Is The Peaceful Rebel Always Flawless?

The Rebel Archetype: Non-Violent Resistor

The peaceful revolutionary 

6 to 7 min read 

There are many who fit this archetype such as Martin Luther King Jr, Thich Nhat Hanh, Nelson Mandela and Mikhail Gorbachev, to name a few! However, the two rebels I've chosen are the most recognised and quintessential non-violent resistors: Mahatma Gandhi and the Historical Jesus, but only based on the Gospel of Mark!

These men rebelled against the status quo, preaching and instilling non-violence, moral reform, and compassion. If we can recognise their human flaws alongside their strengths, it reveals much about them as individuals!

Gandhi: Beating Back the British Empire Without Bashing Anyone!

Gandhi, the little bald guy with those round glasses, cleverly rebelled against British colonialism with his philosophy of Satyagraha, which means clinging to truth. It’s all about non-violently expressing disruption while holding onto peaceful principles! His virtues attracted admiration, but Gandhi’s personal life shows the imperfect humanity behind his ideals.

While he preached simplicity and self-discipline, his treatment of his family was less than equal. His eldest son Harilal became estranged, and when his wife fell ill, he refused modern medicine, opting for natural remedies—it may well have contributed to her death.

This humble sage didn’t speak nicely of Black Africans, using terms like 'savages,' believing in the stupid ideas of racial superiority. He promoted Indian rights over Black rights in South Africa and supported segregation when it benefited Indians. Eventually, woke up, changed his views and spoke out against all racism—goodo!

Gandhi also drilled sexual abstinence into his family and community. This pious peacemaker deliberately tested the grit of his celibacy by sleeping beside young women or teens! When females become testing devices for married men, it raises eyebrows! What did he think might have happened if his abstinance abruptly failed him? Would he fall victim and be swamped by their teen lust? 

Despite his oddities, Gandhi’s approach at resisting the British was tactically sound. His Satyagraha was methodical and fostered global sympathy. The strategy brought tangible success—liberation, not his other, uh... goals!

Mark’s Jesus (Yeshua): Moral Vision, Strategic Missteps

If we ignore the theological history and supernatural stuff, Mark’s Gospel shows a very human Jesus—who we should address with the titles and language of his time—Yeshua. It’s the earliest Gospel and a solid source. All the other Gospel writers were a tad 'Ed Sheeran' with Mark's content, as in 'borrowing content'. However, skipping to Luke 22:36 for a moment we see something quite strange for the prince of peace to say: 'But now, if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.'

Yeshua didn't just focus on political freedom, but he was hot on spiritual and moral change! He espoused love and peace, advocating folks to love their enemy's and neighbour's and turning the other cheek if someome slapped them! But did he practice what he preached or did he simply uphold a moral obligation for us to defend ourselves and protect the innocent?

Yeshua emotionally zig zagged from fear to sorrow to anger—especially when confronted by religious authorities. He condemned them as hypocrites (despite his 'forgiveness' talk in other gospels) but still, he continued arguing with them. He flipped over tables, and drove traders out of the huge Jerusalem Temple, called his most devoted disciple, Peter, 'Satan.' That was a highly offensive insult! He did not like the religious authority of his time.

Mark describes a man who expected people to leave their families to join him, they financially supported him, and he even asked them to be ready to die alongside him. In one part, Yeshua ben Yosef, seemed racially discriminatory in his comparison of a non-Jewish woman to a dog! Her heritage was the reason why he treated her differently to Jews. It was not an example of universalism. 

Where was love when his own disciples struggled to grasp his abstract riddles and parables? He was quite sharp tongued then! More than once, his patience escaped him while teaching them—he literally got arsey!

Yeshua's Strategic Flaws: Alienation and Inevitability

Yeshua's rebellion against religious authority may have been a personal moral victory, but it all lacked sense. He regularly critised their legalism, but still entered into legalistic debates about Jewish law with them! If he had an endgame, it was a secret, like his attempts at hiding his flirtations with being the messiah. He told the people he healed to keep schtum about it. Why so coy? Who knows? It’s all speculative!

Openly antagonising the religious elite was like squeezing the ghoulies of Tiberius Caesar for not following a kosher cuisine! However, I must stress, Yeshua's only enemy was Orthodox Judaism, not Rome! Mark shows no instance of him attacking Pontius Pilate or conspiring against Rome.

No one politically backed the notzrim (followers of Yeshua). He relied on divine intervention, which didn’t end well. For all we know, Yeshua may well have planned to replace the Orthodoxy with his own people, but we don't know. He couldn't overthrow Rome, or uproot Herod Antipas, but he could question power, expose the percieved failings of the religious establishment. His posturing and stand-offs did not progress. He sadly met a very grim end calling out to his god, 'why have you betrayed me?' as he was hung on his cross.  

We all Have Faults

There you go—both Gandhi and Yeshua could throw a wobbly just like the next bloke! The pious peace brokering in the history books, all those centuries of sermonised poppycock do not mean these men were better than everyone else! 

Yeshua was impulsive, emotional, sometimes irrational behaviour. Whatever his plan was, Mark alluded to it with mysterious riddle and metaphor.

Gandhi, however, was a clear sighted man with a targeted plan and his followers often supported him. Unfortunately, his unusual sexual 'tests' would stand out as a red flag nowadays! Like Jesus he alienated family members and showed beliefs of racial inferiority. 

The human animal, the person, our species is faulty. Maybe it’s time to stop putting our role models on pedestals? 

They are more interesting worts and all!