Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) was our most prominent advocate of non-violence in the 20th century. Words of the final paragraph of his autobiography entitled “My Experiments with Truth” are worthy of memorization by all who are very anxious about survival in an age which multiplies bloodshed like mushrooms in forests near the Mississippi river in Illinois after a Spring rain. In a pithy phrase Gandhi declared – “For me God is Truth.”
Gandhi was a Hindu, one of several religious beliefs pre-dating Christianity. As a devout Hindu he read the Beatitudes (self-identification comments of Jesus) in Matthew chapter 5, or Luke 6 every day.
While serving as chaplain in the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center (from 2000-2008) I met numerous residents who never felt genuine love or concern of parents, siblings, relatives or friends in their lives. Once while listening to a depressed woman not in prison, she expressed her feelings of never being loved by anyone, including her husband.
Ironically, many who do not feel love or care can sense when they are being deceived.
Daily, Gandhi pondered the words: “Let your yes mean yes; your no mean no! Anything beyond that has a taint of evil.” (Matthew 5:37)
Public officials must place their right hand on a bible or Koran then swear to speak only the Truth while in office. How frequently have such potentates betrayed their trust such as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who declared to the journalist Helen Thomas – “America does not torture!” Under George Bush the USA “renditioned” (relocated) our torture centers in other nations.
The Mueller hearings regarding President Donald Trump and his selected billionaire cabinet members (the wealthiest in US history according to Forbes, “the Capitalist tool”) bring forth a plethora of deceitfulness, denials and unspeakable insincerity causing ordinary citizens to rely ultimately upon our own sincerity. “Is it ‘Yes’ or ‘No’? Evil lurks nearby in lies.
When the poison of insincerity appears at highest levels in governance, parents, teachers and ordinary citizens can enjoy consolation of Gandhi’s conviction – “FOR ME GOD IS TRUTH” then encourage children not to lie, cheat, steal or bully, negative characteristics found among people who bought positions of power.
January 13 people in Hawaii were victims of deceit when told a deadly nuclear missile attack was imminent. This not a test!” Our Commander In Chief was playing golf and could not respond with violence to the gross mistake made twice in Honolulu.
Regarding atomic weapons Gandhi said he would not go into a shelter, or underground when there is no defense against such weapons. He would stand fast and look pilots in the eye to indicate violence in warfare had finally reached the point of global suicide. That is historical “truth” as opposed to loving truth known by Gandhi.
