Gandhi

The other day I saw the movie Gandhi again. I haven't seen it in years. But my wife and I have been reading a book by Philip Yancey called Soul Survivor and he devotes a chapter to Gandhi so Jaime wanted to see the movie. My lovely wife likes to get her history from movies even though she openly admits that the facts are usually butchered and pop culture-fied. For example, want to learn about Eva Peron? Why read a book when you can watch Evita and then memorize all the songs and play them again, and again and again . . . I hate Evita.

Anyway, in the case of Gandhi, the movie version of real life is a good thing. I saw it in high school and it literally changed my life. Gandhi's story convinced me that non-violence was the way to go. Quite a transformation considering my habit of trying to beat the crap out of people. (Notice the key word try--my victims usually got the upperhand.)

I was always an angry kid losing my temper and getting into fights. (My family has not so fond memories of me slamming my big brother through a glass storm door. I was little so it took three shoves--but I got the job done, goshdarnit!) As I got older I knew the violence was only adding to my anger, but I couldn't see an alternative. Gandhi showed me another option.

You would think growing up in a Christian environment--okay, Christian-ish (I did attend Bob Jones elementary after all) that the nonviolence thing would have been obvious. Jesus, martyrdom, forgiveness, etc. But it really wasn't. Oddly enough it took a movie about a Hindu who did pay attention to Jesus and what he taught to make this sink in. Violence only creates more violence until someone is strong enough to turn the other cheek, until someone is willing to lose the fight in order to win it--even if it means dying. I think the New Testament makes that fairly clear.

So it's pretty embarrassing when people like Mr. High-Profile-Pseudo-Christian-Man Pat Robertson starts recommending solving problems by wacking people. Somewhere along the line a portion of Christianity got off track and I'm hoping now that burning people has gone out of style these folks will catch on to what the Jesus they never knew was talking about.

Sorry . . . I'll get off my high horse now. Things always get ugly when you bring Pat into it. Shoot-- things got ugly again. *deep breath* Okay, Ben, publish post, walk away, just walk away . . .