http://www.care2.com/greenliving/martin-luther-king-six-facts.html
Martin Luther King Jr.’s 6 Facts About Non-Violent Resistance
Adapted from Peace to All Beings, by Judy Carman (Lantern Books, 2003).
From his deep studies of Gandhi and his own experience, Martin Luther King Jr. developed a list of six facts to help people understand non-violent resistance and join with him in his vision.
King’s words are as insightful and thought provoking today as they were when he wrote them:
1. Non-violent resistance is not for cowards. It is not a quiet, passive acceptance of evil. One is passive and non-violent physically, but very active spiritually, always seeking ways to persuade the opponent of advantages to the way of love, cooperation, and peace.
2. The goal is not to defeat or humiliate the opponent but rather to win him or her over to understanding new ways to create cooperation and community.
3. The non-violent resister attacks the forces of evil, not the people who are engaged in injustice. As King said in Montgomery, “We are out to defeat injustice and not white persons who may be unjust.”
4. The non-violent resister accepts suffering without retaliating; accepts violence, but never commits it. Gandhi said, “Rivers of blood may have to flow before we gain our freedom, but it must be our blood.” Gandhi and King both understood that suffering by activists had the mysterious power of converting opponents who would otherwise refuse to listen.
5. In non-violent resistance, one learns to avoid physical violence toward others and also learns to love the opponents with “agape” or unconditional love–which is love given not for what one will receive in return, but for the sake of love alone. It is God flowing through the human heart. Agape is ahimsa. “Along the way of life, someone must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate,” said King.
6. Non-violent resistance is based on the belief that the universe is just. There is God or a creative force that is moving us toward universal love and wholeness continually. Therefore, all our work for justice will bear fruit - the fruit of love, peace, and justice for all beings everywhere.”
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400 comments
add your comment »I agree totally with Dr. King filosofy. Nonviolence is not for cowards.
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greattttt
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King and Gandhi were assuming their opponants were of a higher calibre than they really were. the evil in this world doesn't want to be convinced that they are wrong. it will keep on destroying all in it's path, even twisting your own words (Dr. King) to support their own violence.
Yes, we should try by all means necessary to convince the evil oppressor to be converted, but if he threatens to cause our blood to flow like a river, we should be prepared to fight with all we have to prevent him from destroying us.
Violence as a policy is madness. Equally mad is Non-violence as a policy.
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peace to every one
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Unless we view things with our heart, we can see nothing. If we look at the world with a love of life, the world will reveal its beauty to us. Daisaku Ikeda - Man of Peace
ikedaquotes.org
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Great article! Thanks :)
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In a world that appears to have and create so much violence, it's almost too hard to vision peace where there is war, love where there was hate,joy where there is saddness,goodness where there is evil. But I still have eyes that want and do see love, joy,goodness in our world, we must continue to have faith, that some day Mr.King's mission will be a reality.
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Even more so NOW then ever in all of history, we have to show unconditional love for all mankind! The poorest of the poorest country is in desperate need of every help they can get yet it seems that some evil force keeps putting road block to stop every attempt to bring medical help as quickly as possible to their desperate needs. Violence & hatred will never bring about Peace to our world as long as civilization continue with wars to take control of other counties natural resources due to greed, money, power, control. You may gain worldly goods but lose your soul to the devil in the process. Eternity is for a long time, like forever & only through unconditional love will we attain life in Heaven. ALL, of mankind is children of God! Some people already understand, some are on the right track & someday I hope every one gets it right. PEACE!
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thank you!
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Chioni I agree!
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