3/13 The scripture says: "Resist not evil: but whosever shall smite thee on
thy right cheek, turn to him the other also."
So after 9/11, shouldn't we have fueled up some planes in SFO and
invited some Al Qaeda types aboard? Instead of attacking Afghans?
\_ No, no. You're interpreting the Bible incorrectly.
\_ Some Christians would agree with you. I would say that while I have
a right to make that decision for myself, I don't for others. Hence
there is no conflict between saying, "I personally forgive you your
transgressions against me" while simultaneously upholding the law,
or pursuing a war. -emarkp
\_ What a cop-out. "I believe in doing this personally, but
supporting government and social actions that are the opposite"
\_ No, emarkp is right. I am only in a position to forgive if
I am the person injured. I am not in a position to forgive
for the sake of the 9/11 victims and their family. For
the victims, we seek justice. Now, does invading Afghanistan
in attempt to capture or kill Osama bin Laden and other Al
Queda members the right way for justice, that is another
question.
the victims, we should seek justice. - christian socialist
\_ This implies that seeking "justice" is the default course
and doing nothing (which is in action the same as offering
forgiveness) is the alternative course of action.
\_ If someone is murdered, raped, etc., yes, society
should seek justice for the person. That's why we have
laws and the police force. Yes, justice should be
the default cause of action. And yes, sometimes
justice fails to be done, or is difficult to do.
- christian socialist
\_ You're confusing justice with a combination of
vengeance and sensible prevention.
\_ I think I have given my (or rather emarkp's)
answer to the question of "turning the other
cheek". I have no interest in arguing with you.
- christian socialist
\_ In regard to the wars, I supported the one in
Afghanistan, grudgingly, but did not like the
invasion of Iraq at all.
- christian socialist
\_ Why should we have secular laws and police? God sorts
out the good and evil, and provides for the good.
\_ No, God want us "loose the chains of injustice
\_ God wants us "loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke", "provide the
poor wanderer with shelter - when you see the
naked, to clothe him", "spend yourselves in behalf
of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the
oppressed". The parable of the Good Samaritan
also tells us that we cannot be apathetic.
also tells us that we must not be apathetic.
- christian socialist
\_ Is that reply in the right place? If so, your
quotes refer to personal deeds. It doesn't
follow that you need a police state to
do that stuff. Ask a libertarian.
\_ I disagree. The quotes tell us that
we have to actively fight against
injustice. Ensuring that our laws are
just and are properly enforced is part
of what we should do.
of that.
\_ Where? The "shelter" and "spend in
behalf of hungry" is philanthropy.
The other stuff is about not exploiting
workers and so forth. In any event none
of it requires setting up a police state
to force everyone to do this; the passages
tell you to do it personally. I find this
contradictory: you are the one claiming
that the "turn the other cheek" only
applies to yourself, and the nation can
justly behave opposite; yet here you
take these words and say they must be
enforced upon everyone.
\_ sorry, but I fail to see what
you are trying to argue about.
also, why do you keep bringing
up "police state"?
\_ heh, you disagreed last time.
this subthread is about the need
for secular laws and police to
enforce them. this is in response
to your claim that we should seek
justice against people who commit
crimes instead of forgiving them.
\_ Ok, but my beef was with
your use of your claim "God sorts
out the good and evil, ...."
as justification for not having
"secular" laws and police. I don't
see how one follows from the
other. And I think your claim
and your use of it as justification
showed that you misunderstood
the bible, which is what I was
pointing out with my Isaiah
quotes.
quotes. As for whether our
current laws and police force
can or should be thrown away,
my answer is "why?". Instead,
as Christians, we should make
sure they are just.
\_ Well, it's just that
"turn the other cheek" taken
far enough would obviate the
need for punishment of crime.
Also, OT quotes don't always
jibe with NT Jesusisms.
\_ If you want NT, there's the
Good Samaritan which I
mentioned above.
\_ The Koran had something similar. I don't know why Christians
automatically assumes that they got the monopoly on all the good
virtues while neither the Bible nor Koran can control those fanatics
who slaughters innocents in the name of God.
\_ I agree with you, except that I take issue with the claim that
turning the other cheek is a "virtue".
\_ Depends. Would you take a nation to war over some tiny
sleight? If not, why not? Isn't that turning the other
cheek? If someone scratched your car in a parking lot,
shouldn't you just kill them on the spot? Why not? If your
kid came home from schol crying shouldn't you find out why
and then kill whoever was responsible? Why not? Getting the
point now I hope?
\_ You realize you're an idiot, I hope?
\_ Ok, guess you didn't get the point. I'm sure ad hominen
makes you much smarter than me.
\_ Sometimes when someone says something really
dumb, there's no point in responding other than
to point it out.
\_ more ad hominen. thanks.
\_ ad hominem. Are you sure you even know
what the term means?
\_ [ > 80 column comment expurgated ]
\_the best you can do is a typo slam? whatever.
how about hitting me up for violating the 80\
columns rule too? Can I get you for starting a sentence with a lower case lette\
r? I note you don't deny my claim that your entire 'point' is just personal att\
ack and that you completely fail to address my point.
[80 col. please]
how about hitting me up for violating the 80\
columns rule too? Can I get you for starting a sentence with a lower case lette\
r? I note you don't deny my claim that your entire 'point' is just personal att\
ack and that you completely fail to address my point.
\_ Uhm, yeah, you missed a 'typo' up
above. And I'm not the some person
you've been arguing with previously.
\_ the best you can do is a typo slam? whatever.
how about hitting me up for violating the 80\
columns rule too? Can I get you for starting a sentence with a lower case lette\
r? I note you don't deny my claim that your entire 'point' is just personal att\
ack and that you completely fail to address my point.
[80 col. please]
how about hitting me up for violating the 80\
columns rule too? Can I get you for starting a sentence with a lower case lette\
r? I note you don't deny my claim that your entire 'point' is just personal att\
ack and that you completely fail to address my point.
\_ I'm not the same poster you've been
arguing with. I'm not 'slamming' you,
I'm offering a correction so you don't
look like an ignorant boob that doesn't
even know how to use a spell checker.
Whatever.
\_ Spell check on the motd? You're
kidding, right? What the hell for?
The motd is often amusing and
sometimes educational, but not worth
spell checking. "Whatever".
\_ Uhm, you do know that you can
spellcheck your changes in lieu of
the whole motd, yes? Wow, I'm
beginning to see why the other guy
resorted to using 'ad hominen' so
readily with you. You know what?
You win -- be an ignorant boob;
it's your prerogative. I'm done.
\_ 1) why would I bother? 2) thanks
for the laughs 3) get over it,
its the motd, anyone anal enough
to spell check their motd
entries... well I won't resort
to personal attack.
\_ Your "points" don't relate to this scripture. You are
saying "don't grossly overreact" but presumably, in your
theoretical system, a large offense will merit a large
response, which Jesus specifically decries. I don't think
there's anything morally interesting in the cases you
list.
\_ Presumably. Or not. You're presuming. I think Jesus
was saying "don't react to petty offenses because the
*other* guy is likely to grossly over react". By not
reacting at all you don't provide the other guy with
an excuse to over react and likely kill you which was
a likely outcome in more primitive times.
\_ Personally, I think it's less relevant what Jesus
really meant than the fact the "turning the other
cheek" has been used by the leaders of Christianity
to help enslave the masses for 2000 years.
\_ No. Fear of burning hellfire and not getting into
a gold paved heaven has kept the masses in check.
\_ Well you are the one trying to say it only applies
to "slight" offenses. You pull that from your ass.
There's nothing there from which to draw that
limitation. But you feel free to invent whatever
interpretation you want to justify whatever
is convenient for your world view.
\_ I expressed my opinion. You're entitled to
yours, whatever it might be since you didn't
bother to share it.
\_ I already did. I think it means what it says.
"Resist not evil." Where do you get this
about "petty offenses"?
\_ Most of the translations say, "Do not
resist an evil person." Some say, "Do
not resist an evil person [who injures
you]." Couple this with the context
(The next passage has "Love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute
you."), and one gets a more complete
picture. Simplifying to just "Resist
not evil" (which translation did you
get that from?) may mistakenly suggest
not to resist evil even as an abstract
concept or when it is done to others.
- christian socialist
\_ KJV Matthew 5:38
"Ye have heard that it hath been said,
an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a
tooth: But I say unto you, that ye
resist not evil: but whosoever shall
smite thee on thy right cheek, turn
to him the other also."
There's lots of great stuff in that
chapter that most Christians ignore.
I agree that the meaning of it is
"resist not evil [done to you]" as
opposed to, say, resisting doing evil.
\_ I think your interpretation is wrong. Emarkp's
interpretation is correct. - christian socialist
\_ You know for a fact what a guy who died 2000
years ago meant based on multiple translations
of books written after his death? Ok. you're
way smarter than me. I'm going to stick to what
I *think* he meant and not make flat out
statements of fact about what he meant. I'm glad
to know someone around here has this all worked
out as fact. Let the pope know.
\_ ah, interpretation relativism - any one
interpretation is as good as another.
If you read the whole context (5:38 - 5:42 or
the whole of 5), your interpretation don't make
sense. Also, Jesus almost always talk about
things that are fundamentally important,
whereas your interpretation is more of a
"technique". From "an eye for an eye" to
"turning the other cheek" is part of the
"from laws to grace and faith" message of
Jesus, which runs throughout the NT.
- christian socialist
\_ Relativism? No. It's ridiculous to come
here and say he *knows* not only what Jesus
_said_ but what Jesus *meant* as well.
\_ It's obvious what these words mean. I
think it's up to you to show some
reason to ascribe some different
meaning to them.
\_ Cf. the Hadith collected by Abu-Dawud: http://csua.org/u/f8v :
"When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit
down. If the anger leaves him, well and good; otherwise he
should lie down."
\_ In case you haven't noticed, most ppl are against the war in Iraq,
not Afghanistan...
\_ Pertinent question: are you a Xian looking for interpretation of
scripture, a non-Xian looking to understand why some Xians are for
war, or a non-Xian looking to criticize Xian support of the war?
\_ Why does that matter?
\_ Because if you're either the first or the second, this could
be an interesting thread, whereas if you're the last, this is
a waste of time.
\_ Let's say I'm 2.
\_ Then I would suggest that some Xians place more emphasis
on OT and/or the fiery evangelist portions of NT than
they do on the "Love thy neighbor" portions. It's a big
book, with justifications for everybody. |