turn the other cheek? or for an eye, pluck both of theirs and rip of their beard

[OrionzRevenge]

Originally Posted by rainfall

If that's true... It's just... Isn't it retarded that Christians took the jew bible, translated it and just invented an entirely new meaning by mistranslation/misunderstanding? And then they live their entire lives by the misinterpreted "word of god"...

It happened a lot. The Hebrew into Greek, into Roman, Into English or other not withstanding. Still, it is in keeping with the teaching of Jesus. It is not saying if you should strike back... just stand for your convictions. Maybe the thing that turned me off of religion of middle eastern origin is just how open it is to re-reinterpretation and current politics. ...even today.

The Sunnis and Shiites are ripping Iraq apart because they faced what Christians dodged (a known blood-line for Jesus) The question: should the leaders be elected or of Mohammed's blood-line. >>Sunnis elected and Shiites have been pissed ever since. In Europe thousands were burned alive over the debate about an overlord Pope.

[manni]

Originally Posted by OrionzRevenge

Because westerners are not accustomed to ancient Jewish / Muslim cleanliness customs about personal hygiene with left (sinister) hand and eating - greeting with the right (Dexter) hand, the passage "If a man strikes you on the right cheek then offer him your left cheek" is often misunderstood as an admonishment to absolute passiveness.

Thus, if a man backhand Bitch-Slaps you like he might a slave, then get so in his face that, if he has the balls to do it again, it will be on the left cheek as an equal.

wow, that's very interesting.....where could i read up about this?

[OrionzRevenge]

Originally Posted by manni

wow, that's very interesting.....where could i read up about this?

Since which cheek first then second is noted, the thing is to become familiar with Jewish/Muslim Cleanliness customs (among others, such as a Bitch-slap is a Bitch-slap ...so as not to soil my palm with the likes of you.). Otherwise things just seem funny and senseless to us. Like the dude tapping the toppled statue of Saddam with his shoe (after the fall of Baghdad). Or a Muslim reporter tossing his shoes at George W. Bush. Feet, by their nature, are unclean and the sole of a shoe is the ultimate of filth. If a Muslim crosses his legs and displays for you the sole of his shoe... Not your Friend.

Understanding these customs brings greater understanding to ancient scriptures / writing.
>>The HO applying expensive oil to Jesus' feet... using her hair (vain-glory) as applicator to demonstrate her unworthiness. Even Jesus' most favored questioned why she wasted the good oil.
>>Jesus washing the feet of the lepers.

EDIT: Yeah, this is sort of a RTFM answer, and I have been trying to find a clip of the discovery channel show where a professor of ancient studies makes note of this. ...albeit with no luck.

Look at it this way. If you had your left hand whacked with a stick a million times as a kid till you learned it was only for washing your body and wiping your ass, then the inference is obvious: How do you slap a person's right cheek and why? Further, you would understand the implication of offering the left cheek.

Interesting note, the disconnect may have much to do with Vandals and like putting an end to the Pax Roma in Europe along with the heated baths in northern climes.
The dark ages were a very dirty and disease-ridden time in western Civilization, and not much better when the New Testament was compiled and suffered a massive re-write / selection we call the King James Version.

[CheeZ]

Originally Posted by manni

wow, that's very interesting.....where could i read up about this?

You could read the bible. But since many can't be bothered...



Here's an article that discusses Jesus' teachings on non-violence.

The article in its entirety is interesting*, but the specifically-related bits are in paragraphs five through ten:

Jesus gives three examples to explain his point. The first is: “If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also.” Most people picture a blow with the right fist. But that would land on the left cheek, and Jesus specifies the right cheek. A left hook wouldn’t fit the bill either, since the left hand was used only for unclean tasks, and even to gesture with it brought shame on the one gesturing. Jesus is speaking about striking the right cheek with the back of the right hand. This was not a blow to injure. It was symbolic. It was intended to humiliate, to put an inferior in his or her place. It was given by a master to a slave, a husband to a wife, a parent to a child, or a Roman to a Jew. The message of the powerful to their subjects was clear: You are a nobody, get back down where you belong.

The seventh paragraph begins, "Jesus’ second example deals with indebtedness, the most onerous social problem in first century Palestine."

The tenth paragraph addresses the third example and begins, "Jesus’ third example refers to the angeria, the law that permitted a Roman soldier to force a civilian to carry his 65 to 85 pound pack. But the law stipulated one mile only."

The article is definitely worth a read.



*Be advised. The author uses the examples to draw conclusions regarding U.S. foreign policy, which some may disagree with. This is absolutely not why I introduced this article and I make no claims of support or disagreement with this author, whether I agree with the author or not, mostly because I have no desire to debate foreign policy.

[OrionzRevenge]

^^^ Good look out CheeZ.
I think this thread has worth. Thus, I'm going to Left Cheek it with Five Stars to Balance the Right Cheek one Star.