Speech 6

Malcolm X- King James and the Bible

Malcolm X begins his speech with an introduction corrective. He uses it too compare and contrast Islam and Christianity. He proclaims that Christianity has 'failed' the black race and the people want a religion that will give them "freedom, justice, and equality". He uses words that provoke emotion in the listener. Freedom, justice, are things we all want and seek as people. He continues on his diatribe and states that Christianity is a religion taught to us by our white slave masters. Malcolm X uses precise diction and basic facts to back his argument. He uses pathos and logos to justify the choice of Islam over Christianity. For instance he says that Christianity believes in the triad or trinity: 'The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.' He says the basis of this ideal creates division and thus creates confusion in the religion. He believes this type of archetype is a contributing reason to why the black man has been in confusion and disarray over the years. His reason and persuasive arguments would make the strongest believer have doubts. He speaks with ferocity and clear passion with speaking on Islam and his beliefs. He demonstrates Wayne Booth's belief that, " Rhetoric is the art of discovering warantable beliefs of improving these beliefs in shared discourse...the art of probing what we believe we ought to believe, rather than proving what is true accordance to abstract methods".

Malcolm X, a Christian in his early life, speaks to us not to convince us of the faults of Christianity, but to probe our own ideals. Do we believe in Christianity because that's what we were taught or is that what we truly believe. It has to be more than just believing because we feel we should, and Malcolm X challenges us of that.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekZNoUQ0eQ8