In remembrance of a brilliant spiritual leader....whose insight has been far too often forgotten. Never forget; the dream is that others would carry on the work, 'cuz the work sure isn't finished.
(Excerpted from various writings and speeches, including "Strength to Love.")
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"Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed."
"Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. you only need a heart full of grace. a soul generated by love."
"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it."
"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better."
"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent. "
"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. "
"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see. "
"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. "
"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals. "
"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 refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. "
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. "
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' "
"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal. "
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. "
"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think. "
"Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. "
"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: 'If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?' But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: 'If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?' "
"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. "
"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. "
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. "
"We who in engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. "
“Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.”
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(And a big tip-of-the-hat and "Thank You" to Coretta Scott King, as well!)
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"Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent. "
"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. "
"Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see. "
"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people. "
"Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals. "
"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 refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality... I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word. "
"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. "
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?' "
"Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal. "
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. "
"Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think. "
"Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. "
"The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: 'If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?' But... the good Samaritan reversed the question: 'If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?' "
"The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. "
"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now. "
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. "
"We who in engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. "
“Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' But conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.”
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(And a big tip-of-the-hat and "Thank You" to Coretta Scott King, as well!)
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RP here, Robert.
ReplyDeleteAs a Christian I feel the need to clarify some things. First, God and the physical congregation that we recognize as a church are not one in the same. I, too, find fault with the church, but that doesn't mean I allow that to affect how I feel about God. Secondly, I am a strong believer in the power of prayer and the power of God to act in all our lives. No, you don't say no to rehab, medicine or counseling. You just pray in addition to those things. When you submit to the will of God you are trusting in the very source that created you in the first place to know what is best for you. And being that He is God, I'm sure he knows better than me or Dr.Phil or Wayne Dyer what I need and should be, which is not to say you wander aimlessly through life. On the contrary, you live with great purpose and insight. Check out Sojourners magazine and the churches in their directory. Not everyone who is a Christian is some right-wing nut. I hope you don't think I am.