Obama Quoting Gandhi-Ji

[Robert F. Smith]

President Obama quoted Mohandas K. Gandhi today in New Delhi, India, but are the Mahatma's words true:

 

“Religions are different roads converging to the same point. ... are beautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branches of the same majestic tree.”  Hind Swaraj, (1946), 35-36.

 

See this and other such quotes on religion by the Mahatma at  http://www.mkgandhi.org/god/mygod/pathwaystogod.html .

[bluebell]

Gandhi's India often became a blood bath with Hindus and Muslims trying to kill each other off, not to mention the trouble the Christians were always getting into/causing.

 

It makes complete sense that he would push the idea that all religions are equal.

[thesometimesaint]

The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.

William Shakespeare

 

[The Nehor]

Nope, the racist pervert wrong on this. I am talking about Gandhi, not Obama.

[Stargazer]

I bet Obama wouldn't like Gandhi's quote on firearms ownership, though. Mr. G said that firearms confiscation was one of the worst things the British did to the people of India.

-- note the swiftness of my response: I got it in before this thread is closed by some Mod.

[Robert F. Smith]

Gandhi's India often became a blood bath with Hindus and Muslims trying to kill each other off, not to mention the trouble the Christians were always getting into/causing.

 

It makes complete sense that he would push the idea that all religions are equal.

I was thinking more along the lines of Hugh Nibley's notion that all religions began in hoary antiquity (in Eden and Adam ondhi Aman) and devolved from there into many forms which can be traced back to their origins.  at the same time, is it true that all religions seem focused on the same point?  or not?

[The Nehor]

I bet Obama wouldn't like Gandhi's quote on firearms ownership, though. Mr. G said that firearms confiscation was one of the worst things the British did to the people of India.

-- note the swiftness of my response: I got it in before this thread is closed by some Mod.

 

I disagree with Gandhi too. Considering what the Indians did once they got independence and guns maybe keeping guns away from them was a good idea.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of Hugh Nibley's notion that all religions began in hoary antiquity (in Eden and Adam ondhi Aman) and devolved from there into many forms which can be traced back to their origins.  at the same time, is it true that all religions seem focused on the same point?  or not?

 

There are some similarities but there is a big gap between western and eastern religions.

 

Western religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) tend to be hopeful about the afterlife and look to the future for great things.

 

Eastern reigions (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism) tend to see life as hell and their afterlife is nihilistic. They tend to look more to the past for glory as opposed to looking forward to an end-times.

 

There are also the more pantheistic religions which are mostly gone now (I guess Shinto probably still counts) but most of them have converted.

 

It is, of course, a generalization but it holds true for the most part.

[Nofear]

 

President Obama quoted Mohandas K. Gandhi today in New Delhi, India, but are the Mahatma's words true:

 

“Religions are different roads converging to the same point. ... are beautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branches of the same majestic tree.”  Hind Swaraj, (1946), 35-36.

 

See this and other such quotes on religion by the Mahatma at  http://www.mkgandhi.org/god/mygod/pathwaystogod.html .

 

 

While I'm not fully in agreement with the sentiment I can say that I'll take a good pagan over a bad Christian any day.

[Robert F. Smith]

........................................   

 

Eastern reigions (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism) tend to see life as hell and their afterlife is nihilistic. They tend to look more to the past for glory as opposed to looking forward to an end-times.

...............................................................

You usually have something far more profound and accurate to say (when you're not poking fun at something).  What happened here, Nehor?

 

You might want to read the brilliant, classic work by an outsider, Huston Smith, The World's Religions, rev ed. (HarperSanFrancisco, 1991).

[Robert F. Smith]

While I'm not fully in agreement with the sentiment I can say that I'll take a good pagan over a bad Christian any day.

Yeh, but who is the "good pagan," and who is the "bad Christian"?  Or, is perception everything?

[The Nehor]

You usually have something far more profound and accurate to say (when you're not poking fun at something).  What happened here, Nehor?

 

You might want to read the brilliant, classic work by an outsider, Huston Smith, The World's Religions, rev ed. (HarperSanFrancisco, 1991).

I have read some scripture from virtually every major religion. I stand by my assessment.

[Robert F. Smith]

I have read some scripture from virtually every major religion. I stand by my assessment.

So have I, and you haven't a leg to stand on.  Well, maybe a wooden leg . . . 

[The Nehor]

So have I, and you haven't a leg to stand on.  Well, maybe a wooden leg . . . 

I have not fallen far enough off the karmic wheel to be born legless. At least not yet.

[Nofear]

Yeh, but who is the "good pagan," and who is the "bad Christian"?  Or, is perception everything?

Pretty much the one who better lives the 2nd Great Commandment.

[BCSpace]

If the point of convergence means somewhere along the Iron Rod, I can generally accept that.  But only one religion can possibly converge on Eternal Life or Ultimate Truth, etc. Otherwise God must be a liar and respector of persons.