Some more thoughts on turning the other cheek - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14718647
I've been thinking about this some more and I think that if you have to turn the other cheek, as in you have no other choice, it's not really turning the other cheek. It is just rationalizing or coping with a circumstance. This isn't to say that suffering can't have a spiritual context but I'm not sure that turning the other cheek is it.

I think instead, turning the other cheek is when you have the option to react in a different way but choose not to exercise that option. This says a lot of things about the people involved in the situation, when a person who lacks power is the one attacking and the person who has power is showing restraint. In its worse articulation it is kind of liberal, but in another articulation it is very flattering to the person who has power and yet shows restraint, self-control or even mercy. I think it's interesting to ask ourselves why we would do this or why we would want to do it.
#14718652
I think it's interesting to ask ourselves why we would do this or why we would want to do it.

Basically, to prevent vendettas or blood feuds from arising. Revenge tends to be a positive feedback loop - you take revenge for their offence, then they take revenge for your revenge, then you take take revenge for their revenge for your revenge for their offence, and so it goes on.... Jesus was basically just saying: "Break the wheel!" It can also be related to the Buddha's exhortation to escape from the 'karmic wheel' of sin.
#14718657
Potemkin wrote:Basically, to prevent vendettas or blood feuds from arising. Revenge tends to be a positive feedback loop - you take revenge for their offence, then they take revenge for your revenge, then you take take revenge for their revenge for your revenge for their offence, and so it goes on.... Jesus was basically just saying: "Break the wheel!" It can also be related to the Buddha's exhortation to escape from the 'karmic wheel' of sin.

That is the large scale version, but have you never done it for more personal reasons?
#14718668
Hong Wu wrote:I've been thinking about this some more and I think that if you have to turn the other cheek, as in you have no other choice, it's not really turning the other cheek. It is just rationalizing or coping with a circumstance. This isn't to say that suffering can't have a spiritual context but I'm not sure that turning the other cheek is it.
You got it! Christianity developed as a response to the situation of the weak and powerless within the Roman Empire. And within the Roman Empire virtually everyone would experience powerlessness and humiliation at some point. Yes even the elite would experience powerlessness and humiliation and when I say humiliation I'm not just taking about our every day modern humiliations of getting dumped by a girl friend or being rejected for Art college (Ed spot the Hitler ref).

In the modern world if someone takes your coat just go to the police, presuming you weren't able to use 2nd Amendment rights.
#14739762
Jesus taught that if you love those who love you it is nothing special because even the sinners do that. If you were really to stand out you needed to love those who hated you, to go two miles with him who asked you to go one, to give your cloak and shirt to him who asks for your shirt. You needed to return good for evil otherwise you were no different from everybody else.
#14739769
Hong Wu wrote:I've been thinking about this some more and I think that if you have to turn the other cheek, as in you have no other choice, it's not really turning the other cheek. It is just rationalizing or coping with a circumstance. This isn't to say that suffering can't have a spiritual context but I'm not sure that turning the other cheek is it.


In psychology that would be considered cognitive restructuring, and yes, a way of coping.

I think instead, turning the other cheek is when you have the option to react in a different way but choose not to exercise that option. This says a lot of things about the people involved in the situation, when a person who lacks power is the one attacking and the person who has power is showing restraint. In its worse articulation it is kind of liberal, but in another articulation it is very flattering to the person who has power and yet shows restraint, self-control or even mercy. I think it's interesting to ask ourselves why we would do this or why we would want to do it.


When done with the right intention, it can be an act of love. From power, maybe a benevolent love. From weakness, maybe a courageous love.
#14739771
To put it in modern capitalistic terms, "effort beyond responsibility" is rewarded and not simply "doing your job", so people often think "I did a great job" but they usually mean is "I did my job".
#14739783
Hong Wu wrote: ...have you never done it for more personal reasons?


For me it is a form of self-empowerment. I am loathe to give enemies control over my psychological well-being by allowing their anger to provoke mine. This psychological paradox was nicely portrayed in The Duellists:

Armand D'Hubert: "General Feraud has made occasional attempts to kill me. That does not give him the right to claim my acquaintance."

Turning the other cheek is a subtle insult. You reduce your enemies to a mere annoyance.

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