MLK beliefs

When I walked into St. Luke CME Church Monday to cover the Martin Luther King Day service, I expected about an hour long deal with prayers and a short sermon. I got full-blown church. It was a wonderful service, great singing, good preaching and prayers that we might live out Dr. King's beliefs.

Included in the program was an "Affirmation of Faith" that was taken from the writings of Dr. King. I found it on another website attributed to the United Presbyterian Church. Regardless, I found it powerful, so here it is:

I refuse to believe that we are unable to influence the events which surround us.

I refuse to believe that we are so bound to racism and war, that peace, brotherhood and sisterhood are impossible.

I believe there is an urgent need for people to overcome oppression and violence, without resorting to violence and oppression.

I believe that we need to discover a way to live together in peace, a way which rejects revenge and retaliation. The foundation of this way is love.

I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. I believe that temporarily defeated is stronger than evil triumphant.

I believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.

I believe that what self-centered people have torn down, other-centered people can build up.

By the goodness of God at work within people, I believe that brokenness can be healed.