Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes - Page 20

• I became convinced that noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as is cooperation with good. No other person has been more eloquent and passionate in getting this idea across than Henry David Thoreau. As a result of his writings and personal witness, we are the heirs of a legacy of creative protest.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Writing, Ideas, Evil

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• America must begin the struggle for democracy at home. The advocacy of free elections in Europe by American officials is hypocrisy when free elections are not held in great sections of America.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Struggle, Home, Europe

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• Love is basic for the very survival of mankind. I'm convinced that love is the only absolute ultimately; love is the highest good. He who loves has somehow discovered the meaning of ultimate reality. He who hates does not know God; he who hates has no knowledge of God. Love is the supreme unifying principle of life.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Life, Hate, Reality

  Sermon at Temple Israel of Hollywood, delivered 26 February 1965

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• It is Love that will save our world and our civilization.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Our World, Civilization, World

  "Loving Your Enemies". Sermon by Martin Luther King, Jr. at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama, November 17, 1957.

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• Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. [...] You only need a heart full of grace.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Heart, Helping Others, Greatness

  "The Drum Major Instinct". Sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, February 4, 1968.

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• In order to be true to one's conscience and true to God, a righteous man has no alternative but to refuse to cooperate with an evil system.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Men, Righteous Man, Order

  Martin Luther King (Jr.), Alex Ayres (1993). “The Wisdom of Martin Luther King, Jr”, Plume

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• Civilization and violence are antithetical concepts.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Peace, Civilization, Violence

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings”, p.115, Beacon Press

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• Love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can't stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they'll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That's love, you see. It is redemptive.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Hate, Love You, Long

  "Loving Your Enemies". Sermon by Martin Luther King, Jr. at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama, November 17, 1957.

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• Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Kings, Hate, Light

  "A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love and Other Preachings".

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• The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Men, Thinking, Criminals

  Martin Luther King (1992). “The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr”, p.124, Univ of California Press

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• Many men cry Peace! Peace! but they refuse to do the things that make for peace.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Peace, Men, Cry

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “A Time to Break Silence: The Essential Works of Martin Luther King, Jr., for Students”, p.66, Beacon Press

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• Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Faith, Adversity, Angel

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• When a nation becomes obsessed with the guns of war, it loses its social perspective.... There is something about a war like this that makes people insensitive. It dulls the conscience. It strengthens the forces of reaction, and it brings into being bitterness and hatred and violence.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  War, Gun, People

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• The decision we must make now is whether we will give our allegiance to outmoded and unjust customs or to the ethical demands of the universe. As Christians we owe our allegiance to God and His will, rather than to man and his folkways

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Inspiring, Christian, Men

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2010). “Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story”, p.128, Beacon Press

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• We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Struggle, Police Violence, Discipline

  I Have a Dream, delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C.

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• A time comes when silence is betrayal.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Inspirational, Betrayal, Memorable

  "Beyond Vietnam". Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Speech at Riverside Church in New York City, kinginstitute.stanford.edu. April 4, 1967.

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• the universe is under the control of a loving purpose, and that in the struggle for righteousness man has cosmic companionship (angels). Behind the harsh appearance of the world there is a benign power.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Struggle, Angel, Men

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• Any nation or government that deprives an individual of freedom is in that moment committing an act of moral and spiritual murder. Any individual who is not concerned about his freedom commits an act of moral and spiritual suicide.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Suicide, Spiritual, Government

  Address at the Fiftieth Annual NAACP Convention, July 17, 1959.

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• [I] know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind's problems.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Love Is, Answers, Problem

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: "I Have a Dream" and Other Great Writings”, p.204, Beacon Press

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• All life is interrelated. The agony of the poor impoverishes the rich; the betterment of the poor enriches the rich. We are inevitably our brother's keeper because we are our brother's brother. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Brother, Agony, Justice

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2013). “"In a Single Garment of Destiny": A Global Vision of Justice”, p.88, Beacon Press

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• As my sufferings mounted I soon realized that there were two ways in which I could respond to my situation -- either to react with bitterness or seek to transform the suffering into a creative force. I decided to follow the latter course.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Healing, Sacrifice, Two

  Martin Luther King, Jr. (2012). “A Gift of Love: Sermons from Strength to Love and Other Preachings”, p.159, Beacon Press

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• Every nation must now develop an overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the best in their individual societies.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Loyalty, Order, Political

  Beyond Vietnam -- A Time to Break Silence, Delivered 4 April 1967, Riverside Church, New York City

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• Power is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice is love correcting everything that goes against love.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Love, Power, Justice

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• Segregation, as even the segregationists know in their hearts, is morally wrong and sinful. If it weren't, the white South would not be haunted as it is by a deep sense of guilt for what it has done to the Negro - guilt for patronizing him, degrading him, brutalizing him, depersonalizing him, thingifying him; guilt for lying to itself. This is the source of the schizophrenia that the South will suffer until it goes through its crisis of conscience.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Lying, Heart, White

  Source: www.thedailybeast.com

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• I've seen too much hate to want to hate, myself.

  Martin Luther King, Jr.

  Hate, Want, Too Much

  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2010). “The Trumpet of Conscience”, p.61, Beacon Press

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