Originally Posted by
Eastern Mind
Vannakkam: Certainly there is no requirement. Those that harshly impose requirements are quite cultish and not the norm. Having said that, I have found that once you start in Hinduism, much of the culture rubs off. For example: You attend a temple, they serve prasadam, and it is Indian food. You discover you like it, and soon you go buy yourself a cookbook, and learn to cook. You notice people dressing modestly, you dress modestly, etc.
We also have the freedom to go as far as we want into the culture. Some would at first call me extreme for changing my name, for example. But then when I explain that it was entirely on my own volition, nobody was pointing a gun at me, or holding anything back because I wouldn't, then its cool.
So over time part of your own culture, (or non-culture in some places of the west) just fades. I came from a beer-drinking, meat-gorging, cowboy redneck cursing community, and frankly it is not missed.
Only when you come from a strongly religious background is there conflict, and if you want to move on less confused, you have to make a conscious effort to drop some of the precious beliefs.
Aum Namasivaya
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