Gandhi

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             Gandhi felt that the essential part of the teachings of the Buddha formed an integral part of Hinduism (Fischer Essential 77). It is impossible for Hindu India today to retrace its steps and go behind the great reformation that Gautama effected in Hinduism. By his immense sacrifice, by his great renunciation, and by the immaculate purity of his life he left an indelible impress upon Hinduism, and Hinduism owes an eternal debt of gratitude to that great teacher (Attenborough 102). .
             In Gandhi's opinion, Europe represented not the spirit of God or Christianity, but the spirit of Satan (Brown 329). Satan's successes are the greatest when he appears with the name of God on his lips. His so-called followers measured their moral progress by their material possessions (Brown 331). Gandhi understood the message of Jesus as one of peace and love. The indirect influence of Christianity has been to quicken Hinduism into life (Attenborough 69). But the effect of Christianity upon India in general must be judged by the life lived in our midst by the average Christian and its effect upon us. Gandhi was never interested in a historical Jesus (Fischer Gandhi 81). He did not care if it was proved by someone that a man called Jesus never lived, and that what was narrated in the Gospels was a figment of the writer's imagination (Attenborough 73). He believed that the words of God were still true. Gandhi did not regard every word of the Bible as the inspired word of Go!.
             d (Fischer Essential 287). He did not regard every word of the Vedas or the Koran as inspired (Fischer Essential 203). He did feel that the sum total of each of these books is certainly inspired. Gandhi felt that Christ was one of the greatest teachers humanity has ever had (Fischer Essential 291). His nearness to God allowed him to express the spirit and will of God. Gandhi believed that Christ belonged not solely to Christianity, but to the entire world, to all races and people .