DR.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. & THE BELOVED COMMUNITY
Today
is an important national holiday in the USA, commemorating the birth of Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. We honor his
leadership and his tenacity in combating “the triple evils of American society:
poverty, racism and militarism.” Martin
Luther King’s unique model for social change is rooted in the humanitarian
philosophies of Mohandas (a.k.a. Mahatma) Gandhi. Dr. King set forth six principles of
nonviolence, which are summarized below for your perusal and consideration.
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Nonviolence
is a way of life for courageous people. It is a positive
force confronting the forces of injustice, and utilizes the righteous
indignation and the spiritual, emotional and intellectual capabilities of
people as the vital force for change and reconciliation.
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The
Beloved Community is the framework for the future.
The nonviolent concept is an overall effort to achieve a reconciled world by
raising the level of relationships among people to a height where justice
prevails and persons attain their full human potential.
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Attack
forces of evil, not persons doing evil. The nonviolent
approach helps one analyze the fundamental conditions, policies and practices
of the conflict rather than reacting to one’s opponents or their personalities.
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Accept
suffering without retaliation for the sake of the cause to achieve the goal.
Self-chosen suffering is redemptive and helps the movement grow in a spiritual
as well as a humanitarian dimension. The moral authority of voluntary suffering
for a goal communicates the concern to one’s own friends and community as well
as to the opponent.
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Avoid
internal violence of the spirit as well as external physical violence.
The nonviolent attitude permeates all aspects of the campaign. It provides
mirror type reflection of the reality of the condition to one’s opponent and
the community at large. Specific activities must be designed to help maintain a
high level of spirit and morale during a nonviolent campaign.
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The
universe is on the side of justice. Truth is universal
and human society and each human being is oriented to the just sense of order
of the universe. The fundamental values in all of the world’s great religions
include the concept that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice.
For the nonviolent practitioner, nonviolence introduces a new moral context in
which nonviolence is both the means and the end.
While
this esteemed clergyman is widely known for his pioneering efforts in the
American civil rights movement, he also espoused a theological position
(referenced above) that is of paramount importance. According to The King Center for Social
Change, “The Beloved Community” is a
term first coined in the early days of the 20th Century by the
philosopher-theologian Josiah Royce, who founded the Fellowship of
Reconciliation. However, Dr. Martin Luther King, also a member of the
Fellowship of Reconciliation, popularized the term, invested it with a much deeper
meaning and captured the imagination of the world.
For
Dr. King, The Beloved Community was no lofty utopian goal to be confused with
the rapturous image of the Peaceable Kingdom, in which lions and lambs coexist
in idyllic harmony. Rather, it was for him a realistic, achievable goal that
could be attained by a critical mass of people committed to and trained in the
philosophy and methods of nonviolence.
Dr.
King’s Beloved Community is a global vision, in which all people share in the
wealth of the earth. In the Beloved Community, poverty, hunger and homelessness
are not tolerated because international standards of human decency will not
allow it. Racism and all forms of discrimination are replaced by an
all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood. In the Beloved Community,
international disputes are resolved by peaceful conflict-resolution and
reconciliation of adversaries, instead of military power. Love and trust must triumph
over fear and hatred. Peace with justice must prevail over war and military
conflict.
Dr.
King’s Beloved Community is not devoid of interpersonal, group or international
conflict. Instead he recognized that conflict is an inevitable part of human
experience. But he believed that conflicts could be resolved peacefully and
adversaries could be reconciled through a mutual commitment to nonviolence.
The
core value of King’s Beloved Community is agape love, which he described as “understanding, redeeming goodwill for all…overflowing
love which is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless and creative…the love
of God operating in the human heart.”
One expression of agape love is justice for all people. As Dr. King
often said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He felt
that justice could not be parceled out to some individuals or groups, but was
the birthright of every human being.
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