Gandhi and christianity

Mahatma K. Gandhi (1869-1948), Indian nationalist It is impossible for me to reconcile myself to the idea of conversion after the style that goes on in India and elsewhere today. It is an error which is perhaps the greatest impediment to the world's progress toward peace ... Why should a Christian want to convert a Hindu to Christianity? Why should he not be satisfied if the Hindu is a good or godly man? How very nice it would be if the missionaries rendered humanitarian service without the ulterior aim of conversion. I hold that proselytisation under the cloak of humanitarian work is unhealthy to say the least. It is most resented by people here. Religion after all is a deeply personal thing. It touches the heart. Why should I change my religion because the doctor who professes Christianity as his religion has cured me of some disease, or why should the doctor expect me to change whilst I am under his influence? My fear is that though Christian friends nowadays do not say or admit it that Hindu religion is untrue, they must harbour in their breast that Hinduism is an error and that Christianity, as they believe it, is the only true religion... so far as one can understand the present (Christian) effort, it is to uproot Hinduism from her very foundation and replace it by another faith. The first distinction I would like to make ... between your missionary work and mine is that while I am strengthening the faith of people, you (missionaries) are undermining it. If I had the power and could legislate, I should stop all proselytizing ... In Hindu households the advent of a

missionary has meant the disruption of the family coming in the wake of change of dress, manners, language, food and drink ... I regard Jesus as a great teacher of humanity, but I do not regard him as the only begotten son of God. That epithet in its material interpretation is quite unacceptable. Metaphorically we are all sons of God, but for each of us there may be different sons of God in a special sense. Thus for me Chaitanya may be the only begotten son of God ... God cannot be the exclusive Father and I cannot ascribe exclusive divinity to Jesus. It is my firm opinion that Europe (and the United States) does not represent the spirit of God or Christianity but the spirit of Satan. And Satan's successes are the greatest when appears with the name of God on his lips. I consider western Christianity in its practical working a negation of Christ's Christianity. I cannot conceive Jesus, if he was living in flesh in our midst, approving of modern Christian organizations, public worship, or ministry. It pains me to have to say that the Christian missionaries as a body, with honorable exceptions, have actively supported a system which has impoverished, enervated and demoralized a people considered to be among the gentlest and most civilized on earth.