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Turn the Other Cheek

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
Turning the other cheek works sometimes, and is a good moral philosophy, but not in every instance - like if someone was hitting someone else repeatedly.
 

PoetPhilosopher

Veteran Member
There are instances where it's not good to just forgive and forgive and forgive with no improvement or progress from the other side until you can't take it any more, and there are also instances where "an eye for an eye makes the world go blind".
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
How about you, @Thief ?
yeah...

in my old neighborhood opportunity is all around you

picture this.....no doubt you can
someone you have never met walks directly up to you
and slams a fist in your eye......just to say....
hi there
but no words are actually spoken

as your eye begins to swell shut
you stand ground
and use the uninjured eye
to look him in the face

if he makes no further move
you walk away

if he flinches …..you kick his ***

this happened on many occasion
and there are variables

caution is advised
such as.....do not turn your back altogether
as you step away
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
yeah...

in my old neighborhood opportunity is all around you

picture this.....no doubt you can
someone you have never met walks directly up to you
and slams a fist in your eye......just to say....
hi there
but no words are actually spoken

as your eye begins to swell shut
you stand ground
and use the uninjured eye
to look him in the face

if he makes no further move
you walk away

if he flinches …..you kick his ***

this happened on many occasion
and there are variables

caution is advised
such as.....do not turn your back altogether
as you step away
What a wonderful neighborhood.
 

PearlSeeker

Well-Known Member
If this was meant literally Jusus would also turn the other cheek when a man hit him (on the trial). But he didn't. He defended himself.

Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” (John 18:23)​
 

February-Saturday

Devil Worshiper
Yes. Ironically, it takes most of the sting out of the attacks.

Physical pain is bearable, but the mental anguish you cause yourself from being angry at your attackers is a chronic suffering that doesn't heal on its own. I'll take the lashes over that any day.

That's not me advocating passivity or being a doormat. It takes real courage to choose peace in the face of hostility, and it's often a defiant act. I think humans have generally evolved in a way that it's harder to die for a cause than to kill for one, but I know which one I would prefer.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
If this was meant literally Jusus would also turn the other cheek when a man hit him (on the trial). But he didn't. He defended himself.

Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” (John 18:23)​
more than that....
but care is taken which volume you are using

at the very onset of His ministry there was a confrontation
the crowd turned on Him
and took Him from the temple to a high ledge to throw over

He turned on the crowd.....and walked back through them
and.....'no man was able to lay hand on Him'

I happen to be a black belt
I do understand

walking back through a self righteous mob is more than easy

He prevailed
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
and of course the cleaning of the Temple at the end of His ministry

picture this....I'm sure that you can

you follow the Guy for three years and you see Him do things beyond explanation
and you follow Him all the way to the temple threshold

there He takes a chord and begins to tie knots into it
and with every knot His Face becomes more grime
and you know such a thing is good for only one kind of use

He stands to the threshold and makes the pronouncement....
GET OUT
He likely had to say it more than once.....loudly

and as the silence over takes the crowd.....I can hear it

someone laughed

that guy first and I bet it hurt
so too anyone close enough to swing at

and I have no doubt.....many strong handed Jews tried to stop Him

when it was over He stood alone

approaching the threshold you might peek inside
and you can see Him.....and that look on His Face

do you dare to go in?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Yes. Ironically, it takes most of the sting out of the attacks.

Physical pain is bearable, but the mental anguish you cause yourself from being angry at your attackers is a chronic suffering that doesn't heal on its own. I'll take the lashes over that any day.

That's not me advocating passivity or being a doormat. It takes real courage to choose peace in the face of hostility, and it's often a defiant act. I think humans have generally evolved in a way that it's harder to die for a cause than to kill for one, but I know which one I would prefer.
I know some technique of which the pain is not bearable
and you would need a surgeon to put it back

you post as if to take the fault unto yourself......taking the lashing

would be better to study a martial art
that hurts too
but maybe the next opportunity will be different
to refrain from knee jerk return of a bruised cheek

oh...btw....that act of defiance you mentioned
OFFERING the other cheek is an insult and a dare

you need to be sure of yourself
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Really? What dan?
just first

thing is.....it took seven years to get that far
and for the following 8yrs people called me …...sensei

it takes a while to fit in to the scheme of what was taught
it was not a point style.....tag....I got you

it was self defense
wait for it
respond to what is happening
try to remain calm
and to some degree....ignore the pain of that first incoming strike

sparring sessions look like MMA
but no

the techniques applied could result in serious injury
and tapping out was never a contest of how much pain can you take

it was understood
if it goes to far
the student won't come back
because he won't be able to
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
No, I find it stupid :D

Its sort of like love thy enemy, absolutely nonsense.

It all reminds me of that book The Cross and the Switchblade back in the stone age before they invented 9 mm and AK-47s for street gangs.
 

February-Saturday

Devil Worshiper
I know some technique of which the pain is not bearable
and you would need a surgeon to put it back

you post as if to take the fault unto yourself......taking the lashing

would be better to study a martial art
that hurts too
but maybe the next opportunity will be different
to refrain from knee jerk return of a bruised cheek

oh...btw....that act of defiance you mentioned
OFFERING the other cheek is an insult and a dare

you need to be sure of yourself

3 years ago, I was taken and they poured acid on me, plucking me with blades. For hours, I could do nothing but scream as I burned. And then they would come back and do it again. Eventually, I was found by EMTs, and I did have to take me to surgery. I'm still healing from the ordeal to this day, and I might be permanently disfigured, but it's barely noticeable and mostly in places my clothes cover. Those wounds still sometimes bleed, and they ache.

When you're being tortured, the pain isn't what's unbearable. I felt the pain shooting through my body, so much so that I couldn't think or focus on anything other than the pain. As they knicked me and insulted me, I barely noticed. The hard part is being left alone with your anger for them, or your sense of powerlessness where you're still trying to control a situation that gives you a significant advantage. It's not the pain, it's when you're left alone. The pain, no matter how bad it is, is bearable. It's your mind that turns it into torture.

Do you believe that Martin Luther King, Jr. offered the other cheek in his protests as an insult and a dare?
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
3 years ago, I was taken and they poured acid on me, plucking me with blades. For hours, I could do nothing but scream as I burned. And then they would come back and do it again. Eventually, I was found by EMTs, and I did have to take me to surgery. I'm still healing from the ordeal to this day, and I might be permanently disfigured, but it's barely noticeable and mostly in places my clothes cover. Those wounds still sometimes bleed, and they ache.

When you're being tortured, the pain isn't what's unbearable. I felt the pain shooting through my body, so much so that I couldn't think or focus on anything other than the pain. As they knicked me and insulted me, I barely noticed. The hard part is being left alone with your anger for them, or your sense of powerlessness where you're still trying to control a situation that gives you a significant advantage. It's not the pain, it's when you're left alone. The pain, no matter how bad it is, is bearable. It's your mind that turns it into torture.

Do you believe that Martin Luther King, Jr. offered the other cheek in his protests as an insult and a dare?
that is quite the leap.....
from a seriously bad event upon you
to a seriously bad event unto many

perhaps another op of your own to cover the expanse?
 
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