Inspirational Speeches
Posted by Andreas on Feb 24, 2011 at 12:16 am
Martin Luther King, Jr.
It’s amazing the power that orators can have and how, at crucial times, we hear something that pushes us to be better. Some of the most memorable speeches in history have become immortalized because of the impact they had to change something for the good. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech immediately comes to mind.
One speech that I find very inspiring is Joseph Ratzinger’s (now Pope Benedict XVI) homily during the mass before the conclave to elect Pope John Paul II’s successor on April 18, 2005. In it, he speaks of the “dictatorship of relativism” that our world is slowly building up, but in response says that we “have a different goal: the Son of God, the true man. He is the measure of true humanism. An ‘adult’ faith is not a faith that follows the trends of fashion and the latest novelty; a mature adult faith is deeply rooted in friendship with Christ.” What an awesome reminder of whom we should be anchored to! Christ, the Way, the Truth, and the Life!
I also think that these speeches show the power behind our words. We have to be aware of all of the small “speeches” we give in our lives – to our family, to our friends, to our coworkers. Our words have the potential of building others up or tearing others down, and we need to try always to achieve the former.
What speeches would you add to this list? Put them below in the comments with links to videos if possible!
Irene
Wow.I have just been thinking of how I should correct my speech and work on what is in my heart, that which I value and defend after reading in the Bible, ‘out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh’. The small ‘speeches’ is what I am focusing on…
Mercedes Herran
I started thinking that people feel inspired when some action or speech appeal to their own wishes, hopes and fears. Watching someone that went through a problem similar to my own and overcoming it, someone that fulfilled what I had always wished for or someone that talks directly into my most hidden fears of being or having, not being and not having. But then I thought about those tremendously inspirational speeches known globally and acclaimed by millions. John Paul II, Martin Luther King, J. Ratzinger They appeal to great masses of people from different backgrounds, religions, nationalities, gender, ages. What do they have in common? Why do they appeal to me? Being human means sharing a natural tendency towards good. We all want to be happy, but not only that, we want to be happy among others who are happy as well, each of us in our own way. Inspiration is what compels us to act, to do something, to move in a certain direction. It removes our fears and empower us with new life, new passion. Something unique about inspiration, I think, is that it doesn’t necessarily teach us something new, but unveils something that was already within us. That is why it is so powerful, because it speaks to who we really are, it brings us closer to that inner self usually so hard to find and reveal. There are three themes that repeat themselves in inspirational actions or speeches: don’t be afraid, be yourself, fight for what´s yours, don’t tolerate injustice, seek freedom. What do these things have in common? They are all directed towards the flourishing of personality, of our very own individual essence. It’s about getting rid of empty structures, unjust laws, self destroying experiences and discovering out true self, embracing the traditions of our choice and making them our own, expanding our act of being and letting the good that comes out of that reach others. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, weather you believe in God or you don´t. We all want to be ourselves, we want to reach our own perfection for our own and other’s sake. That is what natural law really is, and that is, in my opinion what inspiration speaks to.