"Turn the other cheek if you are attacked." - What's your take on the meaning?

[Alan1986]

"Someone very well known who established a church - if you will, a civilization - once said, 'Turn the other cheek if you are attacked.' The original meaning of that remark, however, should be understood. You should turn the other cheek because you realize that basically the attacker only attacks himself.

Then you are free, and the reaction is a good one. If you turn the other cheek without this understanding, however, and feel resentful, or if you turn the other cheek out of a feeling of pseudomoral superiority, then the reaction is far from adequate." - Seth

[Divajules]

I tend to favor Abraham's take on this phrase. Turn the other cheek would be the equivilent of saying to someone "focus on something else". If you keep "looking at" something that displeases you, you'd do well to turn the other cheek and focus on something that pleases you. The reason for this is because you tend to get more of what you focus upon. You serve yourself much better to remain focused on that which pleases you than to rail against something that doesn't.

[joelr]

Seth Speaks.

[Boldnut]

Better have a metal spike on dat another cheek

[Maguru]

Originally Posted by Alan1986

"Someone very well known who established a church - if you will, a civilization - once said, 'Turn the other cheek if you are attacked.' The original meaning of that remark, however, should be understood. You should turn the other cheek because you realize that basically the attacker only attacks himself.

Then you are free, and the reaction is a good one. If you turn the other cheek without this understanding, however, and feel resentful, or if you turn the other cheek out of a feeling of pseudomoral superiority, then the reaction is far from adequate." - Seth

I think it's simply 'don't hit back' because then you would become the attacker.

[Michael Chui]

Funny, I always thought he meant this: Concession is Rhetorical Judo - Sources of Insight

[Liminal Chris]

I was always under the impression that "Turn the other cheek" meant...

If someone metaphorically slaps you across the cheek, that you metaphorically turn your other cheek and offer it to them.

By doing so, you teach them that they don't have power over you. Eventually, the aggressor will realize the futility of his/her attacks and submit.



To me the saying immediately conjures imagery of Civil Rights Marches. People getting hit, fire hosed, attacked by dogs. Ultimately, they take it for the greater purpose of teaching their attackers a lesson in humanity.

[blissfulpeace]

My interpretation: You cannot dissolve unconsciousness by fighting against it.