There is something embarrassing about observing someone who claims not to be a Christian, but who follows certain parts of the teachings of Jesus far more seriously than typical people who do claim to be Christians. Someone who turns the other cheek when Christians are calling for revenge. Someone who forgives when Christians are calling for punishment. Someone who shows love for his enemies when Christians are fighting theirs.
The problem is that very few Christians actually follow Jesus. Mohandas Gandhi, on the other hand, a Hindu, was greatly influenced by Jesus. Ironically, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Hindu scripture which Gandhi regarded as sacred, is a philosophical justification of the use of force, yet Gandhi’s whole message in life was based around the need to avoid violence of any kind while standing up for what is right.
The teachings of Jesus about forgiveness and love are usually regarded as impractical when it comes to real-world issues such as national security and control of terrorism; however, Gandhi’s life demonstrates that Jesus’s principles can be embodied with considerable effect – one man was able to inspire the second-largest nation on earth to engage in non-violent resistance, successfully achieving the goal of independence.