After reading "from Letter from Birmingham City Jail"...
How do Thoreau's and Dr. King's views relate? Choose a quote from Dr. King and explain its connection to Thoreau's ideals in spending time at Walden Pond.
The views of Through and Dr. King are similar in that they both believe that men are inherently good and that much can be found within ourselves. A quote that best exemplifies this is from, "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail," is this, "Is religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our nation and the world? Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world." He basically describes here how conventional and status quo church is far less effective than the church of inner spirituality, which is what Thoreau was looking for at Walden Pond.
what Thoreau was looking for at Walden Pond, Dr. King found in the burmingham city jail. They both believed that if one found inner peace,then the world could follow."Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world." The two believe not in matteralism but in the pursuit of happiniess and serinity.
Thoreau and King are extremely similar, but the way that they display their views are very different, as well as how they argue them. For ex. King shows that ,"There are some instances when a law is just on its face and unjust on its application." He then goes on to explain why he wa arrested and why it was unjust. He and Thoreau and similar, because they both yawp, but they sit in quiet desperation in different ways. Thoreau's QD is nature, while King's is the natural conscience of man and God.
Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. share very similar views, especially when dealing with Henry's time spent at Walden Pond. The following quote helps depict the relationship they share; "A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law..." The main principles of Thoreau claim that if man were left to his natural state, and not influenced by society, he would naturally be moral. It also claimed that all people could access god through themselves and that all people are originally born good. When Thoreau lived at Walden Pond for two years, he tried to connect himself to God, and to the nature around him, searching for peace and serenity. Martin Luther King, in this quote, is saying that the just laws that are created are ones of a natural, and spiritual state, influenced by God before society has time to corrupt them. He also states that unjust law is out of harmony with the moral law, implying that the enactments have been spoiled by improper society. I believe that both men thought that all individuals were innately good, but had been potentially "ruined" by society.
Thoreau's search for peace and Dr. Martin Luther King's search for civil rights are expressed in the two passages. Thoreau wants to experience nature at a personal level while Dr. Martin Luther King confronted those at Birmingham with sincerety at a personal level. "I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil-rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother"(King).
Both Thoreau and Dr. King strongly believe that a natural state is necessary. Thoreau believes that man should live with nature and harmony, and that then man will be inherently good and morale. Dr. King says that, "a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law, or the law of God." His idea is that a good law is one that is naturally a fair law. It has to be in coherence with what God would naturally say is right,and it will be a morale, just law.
Thoreau's search for individualism and King's fight for civil rights are both examples of a desire to express individualism. While Thoreau uses nature as his way of expressing himself, Martin Luther King Jr. fights for the rights of people, ultimately giving them the chance to become individuals. When King says "Sometimes is just on its face and unjust in it's application," it is clear that his point of view matches with that of Thoreau; that no matter the appearance on the outside, there is always more on the inside that is not seen, which again is part of deciding whether one is truly an individual or not.
While Thoreau went to a calm place in the woods to find freedom, MLK Jr. went to the front lines of a fight for freedom and wound up in prison. Although they took different paths, they were able to reach their goal of freedom because they each wanted it so badly! He put it well when he said "Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world." It was possible for both of them to find peace in different surroundings because, like true romantics, they get their peace and strength from within and not from what life throws at them.
Both Thoreau and Dr. King seem to find an acceptance in either Walden Pond or the Birmingham City Jail. Here, King is expressing how he feels about law: "I submit that an individual who breaks a law... is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law." Dr. King has taken his time in prison to prove a point, similar to Thoreau spending his time at Walden Pond in order to express the beauty of nature. Both men express a sort of beauty and acceptance for this beauty. King's is found in law while Thoreau's is found in nature.
Dr. Martin Luther King and Henry David Thoreau are similar in the sense that they both feel that they will not obey "unjust" laws. Thoreau spent a night in jail for not paying a tax, because he did not agree with the governments support of slavery. Thoreau decide that that tax was unjust. King also spent time in jail for the charge of parading without a permit. He believed that it was fair for him not to do it if he paid for it (in this case with jail time). "I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law." This relates to Thoreau's time at Walden Pond, because they were both trying to live a peaceful life at the time they were arrested.
Thoreau and King's beliefs are related because both saw the good and bad in government. Neither said that all government systems are purely evil and completetly destructive, but rather incorrectly applied. In Resistance to Civil Government, Thoreau called not for "no government, but at once a better government." This shows that he believed that it was neccesary and potentially just but needed improvement. King had every reason to despise the government yet he stated in Letter from Birmingham Jail that the government's main problem is that it was "unjust in its application" yet through his actions, he spent his life "expressing the very highest respect for the law." Therefore, King had hope and believed that the government can be just, even though he had spent his entire life being opressed. Another quote from King is when he said that "An unjust law is a code upon a minority..." This relates to Thoreau's Walden Pond. King's quote shows an obvious desire for equality. While at Walden Pond, Thoreau acted as if the animals, stars, and plants were all on his level, showing that he not only treated humans with equality, but all of the universe as the same.
King and Thoreau share similar beliefs that man is inherently moral and that he government sometimes makes unnecessary laws that may not need to be obeyed always because man is moral. King believed that when laws are applied wrong, it makes the law itself wrong, "There are some instances when a law is just on its face and unjust in its application(256)". Thoreau also believed that man is good and that if he disagrees with a law he has a right to do something about it, but must accept the consequences, just like King believes. They are friends.
Thoreau and King both believe in "practice what you preach". Thoreau preaches that one must have a good connection with nature in order to be content which he shows by building a house in the middle of the woods and using the land to meet his physical need. King wants the government to practice their preachings of no more segregation. The government, however does not practice this belief by throwing him in jail for doing the same thing that white mothers did in New Orleans.
In Dr. King’s Letter from Birmingham City Jail, just and unjust rights and the tie between the two are discussed. King believes “a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law…” (256). Basically, King believes that these morals are derived from the spiritual connection to God and His influence. Similarly, Thoreau believes that if people were not separated from nature and brought into society, they would obtain morals rather than losing them with the rest of society, finding a god and morals in themselves.
Thoreau and Dr. King's ideas are very similar and are shown through there actions. King wanted to create a perfect society in which everyone was equal which was similar to Thoreau's ideas. Thoureau wanted to bond with nature to fully understand its morals, King wanted to create the morals between people that were inspired by God. This is the similarities between King and Thoreau's ideas.
Both are searching for their Walden Pond. Peace and harmony are what their goals both are. They also believe all people can be good and trying to bring everyone together to create a universal love and companionship. They both also have a great relationship with God; "Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world.” Both of them are trusting God to lead them to their Walden Pond and guide others to theirs as well.
Thoreau and Dr. King both understand that the human heart is inherently good and that every person has good in them. It takes reflection and morals to sometimes bring out the good, but it is there. The quote from Dr. King "A law is a man-mad code that sqares with the moral law of the law of God." Since Nature and God were meshed together in "Nature" it is easy to show the similarities between these two major thought provokers.
Thoreau and Martin Luther King's logic are very much the same. King says this quote, "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." This quote is also related to Thoreau's beliefs because he felt he was oppressed in society because he could not be completely free and sound his barbaric yawp. Thoreau demanded this freedom and this was his rationale for going to Walden Pond to find the true meaning of nature and himself.
King and Thoreau each believed in a life of harmony, one with nature, one with all people. King says " a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God." This law of God and of nature is what Thoreau was striving to discover and obey. They each believed there was a set of laws undebatable on this earth, set by God.
Thoreau and Dr. King are similar in that they both generate respect for the law. "I submit that an individual who breaks a law... is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law." King was unjustly arrested eventhough he of all people had a respect and nack for obeying the law. Thoreau lived at walden pond, and while there he, at times, was detained in his own home against his will by the weather. After their experiences, King and Thoreau both have the highest of respect for law natural and domestin, because they have experienced them first hand and know what the laws are capable of.
Both Thoreau and King had a desire to break away from societies restrictions, Thoreau by moving to Walden Pond, King by fighting for civil rights. They felt that society presented a burden on their person. A quote form King's "A Letter from Birmingham Jail" states that "One who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly... and with a willingness to accept the consequences." Both King and Thoreau were willing to pay the price for their actions. King spent time in jail, and Thoreau willingly fell behind society's progression.
Both Martin Luther King and Thoreau had time to think about what they believed in whether it be in jail or at Walden pond. Thoreau respected the laws of nature- he tried to live with nature instead of separately. King respected the laws and believed in order to receive justice you must obey them. This also contributed to the civil rights movement. They also thought certain laws must be obeyed in order to have a harmonious life, "an unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law". Both of these men helped to shape the government and society we live in today.
Both Dr. King and Thoreau believed that good could be found in a retreat where they were isolated from society so they could ponder the good in life. They both believe that everyone can find their own kind of freedom if they step away from society and do what they truly belie is right.
Dr. King and Thoreau were two very different men with different life goals, but both seeking individual and humanities improvement and realization that there is more to life than that of worldly things. "There are some instances when a law is just on its face and unjust on its application." Law is not always applicable and accessible in all situations; justice, yes, but always not the law of people. Those ideas of a supernatural power influence these feelings.
The views of Through and Dr. King are similar in that they both believe that men are inherently good and that much can be found within ourselves. A quote that best exemplifies this is from, "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail," is this, "Is religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our nation and the world? Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world." He basically describes here how conventional and status quo church is far less effective than the church of inner spirituality, which is what Thoreau was looking for at Walden Pond.
ReplyDeletewhat Thoreau was looking for at Walden Pond, Dr. King found in the burmingham city jail. They both believed that if one found inner peace,then the world could follow."Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world." The two believe not in matteralism but in the pursuit of happiniess and serinity.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and King are extremely similar, but the way that they display their views are very different, as well as how they argue them. For ex. King shows that ,"There are some instances when a law is just on its face and unjust on its application." He then goes on to explain why he wa arrested and why it was unjust. He and Thoreau and similar, because they both yawp, but they sit in quiet desperation in different ways. Thoreau's QD is nature, while King's is the natural conscience of man and God.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. share very similar views, especially when dealing with Henry's time spent at Walden Pond. The following quote helps depict the relationship they share; "A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law..." The main principles of Thoreau claim that if man were left to his natural state, and not influenced by society, he would naturally be moral. It also claimed that all people could access god through themselves and that all people are originally born good. When Thoreau lived at Walden Pond for two years, he tried to connect himself to God, and to the nature around him, searching for peace and serenity. Martin Luther King, in this quote, is saying that the just laws that are created are ones of a natural, and spiritual state, influenced by God before society has time to corrupt them. He also states that unjust law is out of harmony with the moral law, implying that the enactments have been spoiled by improper society. I believe that both men thought that all individuals were innately good, but had been potentially "ruined" by society.
ReplyDeleteThoreau's search for peace and Dr. Martin Luther King's search for civil rights are expressed in the two passages. Thoreau wants to experience nature at a personal level while Dr. Martin Luther King confronted those at Birmingham with sincerety at a personal level. "I also hope that circumstances will soon make it possible for me to meet each of you, not as an integrationist or a civil-rights leader but as a fellow clergyman and a Christian brother"(King).
ReplyDeleteBoth Thoreau and Dr. King strongly believe that a natural state is necessary. Thoreau believes that man should live with nature and harmony, and that then man will be inherently good and morale. Dr. King says that, "a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law, or the law of God." His idea is that a good law is one that is naturally a fair law. It has to be in coherence with what God would naturally say is right,and it will be a morale, just law.
ReplyDeleteThoreau's search for individualism and King's fight for civil rights are both examples of a desire to express individualism. While Thoreau uses nature as his way of expressing himself, Martin Luther King Jr. fights for the rights of people, ultimately giving them the chance to become individuals. When King says "Sometimes is just on its face and unjust in it's application," it is clear that his point of view matches with that of Thoreau; that no matter the appearance on the outside, there is always more on the inside that is not seen, which again is part of deciding whether one is truly an individual or not.
ReplyDeleteWhile Thoreau went to a calm place in the woods to find freedom, MLK Jr. went to the front lines of a fight for freedom and wound up in prison. Although they took different paths, they were able to reach their goal of freedom because they each wanted it so badly!
ReplyDeleteHe put it well when he said "Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world." It was possible for both of them to find peace in different surroundings because, like true romantics, they get their peace and strength from within and not from what life throws at them.
Both Thoreau and Dr. King seem to find an acceptance in either Walden Pond or the Birmingham City Jail. Here, King is expressing how he feels about law: "I submit that an individual who breaks a law... is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law." Dr. King has taken his time in prison to prove a point, similar to Thoreau spending his time at Walden Pond in order to express the beauty of nature. Both men express a sort of beauty and acceptance for this beauty. King's is found in law while Thoreau's is found in nature.
ReplyDeleteDr. Martin Luther King and Henry David Thoreau are similar in the sense that they both feel that they will not obey "unjust" laws. Thoreau spent a night in jail for not paying a tax, because he did not agree with the governments support of slavery. Thoreau decide that that tax was unjust. King also spent time in jail for the charge of parading without a permit. He believed that it was fair for him not to do it if he paid for it (in this case with jail time). "I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and willingly accepts the penalty by staying in jail to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law." This relates to Thoreau's time at Walden Pond, because they were both trying to live a peaceful life at the time they were arrested.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and King's beliefs are related because both saw the good and bad in government. Neither said that all government systems are purely evil and completetly destructive, but rather incorrectly applied. In Resistance to Civil Government, Thoreau called not for "no government, but at once a better government." This shows that he believed that it was neccesary and potentially just but needed improvement. King had every reason to despise the government yet he stated in Letter from Birmingham Jail that the government's main problem is that it was "unjust in its application" yet through his actions, he spent his life "expressing the very highest respect for the law." Therefore, King had hope and believed that the government can be just, even though he had spent his entire life being opressed. Another quote from King is when he said that "An unjust law is a code upon a minority..." This relates to Thoreau's Walden Pond. King's quote shows an obvious desire for equality. While at Walden Pond, Thoreau acted as if the animals, stars, and plants were all on his level, showing that he not only treated humans with equality, but all of the universe as the same.
ReplyDeleteKing and Thoreau share similar beliefs that man is inherently moral and that he government sometimes makes unnecessary laws that may not need to be obeyed always because man is moral. King believed that when laws are applied wrong, it makes the law itself wrong, "There are some instances when a law is just on its face and unjust in its application(256)". Thoreau also believed that man is good and that if he disagrees with a law he has a right to do something about it, but must accept the consequences, just like King believes. They are friends.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and King both believe in "practice what you preach". Thoreau preaches that one must have a good connection with nature in order to be content which he shows by building a house in the middle of the woods and using the land to meet his physical need. King wants the government to practice their preachings of no more segregation. The government, however does not practice this belief by throwing him in jail for doing the same thing that white mothers did in New Orleans.
ReplyDeleteIn Dr. King’s Letter from Birmingham City Jail, just and unjust rights and the tie between the two are discussed. King believes “a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law…” (256). Basically, King believes that these morals are derived from the spiritual connection to God and His influence. Similarly, Thoreau believes that if people were not separated from nature and brought into society, they would obtain morals rather than losing them with the rest of society, finding a god and morals in themselves.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and Dr. King's ideas are very similar and are shown through there actions. King wanted to create a perfect society in which everyone was equal which was similar to Thoreau's ideas. Thoureau wanted to bond with nature to fully understand its morals, King wanted to create the morals between people that were inspired by God. This is the similarities between King and Thoreau's ideas.
ReplyDeleteBoth are searching for their Walden Pond. Peace and harmony are what their goals both are. They also believe all people can be good and trying to bring everyone together to create a universal love and companionship. They both also have a great relationship with God; "Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world.” Both of them are trusting God to lead them to their Walden Pond and guide others to theirs as well.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and Dr. King both understand that the human heart is inherently good and that every person has good in them. It takes reflection and morals to sometimes bring out the good, but it is there. The quote from Dr. King "A law is a man-mad code that sqares with the moral law of the law of God." Since Nature and God were meshed together in "Nature" it is easy to show the similarities between these two major thought provokers.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and Martin Luther King's logic are very much the same. King says this quote, "We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed." This quote is also related to Thoreau's beliefs because he felt he was oppressed in society because he could not be completely free and sound his barbaric yawp. Thoreau demanded this freedom and this was his rationale for going to Walden Pond to find the true meaning of nature and himself.
ReplyDeleteKing and Thoreau each believed in a life of harmony, one with nature, one with all people. King says " a just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God." This law of God and of nature is what Thoreau was striving to discover and obey. They each believed there was a set of laws undebatable on this earth, set by God.
ReplyDeleteThoreau and Dr. King are similar in that they both generate respect for the law. "I submit that an individual who breaks a law... is in reality expressing the very highest respect for the law." King was unjustly arrested eventhough he of all people had a respect and nack for obeying the law. Thoreau lived at walden pond, and while there he, at times, was detained in his own home against his will by the weather. After their experiences, King and Thoreau both have the highest of respect for law natural and domestin, because they have experienced them first hand and know what the laws are capable of.
ReplyDeleteBoth Thoreau and King had a desire to break away from societies restrictions, Thoreau by moving to Walden Pond, King by fighting for civil rights. They felt that society presented a burden on their person. A quote form King's "A Letter from Birmingham Jail" states that "One who breaks an unjust law must do it openly, lovingly... and with a willingness to accept the consequences." Both King and Thoreau were willing to pay the price for their actions. King spent time in jail, and Thoreau willingly fell behind society's progression.
ReplyDeleteBoth Martin Luther King and Thoreau had time to think about what they believed in whether it be in jail or at Walden pond. Thoreau respected the laws of nature- he tried to live with nature instead of separately. King respected the laws and believed in order to receive justice you must obey them. This also contributed to the civil rights movement. They also thought certain laws must be obeyed in order to have a harmonious life, "an unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law". Both of these men helped to shape the government and society we live in today.
ReplyDeleteBoth Dr. King and Thoreau believed that good could be found in a retreat where they were isolated from society so they could ponder the good in life. They both believe that everyone can find their own kind of freedom if they step away from society and do what they truly belie is right.
ReplyDeleteDr. King and Thoreau were two very different men with different life goals, but both seeking individual and humanities improvement and realization that there is more to life than that of worldly things. "There are some instances when a law is just on its face and unjust on its application." Law is not always applicable and accessible in all situations; justice, yes, but always not the law of people. Those ideas of a supernatural power influence these feelings.
ReplyDelete