Martin Luther Kings Last Speech April 3, 1968

Martin Luther Kings Last Speech April 3, 1968

So long as the rulers of earthly governments
seek to exercise the authority of religious
dictators, you who believe this gospel can
expect only trouble, persecution, and even
death. But the very light which you bear to
the world, and even the very manner in which
you will suffer and die for this gospel of the
kingdom, will, in themselves, eventually
enlighten the whole world and result in the
gradual divorcement of politics and religion.
The persistent preaching of this gospel of
the kingdom will some day bring to all nations
a new and unbelievable liberation, intellectual
freedom, and religious liberty...........Jesus

So long as the rulers of earthly governments
seek to exercise the authority of religious
dictators, you who believe this gospel can
expect only trouble, persecution, and even
death. But the very light which you bear to
the world, and even the very manner in which
you will suffer and die for this gospel of the
kingdom, will, in themselves, eventually
enlighten the whole world and result in the
gradual divorcement of politics and religion.
The persistent preaching of this gospel of
the kingdom will some day bring to all nations
a new and unbelievable liberation, intellectual
freedom, and religious liberty..

Jesus did not look with approval upon the
refusal to employ force to protect the
majority of any given human group against
the unfair and enslaving practices of unjust
minorities who may be able to entrench
themselves behind political, financial, or
ecclesiastical power. Shrewd, wicked, and
designing men are not to be permitted to
organize themselves for the exploitation
and oppression of those who, because of
their idealism, are not disposed to resort to
force for self-protection or for the
furtherance of their laudable life projects.