Overcoming the Barriers of Religion in Gandhi

All throughout human history, there has been much violence and bloodshed caused by religion. From the Crusades to the modern Israel-Palestine conflict, different religions have consistently found new ways to not get along with each other. In the film Gandhi, it is shown that it is possible for those of different religions to cooperate and work together as rational human beings, but it is far easier for them to lose their heads and resort to acts of violence. Several Christians found it possible to follow Gandhi, and in one case even convert to Hinduism. When Gandhi told a Hindu to adopt a Muslim child and raise it as his own child and also as a Muslim, the man understood that Gandhi was right. He knew that it would be hard to do, but also that it would be possible and the right thing to do. It was possible for him to rise above the barriers of religion, and hopefully fulfill Gandhi’s command. Gandhi found it paramount that the world manages to work together, regardless of religion, race, or ethnicity, so important that he nearly starved himself several times in order to stop fighting. Had Gandhi not been a part of India’s revolution, the history of India’s independence would have been tarnished by acts of violence and terrible acts of inhumanity.

Christianity and Hinduism managed to interact in a fairly positive way throughout the film. A Christian minister traveled India’s countryside with Gandhi, and managed to befriend many Indians during his travels. In the scene with him climbing onto the train, the Indians (presumably Hindus) atop the train cars help him up and reassure him that they would be safe up there. However, the Hindu-Christian relations are hardly interesting when compared to the Hindu-Muslim relationship. There a...

... middle of paper ...

...to extreme extents to end all violence. The relatively small amount of British soldiers in India could have never kept down the millions and millions of Indians, and luckily Gandhi was alive to make sure that they did not try to kill all of the British. Without his presence India would have been destroyed by war and violence.

Muslims and Hindus can live together perfectly well. They are all people, and they can all tolerate each other. However, toleration is not always the end product. Too often these groups manage to forget that they are not so alike and allow their religions to get in the way, even though their religions do not have to. A Hindu is a Muslim is a Christian is a Buddhist is a Human Being. They are not different at all, and they do not need to fight. However, this can easily be forgotten. The world needs Mahatma Gandhi’s to remind the world of this.