Gandhi 14
Gandhi believed, incredibly simply, that “God is Truth” and Bill Wilson taught us that you could get to God by simply being honest.
Gandhi was tough on religion and tougher on Atheists. Bill was more tolerant, forbearing and patient.
“In the time of the Prophet Mohammed, prayer, fasting and keeping awake at night were considered essential for subduing the senses.To the Prophet, fasting brought happiness, for it was an occasion when he could live constantly in the presence of God.
Jesus did likewise. He lived in solitude, fasted for 40 days and subjected his body to the utmost mortification. Those who followed him taught the same thing. There has been a tradition of fasting and prayer in Europe right to the present day. And then came Luther in Germany. He said that the others had misinterpreted the text, and their lives were all deception. The Protestants believed that there was nothing but hypocrisy in the Catholic practices, and so they destroyed the practice of fasting, a most potent means of realizing God.”
“In matters of religion beliefs differ, and each one's is supreme for himself. If all had the same beliefs about all matters of religion there would be only one religion in the world.”
“It is possible to draw any number of ideas from the Bible, the Vedas, the Koran and other scriptures. I have come across persons who justified even murder on the authority of these works.”
“My message to the Christians would be to cultivate humility instead of arrogating to themselves the exclusive possession of absolute truth."
“The priest has ever sacrificed the prophet.”
“Atheism is merely a pose.”
Gandhi 15
Gandhi and Bill Wilson both believed in the immortal soul. (If you don’t think this is true, see the last line in the AA 12x12, Step Eleven)
“The soul exists, and is distinct from the body.”
“The soul is imperishable.”
If these lines are true…then it is a complete game changer.
Gandhi 16
Here is something for all the workaholics who are listening:
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”
“I believed then and I believe even now, that, no matter what amount of work one has, one should always find some time for exercise, just as one does for one's meals. It is in my humble opinion that, far from taking away from one's capacity for work, it adds to it.”
Gandhi 17
Of all Gandhi’s writings the below is the most repugnant and abhorrent for a sex addict…Beware!
“I have an impression that at the moment his words (the poet who first suggested this idea) sounded harsh, but they gripped me irresistibly.”
“What then, I asked myself should be my relation with my wife? Did my faithfulness consist in making my wife the instrument of my lust? So long as I was a slave of lust, my faithfulness was worth nothing.”
“I had been wedded to a monogamous ideal ever since my marriage, faithfulness to my wife being part of the love of truth.
But it was in South Africa that I came to realize the importance of observing chastity even with respect to my wife.”
Jesus says the exact same thing in Matthew 19:12.
Gandhi 18
Here is some likable wisdom about getting along with other people:
“Tolstoy said, "If we would get off the backs of our neighbors the world would be quite alright without our help."”
“I greatly value those who abuse me. For they are candid and if I can convince them, they work wonders.”
Gandhi 19
Gandhi valued his body, but not only his…and he didn’t take himself too damn seriously:
“I wanted to improve and train my body.”
“Today I know that physical training should have as much place in the curriculum as mental training.”
“It was my desire to teach these little ones physical exercise and make them hardy.”
“I must have taken about six dance lessons. But it was beyond me to achieve anything like rhythmic motion…”
Gandhi 20
“It became my conviction that procreation and the consequent care of children were inconsistent with public service.”
“If I wanted to devote myself to the service of the community in this manner, I must relinquish the desire for children and wealth.”
“Those who want to perform national service, or those who want to have a glimpse of the real religious life, must lead a celibate life, no matter if married or unmarried.”
Saint Paul says the same thing in 1st Corinthians 7.