# Martin Luther King, Jr. - Quotes: 21 - Author page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr ## Books - [Strength to Love](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love.md) — 21 quotes ## Recently added quotes > The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites. The idealists are usually not realistic, and the realists are not usually idealistic. The militant are not generally known to be passive, nor the passive to be militant. Seldom are the humble self-assertive, or the self-assertive humble. But life at its best is a creative synthesis of opposites in fruitful harmony. The philosopher Hegel said that truth is found neither in the thesis nor the antithesis, but in the emergent synthesis which reconciles the two. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/the-strong-man.md) Topics: [character](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/character.md) > There is little hope for us until we become toughminded enough to break loose from the shackles of prejudice, half-truths, and downright ignorance. The shape of the world today does not permit us the luxury of softmindedness. A nation or a civilization that continues to produce softminded men purchases its own spiritual death on an installment plan. > > But we must not stop with the cultivation of a tough mind. The gospel also demands a tender heart. ... What is more tragic than to see a person who has risen to the disciplined heights of toughmindedness but has at the same time sunk to the passionless depths of hardheartedness? [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/there-is-little.md) Topics: [thinking](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/thinking.md) > Some years ago Professor Bixler reminded us of the danger of overstressing the well-adjusted life. Everybody passionately seeks to be well-adjusted. We must, of course, be well-adjusted to avoid neurotic schizophrenic personalities, but there are some things in our world to which men of goodwill must be maladjusted. I confess that I never intend to become adjusted to the evils of segregation and the crippling effects of discrimination, to the moral degeneracy of religious bigotry and the corroding effects of narrow sectarianism, to economic conditions that deprive men of work and food, and the to the insanities of militarism and the self-defeating effects of physical violence. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/some-years-ago.md) Topics: [society](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/society.md), [justice](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/justice.md) > In his essay "Self-Reliance" Emerson wrote, "Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist." The Apostle Paul reminds us that whoso would be a Christian must also be a a nonconformist. Any Christian who blindly accepts the opinions of the majority and in fear and timidity follows a path of expediency and social approval is a mental and spiritual slave. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/in-his-essay.md) Topics: [freedom](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/freedom.md), [faith](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/faith.md) > The greatness of our God lies in the fact that He is both toughminded and tenderhearted. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/the-greatness-of-our.md) Topics: [god](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/god.md) > Softmindedness often invades religion. ... Softminded persons have revised the Beautitudes to read "Blessed are the pure in ignorance: for they shall see God." This has led to a widespread belief that there is a conflict between science and religion. But this is not true. There may be a conflict between softminded religionists and toughminded scientists, but not between science and religion. ... Science investigates; religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power; religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/softmindedness-often-invades.md) Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md), [science](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/science.md) > Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it. p. 122 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/hatred-paralyzes-life.md) Topics: [love](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/love.md), [hatred](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/hatred.md) > Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/nothing-in-the.md) Topics: [stupidity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/stupidity.md) > The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige and even his life for the welfare of others. p. 25 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/the-ultimate-measure.md) Topics: [character](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/character.md), [courage](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/courage.md) > The trouble with Communism is that it has neither a theology nor a Christology; therefore it emerges with a mixed-up anthropology. Confused about God, it is also confused about man. In spite of its glowing talk about the welfare of the masses, Communism's methods and philosophy strip man of his dignity and worth, leaving him as little more than a depersonalized cog in the ever-turning wheel of the state. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/the-trouble-with.md) Topics: [politics](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/politics.md) > When confronted by midnight in the social order we have in the past turned to science for help. And little wonder! On so many occasions science has saved us. When we were in the midnight of physical limitation and material inconvenience, science lifted us to the bright morning of physical and material comfort. When we were in the midnight of crippling ignorance and superstition, science brought us to the daybreak of the free and open mind. When we were in the midnight of dread plagues and diseases, science, through surgery, sanitation, and the wonder drugs, ushered in the bright day of physical health, thereby prolonging our lives and making for greater security and physical well-being. How naturally we turn to science in a day when the problems of the world are so ghastly and ominous. But alas! science cannot now rescue us, for even the scientist is lost in the terrible midnight of our age. Indeed, science gave us the very instruments that threaten to bring universal suicide.''' [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/when-confronted-by-midnight.md) Topics: [science](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/science.md) > First, Communism is based on a materialistic and humanistic view of life and history. According to Communist theory, matter, not mind or spirit, speaks the last word in the universe. Such a philosophy is avowedly secularistic and atheistic. Under it, God is merely a figment of the imagination, religion is a product of fear and ignorance, and the church is an invention of the rulers to control the masses. Moreover, Communism, like humanism, thrives on the grand illusion that man, unaided by any divine power, can save himself and usher in a new society.... Cold atheism wrapped in the garments of materialism, Communism provides no place for God or Christ. [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/martin-luther-king-jr/strength-to-love/first-communism-is-based.md) Topics: [religion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/religion.md), [god](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/god.md)