MLK's theology of social change

I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.-- MartinLuther King

This post closes our discussion on the philosophy of religion.  

Martin Luther King's religious and social journey demonstrates that faith is a viable source for human transformation. 

KING'S MESSAGE IS THAT RELIGION IS A LIBERATING FORCE. 

WHY?

1. religion provides an archetype of solidarity (the cohesive "glue" of society)  
2. religion is a symbol for change & meaning (the future has to be better than the present), 
3. religion represents our humanity, a VIP club whose admission has nothing to do with physical appearances (whether white, black, yellow, red) but as King put it: the content of our character.  

King's influences: 

King is influenced by many themes. Here I point to four:

1. The Black Church movement from early 20th century. Particularly the theology of George D. Kelsey, who taught King two courses in 1948. From Kelsey, King adopted the pulpit as a place both for drama, in the old-fashioned Baptist sense, and the articulation of philosophies that address specific problems of society.

2. The American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, who preached that man's capacity for justice is what makes democracy possible. 

3. H. David Thoreau's transcendentalism. The belief that there's inherent goodness of people and nature and that people are at their best when they become self-reliant and independent. 

4. Mahatma Gandhi, whom King called "the guiding light of our nonviolent civil & social change." King adopted civil disobedience from Gandhi's own movement in India (built around the idea of ahimsa). Ahimsa (non harming) is one the five precepts of Buddhism. 

King's religious and moral quotes

On willing the good:

The will is a beast of burden. If God mounts it, it wishes and goes as God wills; if Satan mounts it, it wishes and goes as Satan wills.

Analysis: King implies an Aristotelian view of morality, i.e., human nature is neutral to good or evil. One carries the responsibility to mold and avail oneself of the will to act morally.

The realism of MLK:

We are not makers of history. We are made by history.

Analysis: Once again, the idea of how you evaluate the present. King takes the opposite course of voluntarism (we change things) with the Hindu idea of karma. Every action has a consequence, which will come to fruition in either this life (or a future life); thus, morally good acts have positive consequences, whereas bad acts will produce negative results. However, good -although it may seem the opposite- always wins. 

I dare to interpret his quote as this: Our making is made as we're already made. 

On education:

The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.

Analysis: Critical thinking needs an important component: character, i. e., how one comports oneself.

Of God's presence:

God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.

Analysis: King points to the multifarious nature of God's commanding presence. We better understand reality by looking at everything containing God's presence.

On independence of thought:

Rarely do we find people 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 for themselves.

Analysis: King is right with Socrates. What is "hard solid thinking"? The ideal of the skeptic: autonomy & independence of thought. Hard thinking is critical thinking. 

On the fashion of virtue signaling (the symptom of showing others that we care): 

Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.

Analysis: A gem of a quote by King to describe the hypocritical attitude of pretending with good intentions without proper understanding. Which is comparable (& more frustrating) than absolute misunderstanding from the ill intentioned. Real understanding is a responsibility many people unconsciously avoid. 

On forgiveness:

We must develop the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power of love.

There is good and evil in the best of us.

Analysis: Deep quotes in tune with our overall discussion. WE ARE ALL FALLIBLE.

On truth:

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.

Analysis: A deep first sentence. "Unarmed truth" hints at Hindu nonviolence, but King adds the idea of  Christian love. In the end even if right was defeated (and King adds "temporarily"), it can never compared with evil apparently "triumphant." 

This is a great lesson for young people that become discouraged of REALITY over a temporary defeat. WE MUST DEVELOP ENDURANCE.  

 

On love:

I've decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.  

Let no man to push you so low as to hate him. 

Analysis:  Hate is toxic and it eats away our capacity to love. For our own good, we ought to delete hate of ourselves. The second quote is profound: Hate is deceiving, even addictive. King suggests that we're responsible for our own hate! Either as when hate feels "legitimate" as a narcissistic & vicious form of justice, or as dangerous self-pity.

On faith:

 I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.

Everything good in the world that is done is done by faith. 

Analysis: 1. Kings suggests that faith is inexhaustible because its source is inexhaustible. 2. This is what we've discussed before as meaning. The projection of humanity in the future. It's better to be hopeful than not.