On this Martin Luther King Jr day in the United States, I am reading a brilliant book, A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I highly recommend this book whether you are American or a citizen of the world. I consider myself a citizen of the world with the utmost respect and admiration for MLKJ.
Quoting from his Birth of a New Nation speech delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, Montgomery Alabama, on April 7th 1957:
“We’ve got to revolt in such a way that after revolt is over we can live with people as their brothers and their sisters. Our aim must never be to defeat them or humiliate them… The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community. The aftermath of nonviolence is redemption. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation.”
Why am I talking about nonviolent revolt in 2026 North America? Because we see a similar oppression around us today. Christian nationalism is an oppressive force in the United States and other countries, that seeks to control the masses and erode democracy.
We do not use violence to oppose Christian nationalism.
We aren’t coming with swords or with guns.
We come with our voices. With our words.
With our books and blogs and substacks.
With our platforms and videos and photos.
With our content creation and word of mouth.
We stand peacefully in protest. We show up at rallies.
We write the poems and songs of the future.
We sing and pray. We share stories around the globe.
We will not be silent. We will not bow down.
But we will also not call Christian nationalists our enemies.
I have no enemies.
As Corrie ten boom said in the Nazi concentration camp: “No hate.”
No hate. No hate.
There is no hate.
There is no enemy.
There is only love.
My Christian nationalist brother and sisters go the same schools as my kids. They go to similar churches, work similar jobs and live next door. They shop at the same Walmart and buy the same pizza.
In the book of Isaiah, Isaiah turns plowshares into pruning hooks: weapons into cultivating gardens.
When Jesus said “love your enemies” he was talking about turning our enemies into friends.
He turned things upside down and flippantly said he brought a sword to cut up families.
He said there would be division and mothers would hate their own children.
He used violent language for dramatic emphasis.
The purpose of all this division, this sword, this hating of family members and loving of enemies was actually an equalization of the human race.
Don’t see your family as any better than your enemy and don’t see your enemy as any worse than your own family members.
The first shall be equal to the last and the last shall be equal to the first.
This was the message of MLKJ. That all people would love each other as family. That all would be children of God united in one human race.
One race. One blood. One bond. One universal family.
When MLKJ stood against segregation he saw no enemies, only human beings.
He spoke against black superiority and spoke up only for equity and inclusion.
He spoke against injustice without hatred. He fought for justice by preaching about the promised land. He envisioned it. He claimed it as his birthright.
And he went and he turned his so-called enemies into his friends.
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