Vanna: We're almost all practicing Binduists, although to different degrees. Thankfully it's a pretty flexible religion by its nature, so generally our beliefs don't tend to clash with others.
Padparadscha: It's often referred to as a 'family of religions', because by design it is very open to embracing other religious viewpoints, and even taking them into itself at times.
Zach: Not that y'all had to worry about clashin' with my belief system too much to begin with anyway Kitten, I'm more of a passive Volkenist instead of a devout one...not that Volkenism is a very 'my way er' the highway' belief system to start with.
Lucero: Well one does not have to be a devoutly religious person to be uncomfortable with another mammal's religious practices. That said, I'm proud to have a son-in-law who was so open and willing to accept our daughter, along with her very traditional family.
Myra: Not 'that' traditional...*Laughs*
Vanna: Says the least devout of all of us.
Myra: C'mon Sis, if Mom and Dad were so traditional they definitely wouldn't have let you marry Zach! Heck, they wouldn't have even let you pick who you married!
Padparadscha: I would be a hypocrite if I had held rigidly to my parent's beliefs on species and caste, as well as a monster. *Shakes Head* And I would have never met the love of my life had I given in to their ridiculous demands.
Lucero: *Clutches Pasha, and nuzzles sweetly into her hair.* Oh Pasha, my love...to think of a world where I had never met you would be unbearable. You are my soul...
Padparadscha: *Purring softly as she nuzzles Lucero back* I would endure a thousand lifetimes returning as the lowliest cockroach if it meant spending just a minute more with you...
Vanna: *blushes slightly* Perhaps, this is a good moment to explain some of the Binduism belief system, considering my mother just touched on one of the tenets.
Myra: Okay well, reincarnation is a thing. We believe in the 'Samsara', or the 'Wheel of life' philosophy. Birth, death, rebirth, ad infinity.
Vanna: Infinitum.
Myra: Whateves. Oh, also unlike most of the religious systems Binduism stands alongside, we don't have a name or species for whoever created it. It's sort of an amalgam of local species traditions and beliefs all coming together to build an overall...like philosophy for life.
Lucero: Although each species who practices Binduism likes to believe it was one of their own kin who truly founded it, and I am no exception.
Vanna: *Rolls her eyes* Dad.
Lucero: Truly the primary dharma could be crafted by no other species than a wise, great and noble tiger. *Laughs proudly*
Myra: *Mumbles* If he was so wise, he wouldn't have pushed for arranged marriages...or allowed a 'caste' to form in the first place.
Lucero: Myra, come now...do not forget all religions have had millennia to be obscured and darkened by those with sullied Dharma. We have no way of knowing if this tenet came from divine inspiration or the muddled mind of a mortal mammal. I choose to live my life leading with the tenet of reverence for all life equally, a tenet which has no place for specieism or caste.
Vanna: Which is why we would stop and pray before each dinner of fish or chicken in order to thank the animal that has blessed us with its sacrifice so that we may eat.
Myra: You still do that?
Vanna: Sometimes...
Myra: Fish can't even feel pain...you can't expect me to believe they have a soul too...
Zach: I-I don't really think there's anythin' wrong with bein' thankful fer a good meal...
Lucero: *Chuckles* It is quite alright Zach, do not feel the need to step in as though you are diffusing a potential fight. Pasha and I agreed long ago that we would not push our beliefs on our daughters. Everyone's life is a journey of spiritual education and self-discovery. We all must find our own way, on our own path. Besides, no disagreement in philosophy is worth losing touch with our daughters over. *Laughs* And again, we'd be pretty huge hypocrites if we demanded obedience like our own parents.
Padparadscha: Mostly my parents. Your's were quite accepting of me if I remember.
Lucero: It's true, my parents were quite open and flexible when it came to their own beliefs in Binduism, and I've tried my best to lead by their example. It certainly makes for a much less stressful life. *Chuckles*
Vanna: I really miss our trips out to Mane to see Grandma and Grandpaw...they were always so much fun.
Myra: Yeah, Granpaw was a kick! If you think my Dad is wild Zach you should have met ol' Raj!
Lucero: *Laughs heartily* Yes, my father deeply loved life, and he instilled that in me as a young kitten, though even now I still pale in comparison to that towering, joyful, boisterous old tiger. If any mammal in all of Animalia had achieved true Dharma, it was him.
Vanna: Do...you guys remember the...thing with the log?
Lucerio: Ah the Cago Tio! You girls used to love that!
Zach: Caga what?
Padparadscha: Although...that's not really a Bindian tradition...more of a local...Catalonian thing...
Vanna: I didn't love it per say...but it is amusing to think back to those Yule mornings...with all of us trying to get the Caga Tio to...produce presents...*Stifles a snicker*
Zach: What is this thang? Like a Yule log?
Myra: It's a log you pretend to feed leftover food to, and then on Yule morning you beat it and then it shits presents.
Zach: What? *Pft* What 'ya mean-Kitten what does she mean it "shit's presents?"
Vanna: *Shaking with laughter as she tries to hold it in.* Y-you heard her.
Zach: *Clearly confused but trying to stifle his own laughter.* Myra?
Myra: Then it shits a fish out to let you know it's done pooping presents out for the year. *Myra is now stifling her own snickers*
Pasha: *Now laughing* You forgot about the part where you sing songs to it in between beatings to encourage it to...make. *laughs*
Lucero: As if beating it wasn't encouragement enough! *Cackling*
Myra: The beatings will continue until the present output improves! *Laughs*
Zach: Y-yer all serious? *Snickering*
Myra: As I said, Grandpaw was WILD!
*Everyone starts cackling*
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