By: Shad Engkilterra
On Feb. 29, 2012, Arun Gandhi spoke at the Salt Lake City Public Library in the evening.
The grandson of MK Gandhi, Arun spoke about religion and overconsumption. He also echoed themes from his earlier appearance in the day at Salt Lake Community College.
“I look at it as an honor,” says Arun about a time that a reporter asked him about Mormons baptizing his grandfather. “The Mormons had found slot machines online him (Mahatma Gandhi) so important that they would like to baptize him and make him part of the family.”
Arun says that the question brings into focus our tendency to use religion to keep ourselves divided.
“We need to come together because religion according to him (Mahatma Gandhi) is about love,” says Arun. “There are no different gods. There is only one God.”
To create less violence in the world, we need to change the perception of consumption in this country.
“Our economy is based on consumption,” says Arun. “There comes a time when we can’t buy anymore.”
People who focus on making money may neglect their families, their children and their friends.
“Making money is not the only thing in life,” says Arun. “Materialism and morality have an inverse relationship. We need to find a balance between the two.”
