about Dr. Martin Luther King? He was a devout Christian minister and used the MORAL AUTHORITY of his faith to shame America into seeing the injustice of racism and working to end it. He even gave his life for his cause, but NEVER gave in to violence and hatred. Truly Christ-like. He was not perfect (who is?), but he made this a better country and richly deserves the holiday honoring him.
Would he have been as successful, and convincing, without his faith? I don't think so. I think it gave him strength, and worked to convince others. I don't think he was a fool for believing, and I don't think he was a fraud just using religion to an end. And the phrase "you can't legislate morality" was first used by racists who said "why does the government have a right to tell me whom I have to hire?"
I have no idea what Dr. King thought of abortion or same-sex marriage, but do you think some of the "Christian bashers" in society fail to see the whole picture?
2006-07-20 02:28:47 · 22 answers · asked by American citizen and taxpayer 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Great answers so far - I am learning something. No, I don't think only Christians can do good. And I don't like people bossing others around, either, whatever their justification. yes, I do think Dr. King believed sincerely, and that he was using his faith as he did because he believed, and not as a ploy.
Maybe the answer is to get the hateful folks misusing Christianity out, so as not to give us all a bad name. :)
2006-07-20 02:51:56 · update #1
Then again, what is "misusing" Christianity? It becomes circular. Oh well . . .
2006-07-20 05:26:30 · update #2
They are failing to see it now.
2006-07-20 02:30:17 · answer #1 · answered by Jim Darwin's Peace 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I don't dislike Christians as a group, nor do I bash. I do however, give a hard time to those who refuse to think for themselves to back up what they are saying.
MLK in my eyes is someone who actually put thought and action together to depict a solid picture of what an improvement life could gain by changing the status quo. He backed up what he was using from his faith with solid ideas, not just quoting verses from the Bible with nothing behind it. If he was just quoting verses, his voice would never have been heard and he would have died an old preacher that noone but his congregation and family ever heard of.
I'm proud to live in a country where such a man came forth and worked so hard to help so many, no matter what his faith was. When it's used to raise up, faith is a glorious thing. When used to cast down, segregate and cause hate among men, it's being transformed into the devil's playtoy, especially when no thought goes behind why it is being used that way.
2006-07-20 10:02:34 · answer #2 · answered by Mikey S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the past Christianity (and other religions) was moulded by politics to control peasants (eg Bible to be only in Latin that average joe cant read) Invade country's (crusades) (sounds all too familiar in todays wars) and has today evolved to be taken as do good for others, the community ect. I think this is a good thing
Christian bashers fail to see the good that is currently comming from many religions but probably find it hard to understand the blind faith in religion given all the knowlege we have today of the history of various religions that counters the traditional beliefs.
I think religion and its views has helped many people and has a place in the modern world but shouldn't be pushed or forced on others through politics and law
2006-07-20 09:52:17 · answer #3 · answered by rat 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christians feel that good and love is only a part of their faith. Humans are INHERANTLY good ....and Dr King would have done the same thing under no religious guise if the world was free of the entrapments of religion. But lets think a minute...where was he going to find the multitudes of black people? In the ghetto? Nope it was the church, where they prayed for some type of salvation. A HUMAN being helped them...not a GOD.
2006-07-20 09:33:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think if the rest of the nation didn't rely on faith (by faith i mean belief without evidence) so much there wouldn't be a racism problem in the first place. think about what evidence is there that racism is a good idea? none so being racist is a leap of faith
now the only reason i think MLK was helped by the fact that he was christian is the fact that this nation is mostly christian. if the nation was mostly atheists and still racist the fact that he is racist would have hindered the movement.
i think you can legalize morallity but that is only because morallity can be reached without religion or God. morallity can be achieved through logic.
2006-07-20 09:38:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A Minister he may have been... but it wasn't his religion that brought it about. It was his knowledge of how the system, at the time, works.
I think you all need to realize that the Christians that do get bashed, are the one's who are you giving the rest of you a bad name. I wonder why it's so horrible when a non bashes a Christian who is anything but, yet if a non steps out of line, we are pretty much sent to hell? If the other Christians would start taking down those Christians who are giving you all a bad name, we might actually get somewhere.
2006-07-20 09:41:30 · answer #6 · answered by Kithy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing touches my heart more deeply than seeing true Christian principles in action. At the leper colony in Moloka'i for exampe where Father Damien under took the mission to give the lepers comfort in their distress, and ended up dying of the disease himself. And Dr. King, too, taking the obvious lesson from Christ's teachings that all human beings deserve decent treatment.
Yet Jesus never said a single word concerning abortion, or gays, or gay marriage. So why does the Christian Right attempt to put words in Jesus' mouth? Politics--it is just a political strategy by the Republican Party to get their voting base out. It is gross hypocrisy to preach hate in Jesus' name.
2006-07-20 09:35:02 · answer #7 · answered by jxt299 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christian bashers would probably like Dr King better than most ministers because King did not talk about salvation, abortion, homosexuality, hell or other hot button issues, just civil rights.
2006-07-20 09:34:55 · answer #8 · answered by Answer_dude 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't dislike christians.. i dislike the religion of christianity. There is a difference disliking a person or a theology. I don't hold people up against their theologies.. each is free to believe as they will. I have a lot of respect for Dr. King as a person. Yes, his beliefs influenced him but that is the same with everyone.
2006-07-20 09:35:11 · answer #9 · answered by genaddt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gandhi was raised a Hindu and gave his life for peace, yet many Christians would say he is in hell.
I will honor anyone, of any faith, that works for peace and justice - their faults must be accepted if the greater part is good.
2006-07-20 09:35:25 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not a Christian (used to be) and it's not that I don't like Christians as people.. I just don't like that aspect of them, forcing religion down other people's throat. And some of their beliefs don't mesh with mine (I'm very pro-gay marriage, for example)
My parents, family members and even some of my friends are still Christian. We just make it a rule not to discuss religion or politics to avoid butting heads. As long as that rule is followed and they don't try to "save my soul", we're just fine!
I think most non-Christians think the same way.
2006-07-20 09:45:19 · answer #11 · answered by spike_is_my_evil_vampire 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋