Water

We watched this movie last night. I had heard that it was good, but didn't know anything about it except that it was set in India.

India, in the time that the teachings of Ghandi were becoming popular, and his following increased; as he traveled from city to city, many would come to hear him say a few words.

The movie starts out with Chuyia, who is around 7 years old. It shows Chuyia and her parents transporting a very sick man. Then the father waking Chuyia to ask her if she remembers getting married, her saying no, and the father telling her that her husband has died. Chuyia's beautiful curls are cut off, her head shaved, her garments stripped off her and the white rags put on her as a symbol of her widowhood. She is taken to a home for widows, to live among the other girls and women who were married off at very young ages and may not, under Hindu law, be married again.

That's just the beginning of the movie. The story chronicles injustice after injustice, sadness after sadness. This movie is not one to watch to escape the troubles of life, but one to know the troubles of other parts of the world.

I wish we'd seen this movie in the movie theater, because on our little 13 inch screen the beautiful vistas were not nearly as beautiful as I'm sure they were there. It was a visually appealing movie.

But I was left with a feeling of deep sadness, and later anger. Anger that for every religion, vast injustices can be committed and justified by religious law. This has happened in ancient times, and it happens now. Ghandi began the revolution that did much for freeing India from colonialism and it's own demons. But he couldn't do everything for India. The people of India have to be convinced that they do not face damnation for turning around injustice.

One of the widows in the movie asks another main character, why is this happening in India? He answers, "One less mouth to feed, four less saris, and a free corner in the house. Disguised as religion, it's just about money."

"The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." --Jesus (Mark 2:27). If religious laws are being made that encourage injustice, it is time to take a hard look at those religious laws and right them. Jesus' teachings expect us not to use Biblical law in order to commit injustice, but to proclaim justice.

What injustices are being committed in the name of your religion?