Why are christians so afraid to answer this?

Question

Do you think christianity has changed for the better from gandhi's hinduism and message of peace?
it used to be crusades earlier to spread christianity

Answer 1

I think it has changed. Earlier in history there was always a vengeful God that people were more afraid of and now we have moved on to preaching a more loving a forgiving lord. I think we have gotten away from old ways where only certain people were worthy to speak with God and Christianity is more accessible to the average person. I think influential people like Gandhi taught society that we need to love one another because there is a higher power that loves us.

Answer 2

I'm not sure that the whole of Christendom has changed because of Gandhi's words, but many Christians have heard the message and adopted its better parts, in the same way that they were listening to Dr. King and other key players in the non-violence movement. Many Christian denominations are working toward peace in the world (Unitarians, Quakers, Mennonites, Moravians, the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, and many, many others). However, some conservative Christians, including many Fundamentalists, may be scared away from examining the message indepth because it came from a Hindu source.

However, Christ pre-dated Gandhi by centuries, and also spread a message of peace. The unfortunate fact that some of His followers, such as the instigators of the Crusades and the Inquisition, didn't understand it is hardly the fault of the messenger.

And note: it wasn't a Christian who assassinated Gandhi. It was a Hindu.

Answer 3

Ghandi and his message of non-violent resistance did not change the core message of Christianity at all. It may, however, have changed how some Christians thought about social issues and how best to address them. The prospect of a willing-to-suffer leader had not been seen in a very long time, so I'm sure his example made some kind of impact.

The "crusades" were never used to "spread" Christianity. That is complete bull---t!! They were political wars!! DUH!!! The fact that they were insitituted by a Pope doesn't make them part of Christian doctrine. It just means that that particular "pope" was too into playing a stupid political game. Jihad has been used on both sides ("christian" and "muslim"), for the same rotton purpose: to secure a countries boundries and usher in "religious" leadership. All conversions made at the point of a sword are WORTHLESS.

Doesn't anybody remember Jesus' admonition against bloodshed? The early disciples did not go around chopping people's heads off if they didn't respond to the message of the gospel!!! Instead, the disciples were themselves subjected to torture and death, often after working miracles by God's power. Those kinds of people are true martyrs--suffering and dying rather than giving up their God. NOT killing others and themselves as a sicko type of "witness".

Answer 4

1. I fear no question.

2. Compared to the Prince of Peace, Gandhi is a "Johnny come late" with a plan not as good as The Good News.

3. Thank for mentioning crusades. It appears the main difference between Catholics and Muslims in this respect is that Catholics have progressed beyond the need to slaughter everyone who doesn't share their religious beliefs. Muslims, on the other hand, appear to be just getting started.

When claiming Catholics are worse than Muslims and couching your opinion in a historical context, you'd do well to point out that it was Muslims who first tried to impose their religion on Christians, not the other way around. Ignoring the 300 years of Christian/Muslim conflict that took place before the Crusades makes your argument disingenuous.


FYI - I am not Catholic.

Answer 5

Hinduism has had no influence on Christianity. The message of peace you're talking about is, I don't see it. If you know anything, tell me what is going on in India between the hindus and muslims? Where is the peace there? Hindus are just as bad as muslims. You talk about the crusades which was 600+ years ago. Talk to me about the bloodshed and hatred between hindus and muslims today, yesterday, last year, the past 5, 10, 25, 100, 500 years. That's your answer.

Answer 6

We aren't. And no, I don't think it has. Ghandi's "ministry" if you will, came far after Western culture came to understand the concept of individual human value and dignity and began to value peace. Doesn't mean that such values were practiced all that well (and in many ways they still aren't.) Ghandi's work had more effect on modern grassroots political movements than on any particular religious practice.

And that is incorrect. The crusades were not intended to spread Christianity. They were prosecuted for the sake of securing the Holy Land into Christian hands and driving out the Muslims.

Christ, I'm sure, was not amused.

Answer 7

No, I think the invention of the printing press and Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation had a LOT to do with it.

Mind you, Catholics =/= Christianity.

Before the Crusades 'spread' Christianity (which in all honestly, were little more than land-grabs for the Popes, not a forced evangelism movement), Jesus Christ said "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as you love yourself" and "Love your enemy, bless those who would curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you".

However, Gandhi has said, "Why is it that Christians don't act more Christ-like?".

So, who has done more for Christianity? The moment that Bibles became available to ALL people, and not just those in power, and that people decided to start reading the Bible for themselves, instead of being spoonfed it by corrupt priests... that's who did the most good.

All Gandhi did was tell us to look back at Jesus Christ. Christ, however, was the one who said, "You have heard it said, 'thou shalt not kill...', but I say to you, ... and whosoever says, 'You fool', shall be in danger of hell fire." (forgive the terseness, but it is a long two verses, Matt. 5:21-22).

...and I don't remember *any* Apostle using violence to spread the Gospel.

Answer 8

No, I'm not afraid to answer your question, if I could figure out exactly what you are asking. You jump all over the place, even throughout centuries, and there is no cohesion to your questions. What does Gandhi (whom I respect very much) have to do with crusades? What does Hinduism have to do with Christianity? Please ask your question more concisely and I will try to answer.

Answer 9

Hmmm...I'm thinking you're not getting answers for a different reason. What in the world does Ghandi's hinduism have to do with the crusades or christianity?

Answer 10

Take a look at where Gandhi got his non-violent methods from.

Passive resistances in terms of political unrested was first employed by the native Irish against the English.

Gandhi saw how it worked and exported it to India.

So what was there to learn?