CALGARY: A political leadership convention is one of the last places would expect a religious conversion to take place.

But that’s what happened to Halifax student Man in Hill While attending the 1990 Liberal

Leadership convention in Calgary Hill 21 met Sikh delegates from Calgary and Vancouver Their religious attitude impressed him. They made no effort to force their faith on him Almost three years later Hill returned to Calgary at Christmas and was baptized into the Sikh religion in an claborates private ceremony at the Gurdwara or temple.

Hill was raised Anglican. But during his adolescent years Hill began wondering about the Anglican way. He still believed in God But how could a king with six wives establish a church? he asked himself.

So he began searching for anew spiritual home. None of the Christian denominations seemed very appealing. They appeared to be a mass of contradictions. He explored Islam Jainism Judaism Buddhism.

Then he met the Sikhs. After returning to Halifax they mailed him some books about the faith. The Dalhousie University chemical engineering student studied them in depth. He learned about its origins how it grew out of various Indian movements which sought unity between Islam and Hinduism and how it repudiated the caste system and banned images from worship

He learned about the Sikhs Spartan code of conduct their devotion to a life of prayer and their crusade (battle for righteousness).

He was educated in the importance of the S Ks-emblems shared by all baptized Sikhs and considered essential to their way of life

Kachsha or undershorts; Kara bracelet of steel; Kirpan ceremonial sabre; Kanga comb; and Kes unshorn hair the most important of the Ks.

Soon he was living the Sikh way of life. Hill who one day wants to be a doctor stopped smoking and drinking alcohol and became a vegetarian.

As well he stopped cutting his hair and began wearing a turban. He began praying daily

His mother greeted the change with equanimity. Everyone is free to choose their own path. She told him His father a pharmacist was more concemed. He thought his son had become involved in cult over time however his father accepted the choice.

Last summer Hill decided he was ready to be initiated as a Khalsa (baptized Sikh) 1 made sure | understood the faith as well as i could he says. So I repeated the commitment in my mind so that when I was baptized i could keep the commitment

Hill then took a new name Jarnail which means general and Singh a common name shared by all Sikhs which means lion.

Back at University Hill says he feels more spiritually complete. His goal is to continue progress along his chosen spiritual path.

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