Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Six Principles of Nonviolence
As Martin [Luther] King points out so very well, when Jesus said to love thy enemy [Matthew 5:44], he was not talking about friendship love, nor was he talking about romantic love. [1] He was not talking about deep liking and appreciation. He was talking about what the Quakers and William Penn pledged to the Native Americans during colonial times: ... See more
Violence Begets Violence
Nonviolence takes another approach. Practitioners of nonviolence seek to become their truest selves by slowly learning to love all beings, confident that all are kin and that we are called to embody this kinship concretely, especially in the midst of our most difficult and challenging conflicts.... Nonviolence is committed to challenging and resist... See more
Nonviolence Is an Act of Love
Martin Luther King was asked how, as a pacifist, he could be an admirer of Air Force General Daniel ‘Chappie’ James, then the nation’s highest-ranking black officer, Dr King replied, ‘I judge people by their own principles—not by my own.’
Dale Carnegie • How to Win Friends and Influence People
Kaustubh Sule added
As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the area of social reform. Prior to reading Gandhi, I had about concluded that the ethics of Jesus were only effective in individual relationships. The “turn the other cheek” philosop
... See moreClayborne Carson • The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King was asked how, as a pacifist, he could be an admirer of Air Force General Daniel “Chappie” James, then the nation’s highest-ranking black officer. Dr. King replied, “I judge people by their own principles—not by my own.”
Dale Carnegie • How To Win Friends and Influence People
“I believe.” “There are two types of laws,” he shared, “those that are just and those that are unjust. A just law,” Dr. King expounded, “is a man-made code that squares with the moral law. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law.… Any law that uplifts the human personality is just. Any law that degrades human personality i
... See moreSinek, Simon • Start With Why: The Inspiring Million-Copy Bestseller That Will Help You Find Your Purpose
King challenged the power structures of evil. That was why he was killed. King's suffering, and that of freedom fighters around the world, is redemptive when, like Jesus’ cross, it inspires us to resist evil, knowing that suffering is the consequence. To resist evil is to participate in God's redemption of the world.
James H. Cone • God of the Oppressed
King himself upheld nonviolence until he was nearly alone among colleagues weary of sacrifice. To the end, he resisted incitements to violence, cynicism, and tribal retreat. He grasped freedom seen and unseen, rooted in ecumenical faith, sustaining patriotism to brighten the heritage of his country for all people. These treasures abide with lasting
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