Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #3- Gandhi: Hindu and Activist

Modern Religious Experience: Reflection #3- Gandhi: Hindu and Activist: "In class, your small groups went over movie questions about the content in Gandhi. You should know who each of the main characters are and t..."

Gandhi lived his life as a Hindu and tried to live it the way one should, trying to reach his 'Nirvana' so he could move on to his next life. As a Hindu, he was very accepting of the other religions, and claimed to a fellow Hindu who was protesting against the Muslims staying in India, that he was also a Muslim, a Christian and a Jew, because all these religions are the same: they praise the same God. Gandhi was also a peaceful man, claiming that there was no need for violence to protest against the wrong doings that were happening to the people of India. This was Gandhi trying to reach peace on earth with himself and spiritually, he was trying to reach the fourth stage in his Hindu life. An example from the movie of Gandhi peacefully protesting was when he was in South Africa and he started burning the pass books, the police hit him and beat him, but Gandhi never lifted a hand to them.

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind," is a very famous quote by Gandhi. It goes back to him peacefully protesting and not relying on violence as the answer. Revenge is not always the best way to solve things, as it only leads to blood spilled and wars in the case of what Gandhi was referring to. When he said this in the movie, he was referring to the Indians fighting against the British forces that were in India, that the people wanted freedom from England and that they were ready to kill for it. Gandhi wanted to go about it the peaceful way, so that the Indians did not come out as the savages who would brutally attack the English. They were trying to prove to the British this strange misconception they had about them and the British being superior. Gandhi never harmed anyone when he started fighting for what he believed in, which was thanks to his faith that he stuck with it.

Sacred Poem - Ankh

You protect those who die
Carry them off to the gods
Giving them eternal life
Carry them off to the afterlife.

You are a symbol of the gods
Showing us they have the power
And rule over us all
Bringing stability and peace

Set is the god of strength
You belong to him
Our pharaohs had power like him
Now it is time for you to return home