That’s because historically it has given them a pass. The colonial era has countless examples of this. Gandhi was “one of the good ones” so the British were constantly trying to convert him to Christianity. He was quite racist while he was being educated as a young barrister in South Africa, adopting the Western worldview that white people were civilized and black people were backwards.
His views evolved over time and he became overtly anti-racist as he grew older. But associating himself with whiteness played a significant role in the opportunities he had in life and is part of why he was able to have so much influence later on.
Martin Luther King Jr. stayed in Gandhi’s bedroom during his visit to India in 1959. He wanted to connect deeply with Gandhi’s legacy and principles of non-violence, feeling a spiritual connection in the space where Gandhi had once lived and worked.
If Gandhi had converted to Christianity, he wouldn’t have been one of the most effectual civil rights activists of our time and one of MLK’s major inspirations would have been lost, which likely would have impacted civil rights in the US.
So while I see what you’re saying, I’m not surprised that people think this approach will give them a leg up. It speaks to deeper issues in the world that have yet to be addressed.
That’s because historically it has given them a pass. The colonial era has countless examples of this. Gandhi was “one of the good ones” so the British were constantly trying to convert him to Christianity. He was quite racist while he was being educated as a young barrister in South Africa, adopting the Western worldview that white people were civilized and black people were backwards.
His views evolved over time and he became overtly anti-racist as he grew older. But associating himself with whiteness played a significant role in the opportunities he had in life and is part of why he was able to have so much influence later on.
Martin Luther King Jr. stayed in Gandhi’s bedroom during his visit to India in 1959. He wanted to connect deeply with Gandhi’s legacy and principles of non-violence, feeling a spiritual connection in the space where Gandhi had once lived and worked.
If Gandhi had converted to Christianity, he wouldn’t have been one of the most effectual civil rights activists of our time and one of MLK’s major inspirations would have been lost, which likely would have impacted civil rights in the US.
So while I see what you’re saying, I’m not surprised that people think this approach will give them a leg up. It speaks to deeper issues in the world that have yet to be addressed.