Nice read. As I always tell myself, there is No God in this earth but still I believe in rich Hinduism. I think religion and culture are same. Each culture has different culture and follow the religion differently. There is no right no wrong. It all depends upon oneself.
As I read yours, I came to point that there is only one reality in this earth. If you are born, one day u have to die. So why trouble oneself with all this bullshits. By this I donot mean do not trust on religion. I am hindu and have right to become hindu in my own way. I eat beef that does not mean that I am not hindu. I eat pork that doesnot mean I am not muslims. Everyone has their own rights to practice their own thoughts.
As I said religion and culture are interlinked, for me those old folks few hundreds of years ago decided that how we should live. Its not fair. They did what was supposed to be done at that moment of time. We need to change with time.
But again I say, I am hindu and I go to temple and pray everyday to god and at the same time I eat beef.