Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Born January 15, 1929 - Died April 4, 1968

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I have decided to stick to love...Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away, and that in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty."

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word."

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” 

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every tenement and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old spiritual, "Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last."

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else?  The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."
                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”

     Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Now there is a final reason I think that Jesus says, "Love your enemies." It is this: that love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies.

                                                Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Here is a sampling of the martyrs who gave their lives for others.

Southern Poverty Law Center

Civil Rights Martyrs

May 7, 1955 · Belzoni, Mississippi
Rev. George Lee, one of the first black people registered to vote in Humphreys County, used his pulpit and his printing press to urge others to vote. White officials offered Lee protection on the condition he end his voter registration efforts, but Lee refused and was murdered.

September 30, 1962 · Oxford, Mississippi
Paul Guihard, a reporter for a French news service, was killed by gunfire from a white mob during protests over the admission of James Meredith to the University of Mississippi.

April 23, 1963 · Attalla, Alabama
William Lewis Moore, a postman from Baltimore, was shot and killed during a one-man march against segregation. Moore had planned to deliver a letter to the governor of Mississippi urging an end to tolerance.

June 12, 1963 · Jackson, Mississippi

Medgar Evers, who directed NAACP operations in Mississippi, was leading a campaign for integration in Jackson when he was shot and killed by a sniper at his home.

September 15, 1963 · Birmingham, Alabama

Addie Mae Collins, Denise McNair, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley were getting ready for church services when a bomb exploded at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, killing all four of the school-age girls. The church had been a center for civil rights meetings and marches.

April 7, 1964 · Cleveland, Ohio
Rev. Bruce Klunder was among civil rights activists who protested the building of a segregated school by placing their bodies in the way of construction equipment. Klunder was crushed to death when a bulldozer backed over him.

June 21, 1964 · Philadelphia, Mississippi
James Earl Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Henry Schwerner, young civil rights workers, were arrested by a deputy sheriff and then released into the hands of Klansmen who had plotted their murders. They were shot, and their bodies were buried in an earthen dam.

March 11, 1965 · Selma, Alabama

Rev. James Reeb, a Unitarian minister from Boston, was among many white clergymen who joined the Selma marchers after the attack by state troopers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. Reeb was beaten to death by white men while he walked down a Selma street.

March 25, 1965 · Selma Highway, Alabama

Viola Gregg Liuzzo, a housewife and mother from Detroit, drove alone to Alabama to help with the Selma march after seeing televised reports of the attack at the Edmund Pettus Bridge.  She was driving marchers back to Selma from Montgomery when she was shot and killed by a Klansmen in a passing car.

June 10, 1966 · Natchez, Mississippi

Ben Chester White, who had worked most of his life as a caretaker on a plantation, had no involvement in civil rights work. He was murdered by Klansmen who thought they could divert attention from a civil rights march by killing a black person.

February 8, 1968 · Orangeburg, South Carolina
Samuel Ephesians Hammond Jr., Delano Herman Middleton and Henry Ezekial Smith were shot and killed by police who fired on student demonstrators at the South Carolina State College campus.

April 4, 1968 · Memphis, Tennessee

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Baptist minister, was a major architect of the Civil Rights Movement. He led and inspired major non-violent desegregation campaigns, including those in Montgomery and Birmingham. He won the Nobel peace prize. He was assassinated as he prepared to lead a demonstration in Memphis.

Viola Liuzzo family

"I want to be the white man's brother, not his brother-in-law."

      Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Can Millennials serve themselves and the higher good? They are multi-tasking do-gooders so why not?

[Millennials: Born 1981-1996]

Millennials, who are they?

If you go by the many studies and analysis of the experts, the Millennials have been profiled in some rather interesting ways.  Acknowledging they were the first to be born in the era of technology, they seem to make the most use of it.  They are comfortable using technology to complete work.  They are digital natives yet understand the dangers of the digital world as well, like invasion of privacy, theft of ID, hacking of banking, credit cards, phones and databases with more of your personal records.

Between the Internet, social media, smart phones, endless apps, email and texting they can function almost 24/7.  Yet they also like being connected to real people through friends, associates, sharing experiences and seeking knowledge.

They were much more aware of the world affairs than previous generations yet they are smart enough to not lose sight of the various cultures and diverse perspectives and they try to maintain a high level of tolerance towards differences.  Typically, they have an open mindset and are more likely to accept others opinions and methods.

They are often multi-taskers who encourage teamwork, being involved, and being included.  They are willing to find a new path and curious to learn and develop.

On the negative side…

Some say they are lazy, narcissistic, coddled, even a bit delusional.  Certainly, they are somewhat more civically and politically disengaged and have materialistic tendencies emphasizing money, fame and image.

I have difficulty seeing how having an excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one's physical appearance, the definition of narcissism, could apply but I leave that to others.  They can definitely be confident, self-expressive, upbeat and receptive to new ideas and ways of learning.

However, the jury is still out on whether they are self-entitled narcissists or open-minded do-gooders.  One bad thing in common with other generations is the persistent climb in opioid overdoses and death by this group. 

Still, I believe our Millennial generation may be much farther down the path to success and salvation than those of us who think we’ve seen the light, yet remain stymied, with one foot in the Abyss.

When you stop to think about it, it is a rather disturbing conclusion to reach for those of the older generations like us who think we know everything.  Think of all the oddball attitudes we older folks find in the Millennial generation, reasons we may suspect they are a “lost” generation.

Imagine, a whole lot of them still live at home with their parents, long after college years.  When I grew up college was the ticket to get away from the confines of home.

Who ever heard of a younger generation that showed fiscal responsibility, did not want to spend their best years on the brink of financial ruin?  Who considered debt, whether from outrageous mortgages or multi-credit card debt, an unnecessary burden?  Who rejects the notion we must keep up with the Jones family?  In fact, who is the Jones family and why do we care in the first place?

The Holy Trinity - Coke, Cheeseburger and fries.

Why would a young person in their right mind be concerned about the food they ate and the effect that might have on their health when they reach our age?  Heaven forbid one might question the value of our favorite fast foods growing up, soda, (oops, forgot a classic, root beer floats), burgers and fries, the true American grit.

While we are working overtime shooting our mouths off on social media proving the rest of humanity is just plain wrong and dumber than us, Millennials long ago avoided debates which morphed to bitter battles between the witless in the heat of social media babble battles.  They use the Internet, smart phones and texting to communicate, learn, and grow.

Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on glitzy pop music stars and concert tickets or hundreds more patronizing the professional sports games with modern day gladiators, Millennials seem content with a conversation over coffee with friends.  How un-American.

They forsake news programs because they know it is not news you can use, and would not be caught dead watching the silly fireworks on the polarizing talk shows.

One wonders if most Millennials even know what a Kardashian is, the true color of Madonna’s undergarments, the latest flame of Taylor Swift, or what we are missing with the federal government shutdown.

They seldom debate politics because they have difficulty distinguishing which politicians and political parties lie the least, or they at least dislike conflict. 

Somehow, they think they know the hypocrisy of paying more for designer clothes when they are now made in China.

Often, they wonder how we can judge other nations as bad just because they are not more like us.  Cars are necessary when they cannot find a way to use bikes, buses or subways. 

To them broadcast television is bad because half the air time is spent with intrusive and sex filled commercials telling us how our life is not complete unless we buy what they are selling, and promiscuous sex is not high on their list.

They avoid pontificating to others, senseless debates, self-indulgence, digital addiction, and doctor-prescribed addictive medications known as drugs (except opioids) because they are health and wellness conscious.  That assumes they somehow escaped the obsession with medication dependence their parents might have imposed on them.

They know our healthcare system is broken, designed to keep us sick, exhaust our insurance coverage, suck dry our estates or inheritance, because profits are more important than people.

They see wars we are waging fought around the world, some since their birth, and wonder if we are really saving the world or just making ourselves feel good.

Along the way they have encountered the extreme liberal bias of college teachers yet often reject their propaganda, often choosing to be real Independents, or rejecting the voting system altogether by not even registering to vote.

Of course, they care for the environment but do not believe demonizing or destroying the economy, jobs, security and safety is a good path to success, it must be adopted slowly to be accepted.

We probably have difficulty understanding why they want to engage in face-to-face conversation, yet maintain civility and respect for opposing views, and staying emotionally stable throughout.

Often, they avoid television award shows because they know the awards are based more on the shallow themes and political views of recipients than brilliant scripts, exceptional acting, singing or entertaining.

Come to think of it, why did it take us a lifetime to start pulling the plug on decisive and senseless television babble and crass commercialization when the Millennials started out knowing it was wrong?

Maybe the Millennials are not the Me Me Me generation we feared they might be.  Perhaps their refusal to embrace hypocrisy and lust for wealth and power makes a lot more sense than being caught up in the wrong game.

It just might be that they sense something is wrong, very wrong, with the world they are about to inherit.  Could it be our own perception of the good life is flawed like they think?

Maybe we should stop trying to tell them we know what is best for them, when we know we do not, based on our miserable record while being in charge of the world.

I can only hope that in their opened mindedness and hunger for Truth they are open to the lost truths of Jesus and give them a try like we failed to do in our generation of stewardship of our religious, political and social institutions.  His message of the love of the Father was never meant to be hijacked by any government or religious institution for their sole use, but shared with all.

I just hope the Millennial search for Truth leads them to the message of the miracle of creation, to the faith, hope and charity toward all, and to the love of Father Creator for all souls, a message lost in today’s society.

Do not forget, when we have come and gone, the Millennials are the future.  It will be their turn to fix the mess they inherit just like us.  It is not our job to judge our successors, without fixing what is being inherited by them first.

The Melchizedek Chronicles - How to find Hope – How to find Faith – in a World shrouded by Darkness

There is only one way everybody in this world is actually the same.  Hard to believe if you are a card-carrying member of the avalanche of special interests who love their cause and hate anyone who does not.

Yet bias and prejudice also includes all the typical forms of polarization like religion, ethnic, wealth, cultural, political philosophy, gender, and others.  We have evolved to the point that you are not human if you do not hate someone or something.

Well, I do not think we will find much love, hope, faith or joy in that scenario, yet here we wallow in a much bigger and nastier swamp than the one Trump hates in Washington, DC., and quite a few hate him as well.

Still, through the fog, malaise and the deep-reaching fear and depression, we still share something in common.  We are all humans created by the Creator, no matter what you choose to call your Supreme Being.  That Supreme Being gave us a common enemy to share, to unite in opposition against, Satan.

 

So, what do we do?  We go after each other.

Boy does free will have its consequences!

We were given a free will, and we were given a mind to decide how to use that free will.  I think we might have made a few missteps along the way, maybe quite a few.

The Pathway to Hope

No benevolent Creator is going to create us, then drop us into a cesspool of discontent without giving us a pathway back to the road to Kingdom Come.  That is called Hope, a commodity in short supply at the moment.

We have a choice between seeking the Light or embracing the Dark.  Too many have fallen victim to the Dark.  They include those who reject God, those who succumb to the tantalizing, seductive voices of the shadow dwellers, or those who have genuinely never heard of God or Jesus.

You need to hear the message Jesus speaks about his love for the Father, our Father as well.  Jesus loves the Father because he knows the power of the Perfect Love it took the Father to create us in the first place, and all the rest of creation along with us.  No one else could do such a miraculous thing.

He knows the Father loves all of creation.  He knows the Father will never give up on saving every last soul in creation.  That means you too.

The Foundation for Faith

Jesus gave us a simple formula to find your way back to the Kingdom, no matter how deeply you have been dragged into that abyss of darkness.  There will always be a beacon of Light piercing the darkness that will guide you back home, to your salvation and eventual triumph which are the Hope for you in the first place.

Seek your path back to the Light through the two commandments he offered you.

First, acknowledge the Father’s Love that created you, no matter what circumstances you may find yourself in.  Then acknowledge your Love in return to the Creator for breathing life into you.

Second, Love all of creation God gave us including the toughest test of all, your fellow humans, all of them, whether good or bad in your mind.  You must do this, for your Hope can only be fulfilled when you are living and sharing that Hope for others.

Now that is a very tall task.

The Secret

Take the first steps, however, and you will discover there is a secret way to protect yourself from the onslaught of the forces of Satan who surround you, both the dark spirits and the many humans they possess.

When you follow the path of Jesus into the Light you will feel the weight of evil and foreboding start to lift.  Your mind will find your way to that beacon of Hope as you follow it.  When you begin embracing the Light you feel lighter, as in a higher energy frequency.

Darkness is dense, it pulls you down into the abyss, but lightness raises you up to the Heavens, where you belong.

The Invisible Shield – Finding Grace

As you become stronger and stronger in what I would call moving into a state of grace, following the path of Jesus to the Father, the Light you embrace will create an Invisible Shield around you.

You are not invisible in a physical sense, but in Spirit.  Remember, your only true enemy is in Spirit as well, Satan, possessing the soul and poisoning the mind of those you might encounter.

Jesus faced Satan as well

Father Creator has given you the ability to make your Spirit invisible to the army of Satan currently plundering the Earth for weak souls to drag down into the abyss.  With the Father’s gift, you have the power to resist.

Find Your Way back to the Garden

Seek the true path of Jesus our Savior, find your way to the Light.  Then talk to the Father, share your emotions.  If you cannot talk to God then pray.  Talk or pray to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Melchizedek, the Holy Mother Mary, Magdalen or St. Michael, the trusted family of God the Father.  All are prepared to answer your call for help and lead you to protection from the dark ones.  Such is the Love of Father, and fulfillment of the first Commandment of Jesus.

If you sense you are caught up in the spider web of illusion and darkness, call for help.  What have you got to lose?  It costs no money and it may just head you in the right direction for redemption, forgiveness and eternal salvation.

Pass this knowledge on to other Seekers of Hope and salvation so they can find the strength of Faith as well, fulfillment of the second Commandment of Jesus.

Believe in yourself by believing in your mission and purpose in life - redemption, forgiveness and salvation.  When you do you will open yourself to not only Divine inspiration, but to help from all the other Seekers following the same path back home.

It is your right!  It is your destiny!