Martin Luther King - Favorite Quotes

I thought this would be an appropriate day to post some of my favorite Martin Luther King quotes.

- Science investigates religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power religion gives man wisdom which is control.

- If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind and toothless nation.

- There is nothing more dangerous than to build a society with a large segment of people in that society who feel that they have no stake in it; who feel that that have nothing to lose. People who have stake in their society, protect that society, but when they don't have it, they unconsciously want to destroy it.

- Many people fear nothing more terribly than to take a position which stands out sharply and clearly from the prevailing opinion. The tendency of most is to adopt a view that is so ambiguous that it will include everything and so popular that it will include everybody. Not a few men who cherish lofty and noble ideals hide them under a bushel for fear of being called different.

- We talk eloquently about our commitment to the principles of Christianity, and yet our lives are saturated with the practices of paganism. We proclaim our devotion to democracy, but we sadly practice the very opposite of the democratic creed. We talk passionately about peace, and at the same time we assiduously prepare for war. We make our fervent pleas for the high road of justice, and then we tread unflinchingly the low road of injustice. This strange dichotomy, this agonizing gulf between the ought and the is, represents the tragic theme of man's earthly pilgrimage.

- 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.

- 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.

- 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. ... The chain reaction of evil, hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

- Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.

- Never forget that everything Hitler did in Germany was legal.

In his words it is easy to find the reason he made such a huge impression on so many and his words were able to cross the race line at a time it seemed insurmountable.

Feel free to post any others that impress you or move you. It's a good day to read through some of his words and remember why he made a real difference. It is sad that today so many dishonor him by pretending to be like him while preaching hate and interfering with progress.

reply to post by Blaine91555

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

It's unfortunate that 'race' still has to be applied to humans in today's world, when it's just a social construct arbitrarily imposed on a wide range of physical diversity, with no biological basis.

Rest In Peace MLK, your name will not be forgotten.

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. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says "Love your enemies," he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition. ... The chain reaction of evil — hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars — must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We have been warned, and warned, and warned throughout history by all of the greatest poets and speakers. How many must die until we get the message?

reply to post by IEtherianSoul9


Color blindness starts with us as individuals. Hopefully it is contagious.

I post a new quote from someone every day on my Facebook. I actually had this quote posted today because it impressed me a lot, and in remembrance of a great man.

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."

Good thread. A great man and his message still lives on. He admired Gandhi a lot and I have been a huge admirer of Gandhi's as well.

reply to post by EagleTalonZ


I agree fully about Gandhi. I've had the three quotes in my signature for a long while now. It takes a very strong person to take the path of non-violence while standing against a powerful adversary.