LITMUS TEST--editor's choice

LITMUS TEST


What is normal, what is not,
And, what is abnormal;
What is noble, what is not,
And, what is ignoble;

We waste too much of our time
Deliberating this,
We forget how important,
In fact, the action is.

Rather than morality,
Ethics or religion,
In our own conscience we should
Find the voice of reason.

When in doubt, we should apply
The Gandhi’s litmus test:
It will help in deciding
Which action is the best.

It’s the action that relieves
The travails of the one
Who is the most downtrodden,
Poorest of His children.

Those who help the underdog
Will have the upper hand
When they quit this mortal world
And in His kingdom land.


• Written in abcb, 7-6-7-6 format.
• Initially written as entry 422104 in the book FAITH, NATURE & INSPIRATIONAL, {item: 959448}. Posted as the present item on 17 May 2008.
• "Mahatma Gandhi's litmus test for undertaking any social action was predicated on asking and answering the following question: “Will my action help alleviate in any way the suffering of the poorest of the poor, the downtrodden, the most vulnerable, and the most marginalized?”
If it was negative, he shelved the idea.
--Ref: “Organizing for Social Change: A Dialectic Journey of Theory and Praxis” - by Wendy H. Papa, Arvind Singhal - 2006 –
http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=%22social+action+was::...

• Featured as Editor’s choice in Spiritual Newsletter dated 19 November 2008.


M C Gupta
25 April 2006