Each year on the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, I read at least one of his speeches or essays. I have an excellent book called Testament of Hope that contains all of his most significant work. I am partial to the Letter from Birmingham City Jail, the Promised Land sermon (his last), and, of course, his Dream speech. But today my focus is drawn to his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, which contains my favorite MLK quote:
"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant."
I believe that one statement encapsulizes the belief and hope that sustained Martin and the civil rights movement, specifically, and all who love truth and justice universally. Sometimes all we have to hold onto is the promise (the knowledge!) that good will eventually win.
12 comments:
I still know many people (some of them professing Christians) who are racist, elitist, xenophobic, or espouse kill-em-all-and-let-God-sort-em-out "patriotism."
Many other people who aren't so inclined still look askance at Dr. King and not only discount him but despise him as a grandstanding rabble-rouser, a theologically liberal Christian, and a hypocritical charlatan because of his sexual activities.
Guess what? I concede some of those points to you. Did he love the attention? Did he come in to cities from outside and lead marches? Did he hold extremely modernist and humanistic theological positions? Did he have affairs with young women as he traveled the country speaking at churches?
Yes. On all counts. And the last charge is most serious. But do they negate everything he said? Do they void all his accomplishments? Do they give you license to ignore the truths he fought for?
He loved to hear himself talk. But many orators do. It's a reinforcement of their convictions and a motivator for continually honing their work.
Was he an "outside agitator" stirring up trouble among perfectly happy blacks? Hogwash! He exported his protest methods but they did not have to be forced on men and women who were sick of being treated like mere animals. The unrest was already there. He merely channeled it into constructive protest rather than violence. As for coming in from "outside", that's a foolish and empty charge. As he said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
Since he was denied entry to conservative seminaries due to the color of his skin, is it any wonder that he would embrace the doctrines of the liberal schools that did accept him? Of course not. Would you freely espouse theology frequently held by men who considered you subhuman?
Martin's affairs were indefensible and egregious behavior. That I will give you. But a closer look at many of us could render our witness moot, as well. Should it? Should David's name be cut out of the Bible? Should we ignore all of the Psalms since they came from his pen?
It's sad that I have to defend Martin to my Southern friends and Robert E. Lee to my Northern friends.
Bottom line is Martin was right about many things and this was one of them:
Evil may look likes it's winning right now. But good will win. Some glorious day. Guaranteed.
I love this stuff, Sharp! I mostly agree. But, I would not base my theology on the erroneous behavior of its proponents. If I did, I probably would not even be a Christian.
Awesome post!!!
True, Mike. Me either! I just meant it was conceivable.
I've always loved the letter from the Birmingham jail. So moving. Thanks Sharp. Oh, and I like your new pic.
Terri: Thank you. As for the pic, I think it makes me look old but it's essentially how I look while surfing the web. I'm good at Photoshop but with all the harping I do about celebrities' (especially women's) images being doctored beyond recognition for mass consumption, I couldn't alter mine in good conscience!
I like the new pic too...
you don't look old. you look pensive.
Sharp:
Thanks for the comment on my blog! It's nice to meet you. Do you still play around with photography or...?
No, I don't use a darkroom. However, if I were to take a class at my university, they would require us to use it.
Love and Respect is an amazing book. I'm glad you're reading it. There are so many great books like that--another good one is Sacred Marriage, by Gary Thomas. Great book!
Well, thanks again, and have a great day!
Ashley
Terri: Pensive? I can see that. But I think it's on the wistful, melancholy end of it.
Ashley: I haven't taken a serious photograph in several years. I still have an eye for it and I occasionally see things I want to shoot but I just don't do it like I used to. For one thing, I'm a true film believer. You can't find decent processors anymore and I don't have space/money for a darkroom. And much of my motivation, I think, was tied up in my always being an observer. I was an extreme introvert in high school (see my 'Geddy Can't Schmooze' post for more on that) but I ended up being the school newspaper and yearbook photographer. I became, IMHO, very good at it. That was my "place." Now I'm more of a participant in things and not just a "recorder." At our 20-year reunion, some of the former popular folk were upset that I wasn't taking photos of everything like I once did. I actually kind of felt good about that!
Sorry that became a whole other post!
I couldn't figure out which blog to leave a comment on, so I picked this one. Ha ha. Thanks. I am really excited about my new job! :]
I haven't seen either of those, so I will have to check them out! Grey's is my favorite!
-Bekah
Oh okay. That would make sense. I bought season one, and have only been following since season three. My next big purchase...Season 2...ha ha. Season one was only $20 but seasons 2 and 3 are both $45 each.
-Bekah
hey sharp...i like the new pic too! it's so different from the other one! nice artsy feel!
marcia
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