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Turn the Other Cheek: Difference between revisions
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** Another explanation of "turn the other cheek": if a man considered someone to be inferior and he decided to strike him, he'd use the back of his hand; if he considered him equal, he'd use his palm. Basically Jesus was saying that if someone gave you a backhander, turn the other cheek to force him to use his palm.
** There is also the interpretation that offering someone the chance to slap you again is a way of showing them that the original insult didn't work, and the slapper has failed in his attempt to embarrass the slappee. As this is usually the fastest way to take the wind out of a bully's sails, turning the other cheek is probably a much better idea than slapping back. Certain Christians interpret this as an endorsement of nonviolent resistance (i.e. civil disobedience).
***Isn't attempting to embarrass the slapper spite, which is simply another form of vengeance?
** Another facet to this: In that period, the left hand was still looked upon as unclean, and one could only slap anyone, even the lowest of the low, using the right hand. Turning one's other cheek was essentially to '''dare''' them to slap you using the ''unclean'' hand, which, being unthinkable, left only one other option, to take it as a dare to backhand the victim, which arguably would be just as big of a shame tainting the aggressor if he "accepted" the unspoken dare. It was essentially a wordless taunt of "go ahead and hit me again. Show everyone watching what a cruel monster you are." So in some regard it's simultaneously an endorsement of nonviolent resistance/civil disobedience '''and''' a display of being a [[Badass Pacifist]]. '''Cool!'''
**In point of fact what Jesus said was, "Vengeance is mine." In other words he was taking responsibility for vengence himself(like any patron takes responsibility to avenge his clients). But he was not rejecting vengeance per se. Furthermore when he died he [[Fridge Brilliance|paid wergild]] and part of the price of getting his wergild for ''your'' sins is to accept the wergild paid for the sins of others.
* A similar sentiment is expressed by the writer of the Book of Proverbs, albeit in a more cynical fashion: "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you." Proverbs 25:21-22. This is less about being doggedly nice so much as lording your moral superiority over an enemy who has fallen under your power.
* The Bishop of Digne at the beginning of ''[[Les Misérables]]''. Jean Valjean has stolen his silver, and when the police catch him and bring him to the bishop, he confirms Valjean's story that it was a voluntary gift, and adds his even more valuable candlesticks on top of the silver. True to trope, Valjean does a [[Heel Face Turn]] as consequence. Valjean then does the same for [[Inspector Javert]], but Javert can't handle it {{spoiler|and commits suicide}}.
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