Influences Of The Great

13 Pages 3178 Words

Influences of Mahatma



Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. states, “I firmly believe that the Gandhian philosophy of nonviolent resistance is the only and moral approach to the solution of the race problem in the United States.” (www.web.il.gatech.edu) It was the views of Gandhi that influenced Martin Luther King Jr. Gandhi insisted nonviolence was about qualitative change in attitudes, in relationship building and sustaining; in learning to deal with anger in a positive manner rather than abusing anger; and creating communities that are compassionate, understanding, accepting and appreciative.

In 1950, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Philadelphia to hear a speech about the life and teachings of Mahatma Gandhi by Dr. Mordecai Johnson. Martin Luther King was so impressed and surprised that he bought a number of books on Gandhi’s life and works. As he read, he became attracted by Gandhi’s campaigns of nonviolent resistance and he was moved by Gandhi’s philosophy called Satyagraha (Satya is truth which equals love, and agraha is force; Satyagraha, means truth force or love force). The philosophy of Gandhi convinced him that true pacifism was nonviolent resistance to evil. In 1959, Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to India and more fully developed his understanding of Gandhian nonviolent policy. Arriving in New Delhi, he told reporters gathered at the airport, “To other countries I may go as a tourist, but to India I come as a pilgrim” (www.web.il.gatech.edu). While he was in India, he felt as if he stayed at home, and he was looked on as their brothers.
The philosophy of Gandhi taught him to resist with love instead of hate and to confront evil with the power of love. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Gandhi was probably the first person in history to lift the love ethic of Jesus above mere interaction between individuals to a powerful and effective social force on a large scale.” (www.web.il.gatech.edu) ...