Freethought & Rationalism Archive

blkgayatheist · 05-10-2006, 01:58 PM

In the bonus track section of The God Who Wasn't There, it was asserted that King did not believe in the Virgin Birth or the literal Resurrection. can anyone point me to a source for these assertions?

Toto · 05-10-2006, 02:17 PM

I tried a quick google of "martin luther king" "virgin birth" resurrection - and came up with a lot of fundamentalist sites attacking King for not being a Christian, or a True Christian.

They cite King's seminary writings, expecially these:

http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/p...Christians.htm

and

http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/p...Liberalism.htm

It appears that King held views that were fairly convention for liberal Christians, but which riled fundamentalists, who were often opposed to his politics as well.

warning: fundamentalists sites

http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/king.htm
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Wolve...jr-exposed.htm

Quote:

King Finds religion, but Not Jesus

Tracing the evolution of his religious beliefs in a sketch written at Crozer entitled "An Autobiography of Religious Development," King recalled that an initial sense of religious estrangement had unexpectedly and abruptly become apparent at a Sunday morning revival meeting he attended at about the age of seven. A guest evangelist from Virginia had come to talk about salvation and to seek recruits for the church. Having grown up in the church, King had never given much thought to joining it formally, but the emotion of the revival and the decision of his sister to step forward prompted an impulsive decision to accept conversion. He reflected, "I had never given this matter a thought, and even at the time of [my] baptism I was unaware of what was taking place." King admitted that he "joined the church not out of any dynamic conviction, but out of a childhood desire to keep up with my sister."

Martin Luther King may have had a religious experience, but he didn't find Jesus. King admits that he was "unaware" of what was taking place. Going to church to keep up with his big sister is nice, but it is NOT salvation. King had Churchianity without Christianity, religion without Truth.

King Denied the Bodily Resurrection, Virgin Birth, and Deity of Jesus Christ

In the same sketch, "An Autobiography of Religious Development," King wrote that, although he accepted the teachings of his Sunday school teachers until he was about twelve,

this uncritical attitude could not last long, for it was contrary to the very nature of my being. I had always been the questioning and precocious type. At the age of 13 I shocked my Sunday School class by denying the bodily resurrection of Jesus. From the age of thirteen on doubts began to spring forth unrelentingly.

While it is widely believed that Martin Luther King, Jr. was committed to the “Christian religion,” he was far from it. He denied some of the most fundamental components of historic Christianity. He repudiated the doctrine of the deity of Jesus, and he rejected the concept that the Lord was raised bodily from the dead. King disdained the New Testament affirmation of Christ’s virgin birth, asserting that the early Christians devised a mythological story to account for the moral uniqueness of Jesus of Nazareth. His theology has been profusely documented in The Christian News Encyclopedia.

1. In his paper "What Experiences of Christians Living in the Early Christian Century Led to the Christian Doctrines of the Divine Sonship of Jesus, the Virgin Birth, and the Bodily Resurrection," MLK thought that in order to understand the true meaning of orthodox creedal doctrines—like the divine Sonship of Jesus, the virgin birth, and the bodily resurrection—the literal element needed to be stripped away in order to uncover the true experiential foundation beneath it.

MLK believed that doctrine of Jesus’ deity developed due to Greek philosophical influence and because the early church saw him as the highest and the best

MLK believed that the “virgin birth” was unscientific and untenable; like divine Sonship, this doctrine developed as a way for the early church to indicate how highly they valued the uniqueness of Jesus.

MLK believed that the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus was an attempt by the pre-scientific early church to symbolize the experience that they had with Jesus.

2. Read in light of the above, it is clear to me that in the paper, "The Sources of Fundamentalism and Liberalism Considered Historically and Psychologically," MLK is self-consciously identifying himself with classical theological liberalism and rejecting the doctrines of fundamentalism.

(more sources there)

http://theologica.blogspot.com/2005/...ther-king.html
http://www.greaterthings.com/Conspir...is_no_hero.htm

blkgayatheist · 05-10-2006, 02:40 PM

thank you for the reply, and for the warning re the fundie site. It is often jarring to come upon one unawares.

JEST2ASK · 05-10-2006, 05:48 PM

TOTO :wave:

:notworthy:

Thank You so much for the links to his papers and to the later analysis (criticism) as always I am pleased to discover about the depth and complexity of reality and not just the spoon - fed snap-shots we get not only of events but people the more I am in awe of just what a wondeful world this is ...

AthenaAwakened · 05-11-2006, 01:43 PM

Also Coretta Scott King in her biography, spoke of how upon his graduation from seminary, they both seriously discussed a ministry in the Unitarian church. He chose the Baptist church not so much because that's where he was raised, but for the fact that that was where the black folk were at and he wanted an activist ministry.

Peace

mountainman · 05-11-2006, 04:48 PM

The following quote from Martin Luther King I believe should be harnessed
by all people who subscribe to christianity as a mandala of contemplation:

Quote:

"To discuss Christianity without mentioning other religions
would be like discussing the greatness of the Atlantic Ocean
without the slightest mention of the many tributaries
that keep it flowing."
SOURCED FROM: "The Influence of the Mystery Religions on Christianity"
[29 November 1949-15 February 1950] [Chester, Pa.]
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/p...ristianity.htm

The religion and philosophy of christianity is clearly perceived as being
one ocean on the planet - the Atlantic - amidst the other great and
enduring planetary oceans. Christianity is but one of the global seas.

Its tributaries are not oceanic, but terrestrial rivers which feed the ocean.
King is trying to say (IMHO) not only is christianity just one of the oceans,
but its essence (water) has nothing whatsoever to do with the name of
the ocean.

That water (spirituality???) is the essence of all religions.

I admire King for this global non-exclusivity which is most uncommon
in the minds of those who perceive themselves to be the Atlantic
christians.

If all christians would subscribe to this beautiful quality of expansive
and natural NON-EXCLUSIVITY then the world would be a better place,
in many dimensions of this thing we call humanity.

Pete Brown
http://www.mountainman.com.au/namaste_2006.htm
NAMASTE: “The spirit in me honours the spirit in you”

05-10-2006, 01:58 PM	#1
blkgayatheist Regular Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 488	Martin Luther King's theology In the bonus track section of The God Who Wasn't There, it was asserted that King did not believe in the Virgin Birth or the literal Resurrection. can anyone point me to a source for these assertions?

05-10-2006, 02:40 PM	#3
blkgayatheist Regular Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 488	thanks! thank you for the reply, and for the warning re the fundie site. It is often jarring to come upon one unawares.

05-10-2006, 05:48 PM	#4
JEST2ASK Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Central - New York Posts: 4,108	TOTO Thank You TOTO :wave: :notworthy: Thank You so much for the links to his papers and to the later analysis (criticism) as always I am pleased to discover about the depth and complexity of reality and not just the spoon - fed snap-shots we get not only of events but people the more I am in awe of just what a wondeful world this is ...

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

05-11-2006, 01:43 PM	#5
AthenaAwakened Contributor Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: In a Blues Nation, In the 99% Posts: 15,479	Also Coretta Scott King in her biography, spoke of how upon his graduation from seminary, they both seriously discussed a ministry in the Unitarian church. He chose the Baptist church not so much because that's where he was raised, but for the fact that that was where the black folk were at and he wanted an activist ministry. Peace

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.