My friend Adam, passed along to me an article from the NY Times entitled "Falser Words Were Never Spoken." While I can be mistaken, this article comments on how some quotes of famous people are sometimes not historically stated by the people they are credited to.
Here is an excerpt towards the end of the article to give you a synopsis:
Thoreau, Gandhi, Mandela — it’s easy to see why their words and ideas have been massaged into gauzy slogans. They were inspirational figures, dreamers of beautiful dreams. But what goes missing in the slogans is that they were also sober, steely men. Each of them knew that thoroughgoing change, whether personal or social, involves humility and sacrifice, and that the effort to change oneself or the world always exacts a price.
Gandhi is credited with a variation of the quote "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." For those of you who do not know, there is no historical evidence that he stated this line.
Some might be jaded (perhaps like the author of the Times article sounds to be) that since the line was not actually of the source that it is credited to, it looses a great deal of credibility.
This is also what many have "against" the words of Jesus in the Bible. We do not know for certain if Jesus actually stated each and every word that is in red in the Bible.
Likewise with the apostle Paul who is credited for writing letters he did not pen.
This line is a wonderful example of the difference in reading for truth (historicity) and reading for Truth (Myth).
If we were reading for truth, then yes, the quote is not true. It is not from Gandhi. It is not true.
If we are reading for Truth, then yes, the quote if True. It does not matter if Gandhi stated it or not. We really much be the change if we want the world to change.
Gandhi might not have said it. There might not have been an arc built by Noah. There might not have been an Odysseus tied to mast of a ship. There might not have been a virgin birth of Jesus. There might not even be a bodily resurrection of Christ. That does not make the stories/Myths any less True.
Truth is more than facts.
Facts do not move people to action (no one supports a child in Africa after hearing the life expectancy of children, which is why they do not use them on the commercials late at night).
Facts do not transform people (if so then global warming would be a non-issue now).
Facts only support our position and the other person's facts are wrong (which is why MSNBC and FOX each have access to their own set of 'facts' on the government).
Facts do not change the world.
You do.
Just like Gandhi said.
Here is an excerpt towards the end of the article to give you a synopsis:
Thoreau, Gandhi, Mandela — it’s easy to see why their words and ideas have been massaged into gauzy slogans. They were inspirational figures, dreamers of beautiful dreams. But what goes missing in the slogans is that they were also sober, steely men. Each of them knew that thoroughgoing change, whether personal or social, involves humility and sacrifice, and that the effort to change oneself or the world always exacts a price.
Gandhi is credited with a variation of the quote "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." For those of you who do not know, there is no historical evidence that he stated this line.
Some might be jaded (perhaps like the author of the Times article sounds to be) that since the line was not actually of the source that it is credited to, it looses a great deal of credibility.
This is also what many have "against" the words of Jesus in the Bible. We do not know for certain if Jesus actually stated each and every word that is in red in the Bible.
Likewise with the apostle Paul who is credited for writing letters he did not pen.
This line is a wonderful example of the difference in reading for truth (historicity) and reading for Truth (Myth).
If we were reading for truth, then yes, the quote is not true. It is not from Gandhi. It is not true.
If we are reading for Truth, then yes, the quote if True. It does not matter if Gandhi stated it or not. We really much be the change if we want the world to change.
Gandhi might not have said it. There might not have been an arc built by Noah. There might not have been an Odysseus tied to mast of a ship. There might not have been a virgin birth of Jesus. There might not even be a bodily resurrection of Christ. That does not make the stories/Myths any less True.
Truth is more than facts.
Facts do not move people to action (no one supports a child in Africa after hearing the life expectancy of children, which is why they do not use them on the commercials late at night).
Facts do not transform people (if so then global warming would be a non-issue now).
Facts only support our position and the other person's facts are wrong (which is why MSNBC and FOX each have access to their own set of 'facts' on the government).
Facts do not change the world.
You do.
Just like Gandhi said.