"Rebel With a Cause: Bobby Jindal's Spiritual Journey"

Bobby Jindal has been in the news again lately, this time being mentioned as a short-list candidate for McCain's VP. I frankly hope and believe that won't happen. He's such an appealing figure, however, that I'm sure McCain is happy to have an association with him, even rumored.

Today the Wall Street Journal has a story about Bobby's faith, and specifically his conversion from Hinduism to Catholicism as a young man:

... Twenty years later, Mr. Jindal, a convert to Roman Catholicism, is being mentioned as one of John McCain's top choices for the Republican vice-presidential nomination. And his strong religious faith is often cited as a potential bonus for the ticket.

Hinduism is a diverse religion, with varying interpretations. Mr. Jindal, speaking from his office in Baton Rouge this month, said his parents raised him "in a monotheistic home with a firm belief in a God with traditional values -- the same sort of values you find in the Ten Commandments and other mainstream religions." Recalling their religion as "not a faith that was necessarily tied to a particular historical scripture or revelation," Mr. Jindal said, his parents "made their faith their own."

It is rare for Hindus to convert to Christianity or any other religion. According to a survey released by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life earlier this year, eight in 10 American Hindus who were raised in the faith remain so as adults.

"I did not have an overnight epiphany like so many people do," said Mr. Jindal, calling his conversion a "very intellectual-based journey," where he studied countless religious texts. "Given my background and personality, that was an important part of the process." But, he notes, "I don't think you can 'read' yourself into faith. I had gotten to the point where I knew what history had to say about this person named Jesus and what he had done on Earth. . . . I think at some point you have to take a leap of faith."

And while we're doing a bobby post, you can watch him respond to the question about whether he is being considered for McCain's veep:

I frankly wonder if he's been asked to not categorically deny the possibility of being asked, just to keep the talk going (and therefore, his excellent track record in the public eye).

My previous posts on Bobby Jindal can be found here.