One of his most famous quotes was: "You must BE the change you wish to see in the World."
Where did he learn to love his enemies and pray for those that persecuted his people?
I noticed a quote from him on a website "I'd be a Christian, if it were not for the Christians!" I did a little more internet research to find out what he meant by this quote. It turns out that he was an avid reader and once sat down and read the four Gospels in the New Testament.
He had long despised the Hindu 'caste system' which places people into categories based on race and ethnic heritage. As you may recall there was a lot of controversy during the Tsunami recovery a couple of years ago because families from lower castes were not admitted into shelters where the upper castes had taken refuge. For more information on the caste system
click here.
Gandhi was enthralled with Jesus Christ and wanted to know more about this Messiah that Christian's worshiped. The next Sunday morning he tried to visit one of the Christian churches in Calcutta. He was stopped at the door though by the ushers who told him he was not welcome and would not be permitted to attend this particular chuch because it was for whites or 'high caste' Indians only. (There is an expectation that higher caste Indians have lighter skin than those in the lower castes).
Gandhi was neither 'high caste' nor white (British). After this rejection at the church, Mahatma Gandhi never considered becoming a Christian again.
Preach the Gospel to all the World! When necessary, use words. - St. Francis of Assisi
2 comments:
It's interesting that you brought up the caste system, because this, I think, may be the biggest problem with modern-day Christianity. It is in itself, a form of the caste system. Christians are famous for proclaiming their "apartness" from the world -- from non-believers, from the faithless, from the godless. Many Christians sincerely believe they are higher up along a caste system they've created in their own minds. That they're more blessed or graced or "spiritually mature".*
Even the title of this blog -- "love for sinners" -- implies that the "sinners" are someone other.
Now, here, in the 21st century, we're all too familiar with the scathing, cutting, cold superiority a certain type of Christian metes out in the name of "loving the sinner". The phrase itself has created a lot of walls, a lot of pain, a lot of scars.
Sinners aren't someone else. They're you. Until you learn to see yourself in every sin committed by every sinner, you can't love the sinner. It's impossible.
Ah...I see what's going on here. Another phony, elitist, self-serving blog in which you have replaced God with your own ego.
Whatever.
You people show me the truth about what and who you are every time you turn around.
You can commence worshipping each other's asses now...
What a pack of hateful, gossipy little phonies.
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