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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38 comments
add your comment »He was the best man to ever live !!
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Martin Luther King was one of the great prophets of all time, as was Jesus, Buddah, Mohammed, Ghandi, and many others whose names escape me for now. Peace is definitely the WAY, although trying to convince all leaders and govt's in the world is a challenge. It is so much easier to kill to make a point. War [to many] is the answer. Well no matter the issues that must be solved worldwide, peace is the alternative and it's about time that leaders of the world "sit down", talk things over and come to a reasonable consensus rather then making children, women as well as men take up arms and kill... Obama is going to visit with our PM Stephen Harper on Thursday. Let's hope that at least these 2 men can "come to a consensus" when conservationism and environmentalism is on the table. Mr. Harper should be ashamed at not having agreed to particiate in the Kyoto Accord... Let's put our hands together in prayer, good vibes and peace to help them think positively and with our 2 peoples' continued good relations at heart. :)
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MLK was a wonderful & wise man. He teachings & doings were for all of mankind, all races, all genders & all communities. His ways to equality so many men & women never understood, but it was one of peace. Most people are programed to think that without violence & war there is no way to solve anything. When MLK was leading his activist groups, people of all races joined in & the outsiders could not figure out why these people did not fight, but yet they were so afraid...so afraid of a man of color..who had more than a dream. So in closing it has been many years since equality has been in the spotlight, unless you live with it on a daily bases. I know MLK was smiling down upon Obama & if he was like us we were crying tears of joy, that maybe with Hope & Community Involvement MLK Dream will finally come true.
My saying is Peace not War.
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Love this. The challenge is following this when I get rialed up about something. I try to do this, but I know I have my moments where the cause comes before the wisdom. I will work on putting the cause with wisdom when I get pestered in to a frenzy!
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I practice this in my daily life. I know that as more people awaken to this reality this world will change. Of course we must not get angry with our soldiers they are protecting us from those who would and have harmed others, those not as enlightened as King and Ghandi...
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I really like this philosophy and greatly admire the people who came before us to inspire us. I have a long way to go to achieve this way of life. I only wish to be a small portion of what they are.
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I think we should move forward as peace keepers. You cannot hate the soldiers: they are keeping us safe. You cannot blame any one group; we are all to blame. You should look towards the future; our children need us to fix this now. We should come together in love; make our world united.
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"Violent is never the answer."
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Beautiful!
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sorry link didn't work. i'll try again...it is worth reading!
http://www.brianwillson.com/evrawarobsolete.html
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