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The Blunders of the World

I found this Web site, and although I disagree with some of what this person says and how he interprets things (for instance, he seems to be unaware that Gandhi himself said that the worst thing the British did was to disarm India (see footnote 1), and that that is what forced him to use nonviolent methods to achieve his ends), I do like the principles themselves.

The "blunders of the world" are

  • Wealth without work
  • Pleasure without conscience
  • Knowledge without character
  • Commerce without morality
  • Science without humanity
  • Worship without sacrifice
  • Politics without principles
  • Rights without responsibilities

And at this Web site, I found the following small tribute to the Quakers, whom I think are the great unsung heroes of religion. (Quakers prefer to call themselves Friends.)

"I?ve heard it argued that Gandhi indeed was a saint, since he was a master of meditation. Well, I must tell you that in all my readings of and about Gandhi, I?ve never come across anything to say that Gandhi was a master of meditation, or that he meditated at all?aside from observing a minute of silence at the beginning of his prayer meetings, a practice he said he borrowed from the Quakers."

While on the topic, take a look at this Web site. Mind you, the "lies from the other side" is meant to be tongue in cheek; i.e., the maintainers of this Web site are actually in agreement with the quotes on this page. A choice sample:

"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." ~ The Dalai Lama. (The Seattle Times, May 15, 2001)

Footnote 1: "Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest." ~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446. Taken from http://www.handguncontrolinc.org/lies_political.htm.

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