16 Jun Six Principles of Non-Violence by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Principle One: Non-violence is a way of life for courageous people.
It is active non-violent resistance to evil. It is aggressive spiritually, mentally and emotionally. It is always persuading the opponent of righteousness of your cause.
Principle Two: Non-violence seeks to win friendship and understanding.
The end result of nonviolence is redemption and reconciliation.
The purpose of nonviolence is the creation of the Beloved Community.
Principle Three: Non-violence seeks to defeat injustice, not people.
Non-violence recognizes that evildoers are also victims, and not evil people.
The non-violent resister seeks to defeat evil, not people.
Principle Four: Non-violence holds that suffering educates and reforms.
Non-violence accepts suffering without retaliation. Non-violence accepts violence if necessary, but will never inflict it.
Non-violence willingly accepts the consequences of its acts.
Unearned suffering is redemptive and has tremendous educational and transforming possibilities.
Suffering has the power to convert the enemy when reason fails.
Principle Five: Non-violence chooses love instead of hate.
Non-violence resists violence of the spirit as well as the body.
Non-violent love is spontaneous, unmotivated, unselfish and creative.
Non-violent love gives willingly, knowing that the return might be hostility.
Non-violent love is active, not passive.
Non-violent love is unending in its ability to forgive in order to restore community.
Non-violent love does not sink to the level of the hater.
Love for the enemy is how we demonstrate love for ourselves.
Love restores community and resists injustice.
Non-violence recognizes the fact that all life is interrelated.
Principle Six: Non-violence believes that the universe is on the side of justice.
The non-violent resister has deep faith that justice will eventually win.
Non-violence believes that God is a God of justice.
For additional material on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Principles of Non-violence, read “Pilgrimage to Nonviolence” in Dr. King’s Stride Toward Freedom, Harper & Row. 1958