WM - 57.2.A - Mahatma Gandi Quote
Oct. 10th, 2008 10:14 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
on_holy_ground"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." - Mahatma Gandhi
I have always thought it interesting that humanity tends to shy away from topics that are the most controversial. Wars are fought over beliefs and ideals every day in the world, yet we are not to actually talk about the issues that are the underlying cause of those wars. Religion and politics especially are things we avoid discussing at all costs for fear of causing issues with those who might believe differently than we do ourselves.
What are we afraid of? Losing a friend? Alienating a colleague? Having a family member turn their back on us? Why?
Our beliefs and ideals are what make us who we are as people. They are what shapes our lives and guides our actions. If we are not willing to discuss these things with others, then how can they really know us? How can we really know them?
What if we were to discover that we all want the same kinds of things? What if we found out that their thinking was much the same as our own, but with a slightly different covering? What if we discovered something new that we had never considered before that perhaps altered our own view for the better? What if we learned something? What if someone else learned something from us?
Christ gave the people He talked to a choice. He didn’t force people to come to His way of seeing things. Instead He simply spent His life telling others about His beliefs and His ideals and in so doing He changed the world.
Perhaps it is time that we considered doing the same.
I have always thought it interesting that humanity tends to shy away from topics that are the most controversial. Wars are fought over beliefs and ideals every day in the world, yet we are not to actually talk about the issues that are the underlying cause of those wars. Religion and politics especially are things we avoid discussing at all costs for fear of causing issues with those who might believe differently than we do ourselves.
What are we afraid of? Losing a friend? Alienating a colleague? Having a family member turn their back on us? Why?
Our beliefs and ideals are what make us who we are as people. They are what shapes our lives and guides our actions. If we are not willing to discuss these things with others, then how can they really know us? How can we really know them?
What if we were to discover that we all want the same kinds of things? What if we found out that their thinking was much the same as our own, but with a slightly different covering? What if we discovered something new that we had never considered before that perhaps altered our own view for the better? What if we learned something? What if someone else learned something from us?
Christ gave the people He talked to a choice. He didn’t force people to come to His way of seeing things. Instead He simply spent His life telling others about His beliefs and His ideals and in so doing He changed the world.
Perhaps it is time that we considered doing the same.
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OOC
Date: 2008-10-10 11:22 pm (UTC)Re: OOC
Date: 2008-10-11 12:04 am (UTC)Re: OOC
Date: 2008-10-11 12:54 am (UTC)ooc
Date: 2008-10-10 11:41 pm (UTC)Re: ooc
Date: 2008-10-11 12:05 am (UTC)