... when it comes to Christian theology.
We recently had a Gospel reading from Matthew 5 which has this section:
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on [your] right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
During Mass, it was asserted that this is the only way to proper peace on Earth, to peace between nations. Like nearly all attempts to take Jesus' words and turn them political, to generalize them to groups, it makes zero sense.
If Pakistani Muslims gang rape half the girls at your local high school, do you then introduce them to the other half? Clearly, no.
Jesus is talking about individuals. If you are struck by someone, don't hate them. He's not recommending suicide, he's recommending not escalating the situation between you and someone else. He's definitely no recommending total capitulation to a national enemy.
3 comments:
Also, people trying to paint Jesus as some kind of pacifist need to remember that he did this:
"And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise."
— John 2:15–16
Basically, remember that "What Would Jesus Do?" covers a wide range of activities, up to and including whipping people and flipping over tables in anger.
Amen.
Also, there's the time he said, "You brood of vipers!" I guess that being a little edgy is OK. :-)
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