Sunday, March 9, 2008

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Here is what Gandhi writes on non-violence (all quotes from here out will be from the book noted below)


There is no half way between truth and non-violence on the one hand and untruth and violence on the other. We may never be strong enough to be entirely non-violent in thought, word, and deed. But we must keep non-violence as our goal and make steady progress towards it. the attainment of freedom, whether for a (person), a nation or the world, must be in exact proportion to the attainment of non-violence by each. (Non-violence in Peace and War- 1948)


A half truth is no truth...and half violence cannot be non-violence. We stumble and we stand tall. It is much like the notion of a saint-sinner. What are we...both! We cannot play the game that insists that we can be simply one or the other - and that's the whole story. Rather, we move...we are influenced by our situation...we are pulled here and there. And so...in the meantime, we run the good race...we keep our eyes on the prize...we risk trusting in resurrection and leap into the way of truth and non-violence...the way of hopefulness...the life of joy overflowing. Each of us are invited into that path. Each one of us are needed. Each one of us helps the whole grow more and more at peace.


Connection: There is such a short distance between truth and untruth...and yet it is so very real and makes so much of a difference in life. That could mean it only takes a little push and pull by others to helps us walk in the truth.


When your Spirit takes hold of us and moves us into the way of all truth, O God, we becoming a shining light to others and that light encourages others to shine. When we are in the presence of you light shining in others,

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