Mahatma Gandhi

[Vinaire]

Mahatma Gandhi’s personal mission statement:

“Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:

* I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
* I shall fear only God.
* I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
* I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
* I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.”

Gandhi held no formal authority -- no position. Yet because he had moral authority, he had influence. Gandhi changed the lives of over 300 million people using his moral authority.

Gandhi also created the alternative of non-violent action. He did not run away, and he did not fight, as most people do. Instead, Gandhi worked within himself until he won the private victory and learned the philosophy of his life. Non-violent action; a third alternative.

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[Alanzo]

Mahatma Gandhi’s personal mission statement:

“Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:

* I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
* I shall fear only God.
* I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
* I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
* I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.”

Gandhi held no formal authority -- no position. Yet because he had moral authority, he had influence. Gandhi changed the lives of over 300 million people using his moral authority.

Gandhi also created the alternative of non-violent action. He did not run away, and he did not fight, as most people do. Instead, Gandhi worked within himself until he won the private victory and learned the philosophy of his life. Non-violent action; a third alternative.

.

UnderPants Man is awesome.

 

[Tanstaafl]

Mahatma Gandhi’s personal mission statement:

“Let the first act of every morning be to make the following resolve for the day:

* I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
* I shall fear only God.
* I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
* I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
* I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.”

Gandhi held no formal authority -- no position. Yet because he had moral authority, he had influence. Gandhi changed the lives of over 300 million people using his moral authority.

Gandhi also created the alternative of non-violent action. He did not run away, and he did not fight, as most people do. Instead, Gandhi worked within himself until he won the private victory and learned the philosophy of his life. Non-violent action; a third alternative.

.

I'm not sure about fearing God, but he may have something else in mind.

Gandhi is very inspirational. It's rare that I'm truly moved but that scene in the film where they walk up in ranks to get beaten by the soldiers brought a tear to my eye.

Go Underpants Man! copyright Alanzo

 

[Alanzo]

I'm not sure about fearing God, but he may have something else in mind.

Gandhi is very inspirational. It's rare that I'm truly moved but that scene in the film where they walk up in ranks to get beaten by the soldiers brought a tear to my eye.

Go Underpants Man! copyright Alanzo

It's funny how the citizens of Imperialist countries like Great Britain are generally embarrassed by their government's excesses and recognize people like UnderPants Man as much more the embodiment of their ideals than their own nation.

I'm not saying that's the case for Americans, because the US was born by winning its independence from an Imperialist country and would never become an imperialist power itself.

 

[Tanstaafl]

It's funny how the citizens of Imperialist countries like Great Britain are generally embarrassed by their government's excesses and recognize people like UnderPants Man as much more the embodiment of their ideals than their own nation.

I'm not saying that's the case for Americans, because the US was borne by winning its independence from an Imperialist country and would never become an imperialist power itself.

I'm not going to chit you for failing to use a tongue-in-cheek-type smiley.
But don't do it again.

Have you seen the old newsreel footage of Ghandi's reception by the British public when he visited dear old Blighty? Impressive. He was truly loved and admired.

 

[gomorrhan]

I thought Jesus was an innovator on the non-violent action front, too. He preceded Ghandi by a good 2000 years if he wasn't fictional. I'm sure it wasn't his idea, either. Probably got it from the gnostics of the area.

Ghandi was good at manipulating the media through appeals for sympathy based on his unwillingness to consume food. I've seen many attacks on his character in writing that make me think he was a bit of a misogynist, but he was certainly a luminary in other respects. He was one of the guys I read a lot about after coming out of the Cult. I liked his style, or at least the appearances put out in Kingsley's portrait of the man in the great movie, "Ghandi".

 

[Alanzo]

I'm not going to chit you for failing to use a tongue-in-cheek-type smiley.
But don't do it again.

Have you seen the old newsreel footage of Ghandi's reception by the British public when he visited dear old Blighty? Impressive. He was truly loved and admired.

I have seen it. It is quite moving. It is a testament to Anglo intelligence, humility, kindness and beneficent idealism. There is something they are striving to be, something better.

It's what I admire about England more than the US.

I'm afraid Gandhi would have been spit on here if it was Jingoist America who was run out of India by UnderPants Man.

 

[Tanstaafl]

I have seen it. It is quite moving. It is a testament to Anglo intelligence, humility, kindness and beneficent idealism. There is something they are striving to be, something better.

It's what I admire about England more than the US.

I'm afraid Gandhi would have been spit on here if it was Jingoist America who was run out of India by UnderPants Man.

I'm afraid he wouldn't get the same reception now.
He probably would get a lot of invitations to participate in reality tv shows and a few juicy stories about his "sex life" in the tabloids.

"Former sex-addict turned pacificist guru allowed to enter Britain shocker!"

 

[alex]

While his later promotion of non violent resistance is commendable, his early life has some disturbing racist undertones. He actively worked to help the british in the Boer war and zulu uprising, to squash the "native" uprising.

And dont forget that this is the man who worked to keep the lowest caste portion of Indian society in their "place". Yes he is noted for his attempts to improve their conditions, all the while working to keep them in their societal situation.

Like many great men, also having great flaws.


alex

 

[Tanstaafl]

While his later promotion of non violent resistance is commendable, his early life has some disturbing racist undertones. He actively worked to help the british in the Boer war and zulu uprising, to squash the "native" uprising.
-snip-

Is that true? I read that he worked as a medic or stretcher-bearer on the battlefield but nothing else.

 

[nexus100]

Is that true? I read that he worked as a medic or stretcher-bearer on the battlefield but nothing else.

While living in South Africa Gandhi wrote several pieces in favor of East Indian blacks, pointing out differences between them and the (considerably) less educated and civilized native black African community. The effort was toward better treatment of East Indians by the British, who were lumping all "colored" under the same umbrella. To me the quotes are largely more nationalistic than racist in character. Would he have written them 30 years later? Probably not. But larger than life characters tend to be painted white or black, while as we all know grey is the predominant color in life.

 

[Tanstaafl]

While living in South Africa Gandhi wrote several pieces in favor of East Indian blacks, pointing out differences between them and the (considerably) less educated and civilized native black African community. The effort was toward better treatment of East Indians by the British, who were lumping all "colored" under the same umbrella. To me the quotes are largely more nationalistic than racist in character. Would he have written them 30 years later? Probably not. But larger than life characters tend to be painted white or black, while as we all know grey is the predominant color in life.

Thanks for that.

 

[alex]

" Ours is one continued struggle against degradation sought to be inflicted upon us by the European, who desire to degrade us to the level of the raw Kaffir, whose occupation is hunting and whose sole ambition is to collect a certain number of cattle to buy a wife with, and then pass his life in indolence and nakedness." Ghandi Sept. 26 1896

kaffir = nigger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_(ethnic_slur)

What caste was ghandi?

What did he do regarding the partition of Pakistan?

How did he use his skills as a lawyer (and writer) to aid the british and subjugate the "kaffir?

I love to juxtapose LRH and Ghandi....

alex

 

[nexus100]

" Ours is one continued struggle against degradation sought to be inflicted upon us by the European, who desire to degrade us to the level of the raw Kaffir, whose occupation is hunting and whose sole ambition is to collect a certain number of cattle to buy a wife with, and then pass his life in indolence and nakedness." Ghandi Sept. 26 1896

kaffir = nigger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaffir_(ethnic_slur)

What caste was ghandi?

What did he do regarding the partition of Pakistan?

How did he use his skills as a lawyer (and writer) to aid the british and subjugate the "kaffir?

I love to juxtapose LRH and Ghandi....

alex

Me too! The difference between them is under the pressure of notoriety LRH grew into madness and megalomania, enslaving his minions, while Gandhi, despite being on a stage exponentially larger, became a saint, freeing a nation and creating a world view of imperialism that stands today.

I do love comparing them.

 

[Alanzo]

Me too! The difference between them is under the pressure of notoriety LRH grew into madness and megalomania, enslaving his minions, while Gandhi, despite being on a stage exponentially larger, became a saint, freeing a nation and creating a world view of imperialism that stands today.

I do love comparing them.

Score!!!



Excellent point!

 

[alex]

Me too! The difference between them is under the pressure of notoriety LRH grew into madness and megalomania, enslaving his minions, while Gandhi, despite being on a stage exponentially larger, became a saint, freeing a nation and creating a world view of imperialism that stands today.

I do love comparing them.

I would debate that the fate of 300 million is a larger stage, that that nation is free and that the work of hubbard is complete and ready for comparison.

I will grant that Ghandi surely does have superior PR area control even with the lingering problem of Pakistan (a small nuclear armed country still feeling the repercussions of ghandi, whos refusal to share power with the muslims led to its partition)

alex

 

[alex]

OK.

Enough of me reacting to my buttons.

Ghandi was truly one of the greats of history.

The simple example he set changed the course of things for many people and he should be remembered for that.

Peace.

alex

 

[Tanstaafl]

Another comparison between Gandhi and Hubbard is the effect they have on others through how they are perceived to be rather than who they really were.

I don't care too much about Gandhi the man because it's my mock-up of him that inspires me. I think that's a valid approach. I don't need or want role models or paragons to look up to but I do like to feel inspired - it gets me reaching again and can lead to a short-lived (thus far) resurgence of my goals.

However, if I were to do the same with Hubbard the consequences might be far more serious.

Many Scns seem to believe that Hubbard was a theta being of some higher order of magnitude than themselves and yet this, to me, is a contradiction of basic Scn. 10 minutes with google should disabuse them of that idea. But their limited CoS PR machine mock-up of him is preventing them from looking at things that maybe they really ought to look at and is therefore a liability.

 

[nexus100]

The fact that Gandhi didn't solve the world's problems is no more a slight on him than the fact that Hubbard didn't solve them is a slight on him. Or on any of us.
But the reason Gandhi was above drawn through the muck is the same reason conservatives talk about how MLK was flawed because the FBI recorded him having sex with hookers-agenda. The right and true way. The fatherland. Fearless Leader. Mr. Peabody. Fractured Fairy Tales. Sorry I'm off track.

 

[Vinaire]

Gandhi recorded (in somewhat most quoted phrase about him:like--) Seven social sins: ---- politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice.

On the execution of Bhagat Singh, Gandhi responded in a mild manner like: -The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.

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