Another local pastor and I had found ourselves in a public dispute over his self-defense beliefs. At the time, I was an outspoken pacifist. He invited me to get lunch to hash it out in person. We met at Mcdonald's. “So you really take everything the Bible says so literally. You think to turn the other cheek just means roll over and die?” The baptist minister asked.
Some day you and my husband need to have a chat because you understand Christianity the same way. He's an Elder at the Presbyterian Church we were married in (regrettably it's in the process of closing). But I appreciate these messages because it gives us the opportunity to have discussions about religion every week that are easy to understand and approachable. We both look forward to these coming in.
I also think that one should also look at the context in which Jesus said to turn the other cheek--it doesn't necessarily mean passivity (which I think is part of what you're getting at).
The Romans were running the show in Judea at the time; Roman custom was that only equals got the forehand (or the closed fist). By forcing a Roman who struck you with the backhand to use the forehand on you -- by turning the cheek -- you were displaying a great deal of intestinal fortitude by forcing the oppressor to acknowledge you as his equal rather than his inferior. It was direct defiance, and not all that passive IMO.
But that is of course just my opinion, and I freely admit that I may have my head up my ass on this.
“Are we really supposed to just constantly allow those who hurt us to continue to cause us harm until the end of time?” Hell to the fuck no! My husband and I have been together 24 years and his mother would lash out at me whenever we visited. The next day, after said lashing, she would ask for forgiveness and I would give it, thinking, hopefully this would be the end of her petty behavior. Nope. After putting up with it for years I finally had enough and I just won’t visit with her anymore. It’s not worth it unless you think things will change for the better. Great article and insight as always. You rock like a lobster, Nathan! 😘
What if the person we're having the hardest time forgiving is ourself?
Some day you and my husband need to have a chat because you understand Christianity the same way. He's an Elder at the Presbyterian Church we were married in (regrettably it's in the process of closing). But I appreciate these messages because it gives us the opportunity to have discussions about religion every week that are easy to understand and approachable. We both look forward to these coming in.
I also think that one should also look at the context in which Jesus said to turn the other cheek--it doesn't necessarily mean passivity (which I think is part of what you're getting at).
The Romans were running the show in Judea at the time; Roman custom was that only equals got the forehand (or the closed fist). By forcing a Roman who struck you with the backhand to use the forehand on you -- by turning the cheek -- you were displaying a great deal of intestinal fortitude by forcing the oppressor to acknowledge you as his equal rather than his inferior. It was direct defiance, and not all that passive IMO.
But that is of course just my opinion, and I freely admit that I may have my head up my ass on this.
“Are we really supposed to just constantly allow those who hurt us to continue to cause us harm until the end of time?” Hell to the fuck no! My husband and I have been together 24 years and his mother would lash out at me whenever we visited. The next day, after said lashing, she would ask for forgiveness and I would give it, thinking, hopefully this would be the end of her petty behavior. Nope. After putting up with it for years I finally had enough and I just won’t visit with her anymore. It’s not worth it unless you think things will change for the better. Great article and insight as always. You rock like a lobster, Nathan! 😘