To forgive is not to forget. The merit lies in loving in spite of the vivid knowledge that one that must be loved is not a friend. There is not merit in loving an enemy when you forget him for a friend.
Mahatma GandhiRead
I cannot in all conscience agree to anyone being sent to the gallows. God alone can take life because He alone gives it . . .
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the sanctity of life and the belief that only God has the authority to take it away.
Mahatma Gandhi's quote reflects deep philosophical and ethical considerations about life and death. He advocates for the belief that human beings should not decide who lives or dies, as this authority belongs solely to God. By asserting that God gives life, Gandhi underscores a moral stance against capital punishment, suggesting that taking a life—regardless of the circumstances—is fundamentally wrong and goes against divine will.
Themes
LifeDeathMoralityEthicsGodCapital Punishment
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate on the death penalty, one might quote Gandhi to argue against the practice.
More from Mahatma Gandhi
All quotes →Love never claims, it ever gives. Love ever suffers, never resents never revenges itself.
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Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.
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The real test of nonviolence lies in its being brought in contact with those who have contempt for it.
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Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
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The devotion of such titans of spirit as Lenin to an Ideal must bear fruit. The nobility of his selflessness will be an example through centuries to come, and his Ideal will reach perfection.
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