Do you live by "an eye for an eye" or "turn the other cheek"?
It says both in the bible, yet they contradict each other.
If you live by one, you disobey the other, yet they are both the word of God, so you are automatically going to hell for disobeying the word of God, whichever one you choose.
2007-09-07 11:45:20 · 35 answers · asked by tanjaneeka 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ah, the difference between the old and new testament God.
Please beware of asking christians to use logical and rational thought to work out a problem. If they had any of those attributes they would not be superstitious to begin with.
2007-09-07 11:55:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 4⤋
I always heard that the teachings of the New Testament overrule the teachings of the Old Testament, hence Christians are supposed to "turn the other cheek" as far as I know (though it's quite possible that I've misinterpreted this).
Though it's very hard (for me) sometimes to *not* live by the "eye for an eye" notion, I'm a firm believer in "turn the other cheek" method. That being said, I'm not real big into organized religion, and I'm especially not a big fan of the Bible, so perhaps you'd want to get the opinion of someone who follows the Bible more closely.
2007-09-07 11:58:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
An eye for an eye was a command under the law, the Old Testament Turn the other cheek is under Grace, the New Testament, because of Jesus. We are admonished to forgive to be forgiven or to turn the other cheek. We are not automatically going to hell. Going to hell is the consequence of the choice to reject God and His gift of salvation through belief in His Son Jesus Christ.
2007-09-07 12:05:02 · answer #3 · answered by Nancy B 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I believe no society has ever based itself on true Christian principles as there is always room for abuse, and for people to interpret their 'version' of Christianity.
In a modern setting, lets take George Bush's USA for example, the last bastion of the Christian world if there ever was one. (This is why I chose this country).
America murders it's own citizens, for murder. This is obviously 'an eye for any eye'. Yet they turn the other cheek when people they support, murder, and nothing is done.
(This is a tiny vignette of political injustice, but it's an example that society is just utterly twisted)...even...if it claims to be the most Christian. (Statistically America is).
'God' ultimately is a belief system in our heads. We thus choose to use this how we wish, when we wish - hence the gross inconsistencies in our planet that we all share.
So to conclude: How we live by, is not relevant. The state controls us, we live by the states laws in the developed west, not Gods.
Peace.
2007-09-07 12:08:53 · answer #4 · answered by .j 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
One is a principle to be applied by law in the now extinct Jewish theocracy. The other is a personal ethic Jesus urged as a means to forgive those who have done us wrong. Giving the other cheek is being vulnerable to them, again (the second cheek, when the first is struck).
To suggest that these are contradictions is contrived and shallow. But that is the point, I suppose.
2007-09-07 12:00:55 · answer #5 · answered by Aspurtaime Dog Sneeze 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Jesus said "It is because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote this law."
He also said "Beware the Scribes and Pharisees" for they will twist that which is right and good.
Have you not read how they turned the House of God into a den of thieves?
Woe to him who depends on the Law for salvation, for there are none who are righteous, no, not one.
By faith you are saved through grace. Not by works or the law, so that no one can boast of their own salvation.
In case you still don't get it, forgiveness is an act of the mercy of God, an act those who follow Jesus are instructed to practice.
Justice and Mercy are both in God. Someone may deserve a punishment, but those who show mercy also honor God.
2007-09-07 12:04:56 · answer #6 · answered by Jeremiah 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Not a religious person, but an eye for an eye is valid in some situations and turn the other cheek is valid in others
2007-09-07 12:00:58 · answer #7 · answered by midnitepoets 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
no you got it all wrong! eye for an eye was for the jews in the old testiment! Jesus said turn the other cheek because at the time it was the right thing to do. and it still is! they don't contrdict each other. they're just 2 different rules for 2 different times! do you see truth now??? God bless man...
2007-09-07 11:56:26 · answer #8 · answered by houc3672 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
AN EYE FOR AN EYE IS AN OLD TESTAMENT BELIEF; IT DOES NOT COME FROM GOD. IT WAS THE WAY THE PEOPLE OF THOSE TIMES DEALT WITH PEOPLE WHO OFFENDED THEM. THE NEW TESTAMENT/THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHANGED ALL THAT. TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK IS NOT NECESSARILY TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY. IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE SO QUICK TO STRIKE BACK AND THAT WE SHOULD SEEK ANOTHER SOLUTION BESIDES VIOLENCE. JESUS NEVER SAID THAT WE SHOULDN'T DEFEND OURSELVES IF WE ARE ATTACKED. NOT TO DO SO WOULD BE FOOLISH. AND, YOU DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY GO TO HELL IF YOU DISOBEY. YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY BY ACCEPTING JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR, AND REPENTING OF YOUR SINS (NOT REPEATING THEM) TO BE SAVED FROM GOING TO HELL. SEE YOUR LOCAL MINISTER FOR A MORE COMPLETE EXPLANATION.
2007-09-07 12:07:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
You obviously don't understand the Bible or why Jesus came....the first statement was Jewish law, the second was made by Jesus who "came to fulfill the law". Christians live according to a higher law, one of faith and love. Since Jesus fulfilled the laws given by Moses, we now live peacefully, making our choices out of love and respect for God and those around us. We trust that God will fulfill the "eye for an eye" half of the law if we "turn the other cheek" and show them grace and love first. Not a contradiction, but a fulfillment.
2007-09-07 11:52:42 · answer #10 · answered by Lisa 6 · 7⤊ 2⤋
You have good answers from Christians.
You will find how the law operated by reading about it in wikipedia - eye for an eye.
It's taken from the Torah - and explains all.
As others have said: Jesus came to set us free from the law - we now operate in the new testament grace of God.
2007-09-07 12:50:09 · answer #11 · answered by ;) 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋