History+Detective-Martin+Luther+King+Jr.+AMD

=**Loving Your Enemies** =  Martin Luther King Jr. taught and lived by one thing, and that was love for everyone including your enemies. Martin Luther King Jr. was an African American man, born in Atlanta Georgia in 1929. He is known for leading nonviolent protests  against racial segregation and discrimination. Dr. King was a church pastor, Nobel Prize winner, a great leader, and an influential speaker, who is still respected today. In Dr. King's sermon, "Loving Your Enemies," given on November 17, 1957, he discusses a very important part of his philosophical and theological orientation. The practical how, theological why, and the significance of Dr. Kings love for his enemies are important topics related to the sermon.  "'Loving your enemies.' It's so basic to me because it is part of my basic philosophical and theological orientation- the whole idea of love, the whole philosophy of love." Before you may gain a philosophical and theological orientation, like Dr. King, you need to know the practical how to love your enemies. Dr. King said, "In order to love your enemies, you must begin by analyzing self." To analyze oneself is to get to know self and also to acknowledge  that not everyone will like you, but you still must love them. It is important to address the difference between like and love. Dr. King does not expect you to like and be friends with everyone, but he does say love everyone. Like is sentimental and affectionate, according to Dr. King, "Love is understanding, redemptive goodwill for all men, so that you love everybody, because God loves them." Even though you may understand how to love, you still may wonder why you should.  There are two completely opposing forces discussed in Dr. Kings sermon: hate and love. The problems with hate are numerous and include: hate begets hate, hate distorts the personality of the hater, and hate will "gnaw away at the vital center of your life and your existence." Love is the complete opposite of hate. Love is redemptive, healing, and understanding. Dr. King once said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." It is important to love because according to Dr. King," If you hate your enemies, you have no way to redeem and to transform your enemies. But if you love your enemies you will discover that at the very root of love is the power of redemption...There is something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies." Basically, love not only destroys the hated, it also destroys the hater, therefore love instead.  Loving your enemies has been a significant standpoint for many in the past, but it has been especially significant for Dr. King and his followers. Dr. King taught that love is the only way not to resign yourself to oppression. In order to escape the oppression African Americans lived with at the time, Dr. King told them, "Organize mass nonviolent resistance based on the principle of love." He not only told people to do that, but he also did that; Dr. King lived what he taught, which is very significant because the most effective leader is one who leads by example. Love was at the center of everything Dr. King said and did. Without love, the process African Americans went through to gain their rights would have been very different, and most likely fill with large scale hate, anger, and violence.  All in all, loving your enemies is just as relevant today and tomorrow as it was yesterday. Hate won't go away, just look at the state the world is in, but Dr. King was smart when he told people to love in his sermon, "Loving Your Enemies." He informed them of the how and why. His practice of love was significant and had long lasting effects.