But this year my New Years resolution is to read this book.
I chose this particular book simply because it's available at my local library. Then I realized there was a movie and could have just watched that!
I know myself too well though. If I like this book. I will read anything and everything I can on the subject and then watch any movie. I've done it before with Thomas Jefferson and the Romanov's.
The reason I want to read about Gandhi has to do with religion. Not that I'm converting or anything. Just that I have issues. I know I'm Christian and I do accept Jesus and my savior. But where I waver is that unless you accept Jesus you can't get into heaven. First on my list is Gandhi. I can not believe that with the life he led God would leave him out in the cold. You know all those WWJD bracelets? This seems to be a man that didn't have to ask that. He did the right thing. Not that he was perfect, just more perfect than others who seem to think their place in heaven is set.
On the ketogenic support group there was family that lost their son in November. They were Buddhist and while they took his death hard they also accepted it rather quickly and went about trying to repay the kindness shown to their son. I'm sorry, but I say hurrah for finding peace so quickly. How ever it was. I see God in that. I think God sent them what ever they needed by what ever methods.
This also reminds me that once I read something and a person said "if there is a God why are there crippled children". The answer given was to teach us compassion. Well, I think that goes for many things that are seen as sinful or wrong. I think everyone is sent into our life to teach us something. Whether it's compassion, empathy, patience, persistence or unconditional love.
We had a visiting speaker when our pastor was on vacation. Quite frankly, I didn't like his message at all! He worked at a local college which is VERY liberal. It was the first in the country to admit women and blacks. Well, he kept saying that even there, God was present. Like all the kids going there were heathens and came from heathen homes. They had a small group of Christians that would go out of campus and try to get people to talk about their beliefs. What really turned me off was when he talked about one person who was part of the group who when he came "thought" he was a Christian, but in talking to him they found out he wasn't "really" Christian. If I was that kids parents, and I raised him Christian in the beliefs of our family and such, I would be MAD! I would actually be irate and scared that he'd entered a cult! To me you should not go out and try to reel people in by bum rushing them in the quad! You should live your life as an example that others want to emulate. They should want to have what you have. Do good for others, that kind of thing. If they start talking to you and ask you questions, by all means answer them and an invitaion to church never hurt anyone. But don't chastise them as sinners when they don't show up!
So I want to read up on this Gandhi and know more about his life and what he accomplished and how. Maybe I'll find out he doesn't give a hoot if he got into heaven or not.
4 comments:
i have the movie of gandhi and also a compilation book of his writings. so have fun with it!
one place where i take issue with him is his zealous commitment to nonviolence. he said that hitler should not have been confronted. i mean, that's just crazy. so in other words, if anybody wants to do anything to you, just let them, because to be violent in an effort to push back and defend yourself isn't justified. hmmm. he thought that eventually the weight of an overextended empire would fall in on itself and hitler would lose naturally, without a fight.
anyways, enjoy!
I took a world religions course in high school. It was great; very eye-opening.
What I learned was that if you take any major world religion and boil it right down to its essence, it all comes down to treating everyone and everything with respect.
Anybody who condemns another because they aren't obeying the trappings of their particular religion are actually disobeying the fundamental tenet of their own religion. How ironic!
I imagine that having a child with medical issues would really put a strain on one's faith at times. I know my relationship with God was a bit shaken when I found out about my dad's cancer, but in the end my faith brought be a great deal of comfort. Praying that you feel comforted and loved as well! Happy New Year!
Amen to all of that sister!
One of the reasons I love my priest so much is how truly compassionate and loving he is. The last mass I went to he specifically mentioned that loving people and being kind and respectful is how to draw them in, not beating them over the head with a stick. He believes in the Catholic church letting women becoming priests and says it's okay not to go to church every single Sunday. THAT is true Christianity!
Post a Comment