Discussion:
Identifying at least 1 strength and 1 weakness in their reasoning.
1. Two values that Martin Luther King Jr. advocated and defended with tireless fortitude were freedom and justice. I am not much of a reader, however, other than the Bible this letter was the best read I have given my time to understand. Martin's moral argument for equality was absolutely superb, and I think that anyone with personal and social integrity whether they believe in spirituality or not would agree. My understanding of Martin Luther King Jr. before I read his letter from Birmingham jail was that he was a heroic figure for civil rights. While this is true, I was never educated on Dr. King's personal commitment to the Christian gospel nor his dedication to see the love of God unite diverse people under the same umbrella of brotherhood. I now see Dr. King as an Apostle Paul for civil rights. His unbreakable resolve to see equality become a reality mirrored that of the burning passion in which Paul preached the gospel. Dr. King connected these two values to biblical truths by referencing scripture as a means of conveying social morality and action against injustice to the white Christian proclaimed leadership. For example, Dr. Martin was labeled an extremist and He argued that Jesus, Amos, and Paul were extremists for love. In another instance he used the bold obedience of the early church as an example of intolerance against the status quo. Furthermore, Dr. King makes it known that he, along with his non-violent protestors were called "outside agitators" but so were the early church leaders because they challenged the status quo and through their extremism ended a long reign of secularism. Lastly, Dr. King again sheds light on Jesus as he makes his case that a noble journey should not be deserted because the outcome precipitates violence. Moreover, as in the life of Christ, He should not have and did not abandon His Father's will because it precipitated the violent crucifixion.
2. Martin Luther King Jr. provides are very thought provoking writing in his work entitled "Letters From a Birmingham Jail". It is clear that he is very passionate in his effort to bring equality to America.
One of the values that he finds to be of utmost importance is that of just laws. According to Martin Luther King Jr., a just law is "a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God". The moral law is one worth dying to uphold. Luther King believed that if you were to break an unjust law, you must do so " openly, lovingly and with a willingness to accept the penalty:. An example of this type of disobedience would be in the Bible with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. These three men refused to bow down to idols and were thrown into a firey furnace as punishment. The story that we all know so well shows God walking in the fire with the three men and all were unharmed. What a great example of standing up for the law of God against public standards. The men did not bow and were protected by the God the that so faithfully served.
A second value worthy of dying was the sacrificial nature present in the early church. These early Christians sought to follow the law of God against all struggles and potential persecutions that they faced. He states that " if today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity". People need to stand up and fight against unjustness that is facing their community and the world around them. Living by the law of God will put you in oppositition to governmental authority. Fighting for God's laws, you must be ready to face whatever consequences you might face.