ?spiritual but not religious.? Since becoming a mother, however, I find I?m questioning my ambivalence more and more. Given how frenetic, hyperconnected and competitive our culture is, shouldn?t my kids have some kind of moral foundation to help ground them throughout their lives" Is there a ritual that might give them some comfort during tough times" I want to give my three boys the best start possible?and that includes fostering a healthy spiritual and moral life.
There?s a growing body of neurological, sociological and psychological research that links faith with a series of long-term benefits. The findings are astounding. Stud...