Jesus told us not to use an eye for an eye anymore. See the bible quote at the end.
Yet I have the impression that especially the right wing Christians in America are the ones that say that we should fight back and get even with someone who does us harm. Think about the reaction to 9/11. As a real Christian President, should I attack the countries that are a threat to us, or should we turn the other cheak?
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Jesus told us:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:38-42, NIV)
2006-08-17 09:03:20 · 11 answers · asked by leatherbiker040 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Jesus' instruction to turn the other cheek is set in an intersonal situation. In a situation where one is responsible for the well-being of a group of people...one's family...one's community...one's nation, etc., the two passages in the bible (Injeel) that inform me are Jesus' comand to "love thy neighbor as thyself" and "those who live by the sword, die by the sword".
As I currently understand those verses and relate them to 911 attacks, I see that I should love those who would harm me (still my neighbor) and try to see them as people who are angry, despirate, misguided, fallen...as I have been at different times in my life. Then...still loving them, to hold up the hope of a future redemption for them...keeping the possibility alive by not seeking to kill them in return. This is the grace that I would wish for myself if I ever fell into such a lost place.
Secondly, Jesus' warning that those who live by the sword will die by the sword, does not turn me into a pacifist. It tells me not to take offensive action but rather to defend (I guess an appropriate approximation from that era would be to live by the shield).
Anyway, the problem is a difficult one as sometimes in history (recently Hitler) there have been people who have truely given themselves over to evil, such that it seems to fight them is in effect, fighting evil itself. But I am very cautious to make that determination...the stakes are very high for all parties involved and if I judge wrongly, someone will lose their opportunity to be reconcilled to God and I will be responsible for that.
I know this is not going to be a popular response, but I do believe Jesus calls me to this very difficult and trecherous road..
The Messiahs peace and grace to you.
2006-08-17 09:10:59 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
According to Jesus, no there should not be any retaliation.
With that said, I personally have problems with this statement also. I've personally been in violent situations, and I'm sorry, but if you hit me - darn tootin' I'm hitting back. I'd never hit anyone first, definitely a passivist in that regard, but I do believe in defending oneself.
It's one thing to defend oneself, it's another to go out looking for a fight. They're two very different animals.
That's a hard question to really answer - on the one hand I want to follow Jesus in every way, on the other - I'm not willing to give up my life without a fight either. On the country-to-country level, I'm just as ambivalent. I think what that statement is about is to go against your knee-jerk human-nature, and recognize that our focus is not on this world but should always be on the place that as Christians he has prepared for us; thus, not to focus on emotional, monetary or physical items in the here and now, but just focus on the joyous eternity he is going to provide us.
Like I said, this is the one statement that I really have problems reconciling in the bible.
2006-08-17 11:07:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Since it already happened for whatever reasons, you the President has the obligations to protect the citizens from future harm. By putting in place protective measure for the country, you have done what best. By attacking the assumed enemies, you will cause more harms upon the citizens in future. That's a true Christian President.
2006-08-17 09:14:35 · answer #3 · answered by SK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you look into the customs at the times of Jesus, you will most likely come across the fact that the law of the land was that if you slap a person in the face, you must do it with an open hand and using only the right hand.
Jesus wisely advised His people to turn their face and present the other cheek in order to disable the person's slapping you in the face in a legal manner.
He was very wise and calculating in his stance for pacifism.
To Him pacifism was the ultimate power.
Interestingly enough the same power in pacifism was displayed in His advice to go the extra mile.
It isn't just for people to do extra for their neighbor. It was to disseminate the Roman army in being able to order His followers around.
They could legally go into your home and induct you long enough to have you mule their loads for one mile, then induct you again for the next and the next.
To voluntarily go the extra mile was, in effect, taking the power out of their hands.
2006-08-17 09:21:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
They attacked the church too? I hadn't heard that.. As a member of the church I say we should turn the other cheek and let it go. As an American Citizen I say we go and make them PAY. If we do that then our enemies will think twice about doing it again. So The path we are on in Iraq and Afghanistan is all wrong. Destroy their cities, take them to the stone age. remove their ability to make war against us and walk away. If they Do it again we do it again.. Jim
2006-08-17 09:22:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Turn the other cheek is for a one on one attack. We have the right to defend ourselves.In the bible the Jews were told to fight against their oppressors and God gave them the victory.
2006-08-17 09:14:06 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Compassion should be your scale and tool for dealing with this. If violence and vengence do not stop with the person they are inflicted upon, then it is passed on to someone else and harms them. It's cyclical. We all have a divine spark in us and therefore are all worthy of compassion, forgiviness, and empathy. To ignore this fact in others ignores its greatness in ourselves.
2006-08-17 09:20:08 · answer #7 · answered by neuralzen 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus was speaking to individuals on an individual/interpersonal level not about how a government should act when attacked.
2006-08-17 09:12:50 · answer #8 · answered by Crusader1189 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The war is political, not religious. Religion is used to incite people to one side or the other, and to assist in creating a good guy/ bad guy dichotomy that allows us to depersonalize the enemy and kill them without compassion. A Christian President would, presumably, concentrate on improving life for domestic America, and not getting us killed over oil.
2006-08-17 09:09:42 · answer #9 · answered by Blackacre 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Our own government did this. It took me a little while to understand that. I am hurt that they would lie to us like that and do that for resources.
Turn the other cheeck for those who don't believe in the Word not intented when in time of destruction of Humanity by wealthy
government officials.
2006-08-17 09:10:37 · answer #10 · answered by Muse 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋