Gandhi had some very interesting theological beliefs. His thoughts on God and religion affected everything he did. Religion, he explained, is not what an individual believes; it is how they live (p.42). That is a fascinating concept, and very different, backwards even, to many religious views. I was brought up with a Christian background, and to hear religion referred to as more of a belief than a way of life is intriguing.
Something I found interesting was that, instead of rejecting many religious beliefs and accepting one, Gandhi embraced many. Most religious people have a very concrete, narrow view on religion and spirituality. Their thoughts are set in stone, and are not subject to change; especially change from other religious doctrines. My understanding is that his beliefs were fluid. He thought that each religious doctrine had its own beneficial ideas and that something could be learned from each. He felt that no one was truly a Christian, or a Hindu, or a Muslim; but instead we are all humans capable of taking meaning and insight out of multiple religious teachings.
This reading section taught me about my own feelings toward religion and spirituality. My favorite quote was Gandhi’s famous, “Truth is God (p.35).” That may be one of the most powerful, thought provoking statements I have ever heard. Gandhi’s description of God makes me think of an omniscient, benevolent energy; rather than the typical anthropomorphized deity presented in most western religions. He said that God is “indescribable in words.” So, even though God is truth, we only have a finite potential for understanding that truth. According to that principle, finding truth is only incrementally possible, therefore the entirety of God is impossible to attain. Gandhi believed that our lives should bring us as close to knowing the whole truth as possible. It is fascinating to consider the perspective that the pursuit of the knowledge is truly the pursuit of God.
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