THE NEED TO BE “MALADJUSTED”
Modern psychology has a word that is probably used more than any
other word. It is the word “maladjusted.” Now we all should seek to live
a well—adjusted life in order to avoid neurotic and schizophrenic
personalities. But there are some things within our social order to
which I am proud to be maladjusted and to which I call upon you to be
maladjusted. I never intend to adjust myself to segregation and
discrimination. I never intend to adjust myself to mob rule. I never
intend to adjust myself to the tragic effects of the methods of physical
violence and to tragic militarism. I call upon you to be maladjusted to
such things. I call upon you to be as maladjusted to such things. I
call upon you to be as maladjusted as Amos who in the midst of the
injustices of his day cried out in words that echo across the
generation, “Let judgment run down like waters and righteousness like a
mighty stream.” As maladjusted as Abraham Lincoln who had the vision to
see that this nation could not exist half slave and half free. As
maladjusted as Jefferson, who in the midst of an age amazingly adjusted
to slavery could cry out, “All men are created equal and are endowed by
their Creator with certain inalienable rights and that among these are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” As maladjusted as Jesus of
Nazareth who dreamed a dream of the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man. God grant that we will be so maladjusted that we
will be able to go out and change our world and our civilization. And
then we will be able to move from the bleak and desolate midnight of
man’s inhumanity to man to the bright and glittering daybreak of freedom
and justice.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
that AGAPE love
I just wanted to share from the reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "The Power of Non-violence"
AGAPE LOVE June 4, 1957
The Greek language uses three words for love. It talks about eros. Eros is a sort of aesthetic love. It has come to us to be a sort of romantic love and it stands with all of its beauty. But when we speak of loving those who oppose us we’re not talking about eros. The Greek language talks about philia and this is a sort of reciprocal love between personal friends. This is a vital, valuable love. But when we talk of loving those who oppose you and those who seek to defeat you we are not talking about eros or philia. The Greek language comes out with another word and it is agape. Agape is understanding, creative, redemptive good will for all men. Biblical theologians would say it is the love of God working in the minds of men. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you come to love on this level you begin to love men not because they are likeable, not because they do things that attract us, but because God loves them and here we love the person who does the evil deed while hating the deed that the person does. It is the type of love that stands at the center of the movement that we are trying to carry on in the Southland—agape.
AGAPE LOVE June 4, 1957
The Greek language uses three words for love. It talks about eros. Eros is a sort of aesthetic love. It has come to us to be a sort of romantic love and it stands with all of its beauty. But when we speak of loving those who oppose us we’re not talking about eros. The Greek language talks about philia and this is a sort of reciprocal love between personal friends. This is a vital, valuable love. But when we talk of loving those who oppose you and those who seek to defeat you we are not talking about eros or philia. The Greek language comes out with another word and it is agape. Agape is understanding, creative, redemptive good will for all men. Biblical theologians would say it is the love of God working in the minds of men. It is an overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. And when you come to love on this level you begin to love men not because they are likeable, not because they do things that attract us, but because God loves them and here we love the person who does the evil deed while hating the deed that the person does. It is the type of love that stands at the center of the movement that we are trying to carry on in the Southland—agape.
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