When someone strikes you, turn the other cheek.
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"When someone strikes you, turn the other cheek." This is a common tenant of Christian thought. I don't have the research on this, but I have a feeling that a great master was not advocating masochism.
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A Tibetan priest is in his monastery, as the Chinese soldiers approach the gates. The monk goes to his quarters, enters a half-lotus, and meditates on the "illusion" of reality. "This is not real. I am not of this world." The soldiers batter in the gates and go to work on the residents. It is brutal - monks are forced to kill each other before they are murdered, nuns are raped, and worse. Some fight back with sticks and rocks - the tragedy continues. As the soldiers go room-to-room, the priest sits in his room. As the soldiers enter, they find him staring at the wall.
"Are you ready to die, Priest?" The priest ignores the soldier. It is not real. Do not harm another living being.
"You aren't afraid?" No answer. Rifle butt to the monk's head. No response.
"Whatever." And the priest is dead.
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A man studies Aikido for many years, from an accomplished master. However he worried sometimes that if ever caught in a really violent situation, he would be unsure how he would handle it. More recently, he became more confident that he was strong, fast, and his techniques are solid. He's still not sure, and can't help but wonder how he would handle it if things ever "went live" in a real-life situation.
One night he's one the subway going home, when an obviously drunk man get's on in the front of the car he's in. The "drunk" is belligerent to the people he is walking past, coming toward our friend.
"What are you looking at?" "Hey Fatso!" "What's YOUR problem?" On down the car.
Our friend thinks to himself, "This is it. I'm going to get my chance tonight."
The drunk man assaults a couple more passengers and then the man right in front of our friend stands up to the bully.
"Hey! Man! What's going on? You look really upset!"
"Jesus Christ Man! I'm freaking drunk because I got laid-off today and my wife is all pissed off at me and I'm so sick of all this! I don't know what we're going to do!"
"Well hey, if you want just sit right here and you can talk to me about it and maybe that'll help."
The drunk man sits down and within a couple of minutes he is in tears, face in his hands.
"That man knows _real_ Aikido," our friend thinks to himself.
- - -
A desperate man enters your house with a gun. He doesn't want to use it, but he will. There are drugs to buy. You hear something unusual downstairs, you grab your sidearm and go to check it out. Your inspection finds a man with a gun, snooping through your kitchen desk.
As you raise your voice to tell him to stop, he raises his piece and then is dead.
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Perhaps in the future, the police come to inspect your house, for a random inspection. "Everyone" now accepts that compliance is the easiest option, and "judicial" precedence has been set. They are required to know everything about our phone, internet, and spending information - the "best thing to do" in most people's eyes is to not carry contra-banned, not participate in "extremest" activity, and comply. How do you respond?
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"Truth" is not black and white. And always remember that hypotheticals have VERY limited use. But discernment, in day-to-day life is very important. If you regularly check the foundations of your mind's "logic," you will often find alternative and more stable foundations. This is not to say that the mind is not useful - but understanding it's limits is just as powerful of knowledge as knowing its strengths.
Above and below all, be thankful.
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Bump ...
For a new day.
Okay -- I have a turn the cheek story
I was racing to school on my mountain bike -- I was late.
Up ahead there was a man bent over his bike -- fixing his chain I think.
I rode around him at high speed and he didn't see me coming - so when I hit the rocks in front of him it made a loud noise and scared him.
He chased after me and caught up to me at the college dorms.
[At this point in the story I was in the best shape of my life and a highly trained fighter -- He was probabl 270lbs of football muscle - I was same height but 70lbs less].
He curses me out so I make a large arc to face my pursuer. He used language I wouldn't repeat.
I rode right up to him [his fists clenched - getting off his bike] and I said, "oh, I didn't mean to scare you I was late for school - I'm sorry."
He froze. He stood their shaking then he relaxed and said, "I'm sorry man I got finals and I'm stressed out."
I said, "me too, I hope you do well on your finals." He turns into a little giddy kid and says, "yeah, you too - you have a nice day too" and walks off all chipper.
If I was a collectivist I would have lumped all big jocks into one "evil" category and made videos about them *pant pant pant*
*Exhales* "Awwwwwww" -- I don't know where that came from
Moral of the story --
"When facing larger opponent be nice and don't forget track shoe -- if he raises hand for smack turn cheek of smaller man next to you"
-- Confuscious
Octobox
*&^ Constitution --- Constitutional Rationality
That has to be one of the most disjointed posts I've ever seen
Could you maybe make some sense out of it?
"Turning the other cheek" is an act of defiance and communicates "I am not afraid." It is NOT an act of submission or cowardice.
So much sense came out of it -
with people putting it together.
dfwrider, octobox, twelve, number6, dale, granger, khomar, et al: Thank you for taking a look at this with me. Your input has been awesome.
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Keep love in your hearts, guys.
A teacher of mine once told me: "Maybe one day some idiot comes at me with a knife. Maybe I go down, but I'll go out dancing."
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Pray for enemies.
But who prays for Satan? Who in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most, our one fellow and brother who most needed a friend yet had not a single one, the one sinner among us all who had the highest and clearest right to every Christian's daily and nightly prayers, for the plain and unassailable reason that his was the first and greatest need, he being among sinners the supremest?
- Mark Twain's Autobiography
That's pray for and not pray to.
grant
If you want to see a good
If you want to see a good example of living by the principle of "turning the other cheek", observe how Ron Paul has handled the attacks and demeaning remarks that have been directed toward him. He has handled them with grace and poise without resorting to using the same tactics in return. This is what Jesus was talking about -- not an eye for an eye, but grace and kindness.
Ron Paul is an American Gandhi -- in many ways
He has fanatical followers
His followers will rally behind his causes
He speaks truth (100% of the time)
He's good to his wife
His children adore him
He watches his diet (hahahahahaha)
and he practices what he preaches.
Octobox
*&^ Constitution --- Constitutional Rationality
My thoughts as well.
Thanks You Ron
Ron Paul 2012
www.josiahgarber.com/blog
www.heirloomgardenpro.com
www.mennonitesforronpaul.com
Exactly.
Hear, hear!
Here's an example of turning the other cheek....
This is pretty old but shows the humility and meekness of monks (or whatever they're called) as they beat the stuffing out of each other.
You know, reflecting upon an old joke- only an idiot brings his fists to a gun fight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwuCJznewFw
Octobx...
that was priceless. HA HA HA. I'm off to play some Texas Hold Em online, and enjoying my week of vacation.
I always turn the other cheek
If you throw a looping right hook (at my left cheek) - I will lean (duck) in the direction of your arching strike while turning my cheek -- Simultaneously my left arm loops into an overhand hook that strikes your right cheek as I bow to my right.
In this way I observe (perfectly so) both the Old Testament and the New Testament; while observing the Tibetan practice of bowing to all as an act of humility -- I always walk the higher ground -- Moses on my left and Jesus on my right, hahahahahaha.
Octobox
*&^ Constitution --- Constitutional Rationality
lol. that made my day.
lol. that made my day.
The slogan press on has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race. No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.
- Calvin Coolidge
definately
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Makia -- I allways miss-pell dat werd
Octobox
*&^ Constitution --- Constitutional Rationality
Oh...my.
definetly love it hate it
Yet another impressively popular mis-spelling of the word definitely.
Bush is definetly the best president America has ever seen, and America is definetly the only country where everyone can afford refrigirators.
definitely definately definetily definetly definitly definitily definatly define finish ultimate final
that one always gets me, loyal -
eat two apples and take a walk every day.
So what are you saying???
Is it best to turn the other cheek, or stand up? I studied Martial Arts (Kenpo and Judo) for years. My Kenpo instructor told me that if you know you cannot get out of a fight, strike first. This turn the other cheek crap is for babies. I don't take crap from anyone, and neither do my kids. If someone is bullying you, you have 3 shots (speaking unarmed at this point)-to the nose, then the eyes tear up and they can't see you--to the solar plexes, then they can't breath--to the groin, it's a delayed reaction, but then they are powerless (big or small, short or tall, they all fall, when you kick em in the balls). You decide the severity of the situation, and act accordingly. You hope you never have to use what you train for, but you are prepared if you do. As far as the intruder in my home with a gun-shoot first, ask questions later. I have 3 children, and I'm not going to hope some drug scum does the right thing. If he's not invited in, he's a target. I teach my kids to not be anyone's doormat. Some of my best friends growing up were bullies to me at first. Once I kicked their ass, they respected me, because they knew that I wouldn't put up with their crap. You get no respect by being a doormat.
I agree with your post the most.
On the other side of it (see The Granger's post below), some people have a "longer" fuse. Also, some people are big men in a short world and others are short people in a tall world.
I've diffused two on-the-brink-of-violent situations in the last year with"only" words and simply standing my ground. I didn't run away or fight and everyone learned something those days. On the other hand maybe I'm an idiot for taking my life into my hands? You don't always know how crazy the other guy is?
Maybe if you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much space?
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Some of us have fuses for others to light when they choose
and others have tails that wag our whole bodies when we find an excuse to be really happy.
Dogs know bathroom aikido!
WE ARE GOING TO WIN!
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) /)' '( )
',_( ';-;'\_,'
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You're too much.
(((( The Granger )))))
Makia
If you're still around, would you please meet me (Ingrid) at the end of this thread? I want to make sure to clear up a misunderstanding.
Thanks. Hi Granger. :)
I will copy my explanation
I will copy my explanation from below:
Consider the verse:
Consider what it would take for someone who is right-handed to strike someone on the right cheek. What he is talking about here is a back-handed slap -- an insult. He is not saying that you cannot fight to defend yourself, but that you should not allow someone to use an insult to get you to fight.
Understood, but...
I can trade insults with the best of them. It's like sparring-a jab here, a jab there. I wouldn't let an insult get me into a fight, but again, would have to assess the situation. If I felt it was safe to say that his mom was great last night, but I couldn't get her to swallow, I would. But if it's 10 guys and I'm unarmed, I might refrain from saying it-"might" that is. Bullies get their self esteem from walking all over people. The continued acceptance by the victim enables them to continue the abuse. I chased a guy into a grocery store for hitting his woman in public while I was sitting in my car. When I asked her if she was ok, and offered to take her to the hospital, or call the police, she refused. I would bet every dollar in my bank account that he is still abusing her. He was real tough when it came to hitting her, but when I called his BS, he took off running. Do you think I gave a crap about any insults that he might have thrown my way-HELL NO!!! I was concerned for her safety, and didn't think twice about my actions.
excellent post
Fortune Favors the Bold
Fortune Favors the Bold
You Dog!!!!! Mr. Big Bow Wow!!
Follow your heart, use your head, and employ your guts to follow your heart.
The Tibetan Priest, made his peace and claimed his fate. It matters not if it is Chinese troops or an earthquake dislodging a rock, for the Priest is merely waiting departure because he has already sacrified his life.
The man on the subway is another story.
My kind of Aikido would have been to tell the man calling me fatso, "I just wet my pants and need to use a bathroom really bad". Our country has a real hard time with "The bathroom", so it's a great aikido move.
The desperate man story leaves me thinking that the owner shot the desperate man? Makes everyone a desperate man with our current justice system, being the home owner would do jail time for manslaughter.
As for the govt home invasion... you know its being done on so many levels now, why wouldn't I comply? Gee, I'll make some coffee if we still have coffee at reasonable prices when they visit.
Truth is like beauty. It is in the eye of the beholder. To say what you see openly and honestly is the kind of truth people seek and it is so hard to find because people lie to themselves and they do not see their own shades. Looking at the world through rose colored glasses (or yellow for sharp shooters) colors the truth of the person telling it. So truth is like a kaladiscope of colors and shades and angles and perspectives rendering absolute truth impossible in any group. What is true for one is not always true for two.
Counting blessings, being thankful, grateful, being like a dog... where is that story?
THINGS TO LEARN FROM A DOG
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride (teenagers excepted).
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
Take naps and stretch before rising.
Run, romp and play daily.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout … run right back and make friends.
Bond with your pack.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
– Author unknown
Show me the light and I'll show you my shade. ;))
WE ARE GOING TO WIN!
___.---.___
.' ( ) '.
) /)' '( )
',_( ';-;'\_,'
|-|
(")
Sticks And Stones ...
… take breaks …
….................... fetch bones.
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/88449#comment-1024781
Some People Work With Wicker
http://www.dailypaul.com/node/74403#comment-795941
Strike one cheek and turn the other
hell we all who work have been taking between the cheeks from
our representatives in our government it's called Non-
Representation taxes.
" I will take REAL money and YOU
can have the change "
"Freedom is a right that can never be won in war,only by each individual "
Now we're getting somewhere
Great stuff here, thanks for starting this thread and all who contribute.
Sometimes I get the feeling that somehow we're going to have to vibrate our way out of this weirdness. If that doesn't work, there's always the option of exiting the planet at the front door. I prefer the former, but I'm ok with the latter.
I play it by ear, not by cheek.
Each situation is different.
I may not know the truth, but I know when I'm being lied to...
I may not know the truth, but I know when I'm being lied to...