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The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.:

Book by Martin Luther King, Jr. · 50 quotes · Inspirational, Ifs, Men

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The Essential Martin Luther King, Jr.: Quotes

“I also came to see that liberalism's superficial optimism concerning human nature caused it to overlook the fact that reason is darkened by sin. The more I thought about human nature the more I saw how our tragic inclination for sin causes us to use our minds to rationalize our actions. Liberalism failed to see that reason by itself is little more than an instrument to justify man's defensive ways of thinking. Reason, devoid of the purifying power of faith, can never free itself from distortions and rationalizations.”

ThinkingMenWayMindHumansLittlesReasonFactsUseActionCausesSinSawsHuman NatureOptimismInstrumentsLiberalismTragicJustifySuperficialInclinationOur ActionsWay Of ThinkingDistortionRationalizePurifying
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“Wisdom born of experience should tell us that war is obsolete. There may have been a time when war served as a negative good by preventing the spread and growth of an evil force If we assume that life is worth living, if we assume that mankind has the right to survive, then we must find an alternative to war.”

IfsShouldMayHas BeensWarLife IsEvilForceGrowthBornMankindNegativeAssumingSpreadAlternativesWorth LivingObsoletePreventingLife Is Worth Living
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“Before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched across the pages of history the majestic words of the Declaration of Independence, we were here. If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail. We will win our freedom because the sacred heritage of our nation and the eternal will of God are embodied in our echoing demands.”

IfsFacesWinningNationsFailingDemandEternalPagesIndependenceSlaverySacredGods WillCrueltyOppositionPensHeritageDeclarationPilgrimDeclaration Of IndependenceMajesticWe Will WinPlymouth
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“I refuse to accept the view . . . that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality.”

RealityI BelievePeaceBlackViewsAcceptingMankindMonthsKingsRacismRefuseI Believe InPeacefulAfrican AmericanUnconditional LoveBrotherhoodUnconditionalBlack HistoryPeace WarRacial DiscriminationBlack History MonthUnarmedInternational PeaceBlack History Month InspirationalBrotherhood Of ManUnconditional AcceptanceKings SpeechWorld Peace DayDaybreakBlack History InspirationalPeaceful ProtestBlack ChurchAfrican American LoveBlack InspirationalBlack RacismPeace With OthersRacism And PrejudiceDiscrimination And RacismEnding RacismFlotsamBrotherhood And PeaceTrue Brotherhood
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“Non-violent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored... I am not afraid of the word tension. I have earnestly worked and preached against violent tension, and there is a type of constructive tension that is necessary for growth.”

ActionGrowthCommunityCreativeIssuesTypeDirectCrisisViolentTensionNot AfraidIgnoredConstructiveNon ViolentDirect ActionCreative Tension
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“Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

MenLoveHumansPeaceViolenceKingsConflictMethodFoundationRevengeCivil RightsAfrican AmericanEvolveRejectsResolutionNonviolenceAggressionSelf DisciplineCivil Rights MovementBaptistsNon ViolenceCriminal MindDisarmamentPeace WarPeace And JusticePeace And LoveConflict ResolutionBeing At PeaceMediationPeace JusticeRetaliationHuman LoveNon ViolentBest RevengeInner ConflictExacting RevengeNobel Peace PrizeHuman CapacityKings SpeechViolence And PeaceKings And LoveCivil Right MovementRevenge Is SweetFoundation Of Love
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“We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people.”

PeopleCharacterGovernmentActionSilenceGenerationsAcceptanceIntegrityEthicsAngerGood PeopleRepentBad PeopleThis GenerationWords And ActionsEquality And JusticeIll WillIntegrity And CharacterIntegrity CharacterSocial EqualityBad ActionsJustice EqualityInjustice In The WorldDeep Disappointment
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“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time: the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

MenNeedsHumansPoliticalPeaceAnswersMoralViolenceConflictOvercomingMethodFoundationRevengeOppressionEvolveOur TimeRejectsCrucialNonviolenceAggressionNon ViolenceBeing At PeaceRetaliationViolence And PeacePolitical ViolenceFoundation Of Love
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“Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. And that's all I want to say.”

IfsWantMatterJusticeBehindsFineMajorsCommittedRighteousnessShallowLuxuriousDrum Major
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“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.”

LovePoliticsJusticeLove IsDemandAnd LoveSentimentalRecklessWithout LoveAbusivePeace And JusticeCorrectingPeace JusticeImplementingPolar OppositesAgainst Love
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“Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.”

LifeHeartMomentsJoyHateLanguageMy HeartYogaSymbolsLive LifeFulfillmentFulfilledGraduationPower Of WordsHeart To HeartFulfilling LifeFulfilled LifePersonal FulfillmentLanguage And PowerFulfillment In Life
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“I'm concerned about a better world. I'm concerned about justice; I'm concerned about brotherhood; I'm concerned about truth. And when one is concerned about that, he can never advocate violence. For through violence you may murder a murderer, but you can't murder murder. Through violence you may murder a liar, but you can't establish truth. Through violence you may murder a hater, but you can't murder hate through violence. Darkness cannot put out darkness; only light can do that.”

WorldMayLightMotivationalHateCan DoJusticeDarknessViolenceConcernedMurderLiarsBrotherhoodMurderer
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“And one day we must ask the question, "Why are there forty million poor people in America?" And when you begin to ask that question, you are raising questions about the economic system, about a broader distribution of wealth. When you ask that question, you begin to question the capitalistic economy.”

PeopleAmericaAsksWealthPoorMillionsEconomyEconomicOne DayFortyPoor PeopleDistributionEconomic SystemsDistribution Of Wealth
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“Somehow we must transform the dynamics of the world power struggle from the negative nuclear arms race which no one can win to a positive contest to harness man's creative genius for the purpose of making peace and prosperity a reality for all of the nations of the world.”

MenWorldRealityPurposeWinningNationsPeaceRaceCreativityStruggleCreativeArmsGeniusNegativeProsperityPositivityNuclearContestsMaking PeaceDisarmamentPeace WarDynamicsHarnessPeace And JusticePeace JusticeMake Peace Not WarArms RaceCreative GeniusPower StruggleNuclear ArmsWorld PowerNuclear Arms Race
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“I know that love is ultimately the only answer to mankind's problems. And I'm going to talk about it everywhere I go. I know it isn't popular to talk about it in some circles today. I'm not talking about emotional bosh when I talk about love, I'm talking about a strong, demanding love.”

KnowsProblemTodayStrongAnswersLove IsTalkingMankindStrengthEmotionalCirclesNot Talking
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“I have decided to love. If you are seeking the highest good, I think you can find it through love. And the beautiful thing is that we are moving against wrong when we do it, because John was right, God is love. He who hates does not know God, but he who has love has the key that unlocks the door to the meaning of ultimate reality.”

IfsThinkingKnowsLoveDoeRealityBeautifulMovingHateCompassionDoorsKeysHighestDecidedUltimateSeekingBeautiful ThingsKnowing GodGod Is LoveUltimate Reality
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“The end of violence or the aftermath of violence is bitterness. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation and the creation of a beloved community. A boycott is never an end within itself. It is merely a means to awaken a sense of shame within the oppressor but the end is reconciliation, the end is redemption.”

MeanEndsCommunityViolenceCreationShameRedemptionBelovedBitternessNonviolenceReconciliationOppressorsAftermathBoycottBeloved Community
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“Of course, there is nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience. It was seen sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar because a higher moral law was involved. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks, before submitting to certain unjust laws of the Roman empire.”

KindChristianPainFacesLawCertainCoursesMoralWillingHigherInvolvedInjusticeHungryBlockEmpiresLionsUnjustRefusalDisobedienceRoman EmpireCivil DisobedienceNothing NewMoral LawChoppingUnjust LawsExcruciating PainHungry Lion
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