a moral universe - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Rediscovering Lost Values**:

[A]ll reality hinges on moral foundations. In other words, that this is a moral universe, and that there are moral laws of the universe just as abiding as the physical laws.

We never doubt that there are physical laws of the universe that we must
obey. We never doubt that. And so we just don't jump out of airplanes or jump
off of high buildings for the fun of it—we don't do that. Because we
unconsciously know that there is a final law of gravitation, and if you disobey
it you'll suffer the consequences—we know that.

I'm not so sure if we really believe that there is a law of love in this universe, and that if you disobey it you'll suffer the consequences.

The first thing is that we have adopted in the modern world a sort of a
relativistic ethic.

The other thing is that we have adopted a sort of a pragmatic test for right and wrong—whatever works is right. If it works, it's all right. Nothing is wrong but that which does not work. If you don't get caught, it's right.

My friends, that attitude is destroying the soul of our culture. It's destroying our nation.

But I'm here to say to you this morning that some things are right and some things are wrong. Eternally so, absolutely so. It's wrong to hate. It always has been wrong and it always will be wrong.

There is something in this universe that justifies the biblical writer in saying, "You shall reap what you sow." This is a law-abiding universe. This is a moral universe. It hinges on moral foundations. If we are to make of this a better world, we've got to go back and rediscover that precious value that we've left behind.