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February 29, 2012, Hindustan Times, Jesus also loves him, (Baptising Gandhi)

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February 29, 2012, Hindustan Times, Jesus also loves him, (Baptising Gandhi)

For all those of us who believe religion to be a matter of personal faith, the news that a church in the United States has ‘baptised’ Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is quite touching. The ‘proxy’ baptism points to the fact that Gandhi is a luminary whose iconic status makes him in demand from not only the usually expected quarters, but from not so obvious ones.

So if a Mormon Church in Utahdecides to symbolically bring the Mahatma into its fold, what harm can there be in that? In any case, the influence of Christianity — especially the brand outlined by Russian writer Leo Tolstoy in his book The Kingdom of God is Within You that struck a chord in the young Indian — has been well documented by Gandhi himself. One can see the man chuckle and be chuffed that he is being symbolically made a honorary Christian, which, in respects especially pertaining to non-violence, he already was.

“So we can only pray, if we are Hindus, not that a Christian should become a Hindu… But our innermost prayer should be a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian,” Gandhi wrote in Young India in 1928. Gandhi’s tut-tut about foregoing the need to ‘convert’ someone is gentle and more about taking pride in one’s own identity rather than hankering for ‘expansion’. His emphasis on the essential root of all religions being a love for humanity, makes a serious argument of belonging to a religion somewhat redundant.

Some voices have reacted to the ‘baptism’ with irritation. While this is understandable, they should also take a leaf from Gandhi and treat such matters more lightly. If it makes those upset about Gandhi-ji’s ‘proxy baptism’ feel any better, they could choose a great personality of their choice and ‘convert’ him or her to a religion of their choice. Let not harmless religious ceremonies come in the way of what is really a compliment.

Comments:

Dr. Raj P. USA 
• 2 years ago

The title of the article "Jesus also loves Gandhi" is demeaning: . The word "Also" implies as if Gandhi was a someone who had some flows which Jesus overlooked by accepting him.

Gandhiji was clear in his belief of Hinduism and he clearly identify himself as Hindu. He never had a problem with Christ. While in Africa when confronted on his views on Christ and Christianity.He replied: I love Jesus but not Christians. ( who persisted to convert him.)

This is a ploy again by Christians to bring Gandhi into their fold knowing full well he would never accept Christianity, had he been alive.

What's the point of bringing him in the Christian dome, when he is long gone? Simply because Gandhiji stands in front their collective conscience since his morals, his peace loving heart was far superior to any Christians live or dead. Having him in their fold even symbolically, they can claim his views came from Christ.

In fact, when Gandhiji was alive, one prominent European Christian minister called Gandhiji: only Chrisitian in the world. 
While Gandhiji had no problem with Christ but whne he was asked how he would compare CHrist with Buddhas, Gandhi put Buddha higher then Christ since Buddha's compassion included animal kingdom, where as Christ was carnivorous. Please read his biography, especially, the part when he was in South Africa.

Gandhiji lived like an open book. But Indians have less interest in authentic history;--the man and his views as spoken and written by himself. They are interested in superficial headlines and dramatic stories.

And the title of the article is as erroneous and insulting to Gandhiji and those who had studied him.

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