Do you turn the other cheek when you are wrongly attacked?

No, I don't turn the other cheek. I believe in defending myself, or my family members - and I stand up for what is right. I would never let people walk all over me just in order to have peace. Bullies need to be dealt with - if we let them get away with their behaviour, they will rule the world. There is too much of that already.

I dont think personally that this philosophy is solely for Christians...it is a good way to be for ANY person regardless of their religious choices etc BUT none the less its a very difficult practice to put into play...I know that as much as I try to turn the other cheek (and I'm a NON Christian btw) there are times, extreme mind you, when its very hard to do and I just can't pull it off

Hi ronaldinu, This is a very interesting discussion because we are dealing here with the words of Jesus Christ himself. Most people, even those who aren't Christians, believe him to have been a very wise teacher. His words are very clear,"resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also". In the last century, it was Mahatma Gandhi, who was not a Christian, but a great admirer of the teachings of Christ, who showed the world what such teachings could do when put into practice. There is a difference in turning the other cheek and letting others walk over you. Christ did not hesitate to condemn the moneychangers in the temple, or the hypocrisy of the church leaders of his day. He also disapproved of an eye for an eye or a life for a life and would have agreed with Gandhi that "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". Christ is telling us here that there are better ways of solving our problems than fighting or going to war. Blessings.

Ronaldinu I am an agnostic. However I grew up in a christian environment including attending a Quaker school for a while. I try to turn the other cheek and usually succeed, but that is different from allowing yourself to be walked over. I try to maintain a sense of balance. But I get angry occasionally and have been known to lash out. I am deeply ashamed of myself when that happens and it can send me into a depressive episode. Do unto others is my creed. Mostly it works. No doubt God will have a word if I get it wrong when and if I get up there. In the meantime I rely on my friends to put me straight, and they do! LOL. P1ke

i want to be able to turn the other cheek. but it's so dang hard. as of the moment, my idea of turning the other cheek, from what i interpret from jesus's action at the temple-turned-market, is this: i'll accept criticism for myself silently and gracefully, even if all that is entirely not true, and try to assess if what was said had some truth in it and, if there is, improve on it. but if somebody attacks people and things i care for only for the sake of destroying things and with no good intent whatsoever, i'll strike back.

In most cases, yes. If it is an attack on someone I love, then I tend to be more defensive. I would never fail to physically defend myself or my loved ones, but to turn the other cheek is Biblical and so I do try.

I know it says we should in the bible but it is the hardest thing in the world to do and I do fail miserably at it at time of turning the other cheek I try but sometimes the emotions overpower my brain.

While I try not to be judgemental, I fail miserably so I will go ahead and state that it seems to me that the majority of responders here like to bend the rules to suit themselves. I do turn the other cheek, again and again and eventually, I walk away. I've been criticized, attacked, disrespected and broken but I do not respond in kind to the one plaguing me, I do not stoop to their level. Perhaps that makes me a coward in the eyes of some but I would rather be the way I am than be nasty and vindictive.

Heck no, but I do try to defend myself without attacking the other person. I do try and speak up though and say when something isn't acceptable behavior and that I won't tolerate it.

Most of the time, I do at first. But sooner or later the wrong that the person has done to me, will prompt me to think about what they have done. We are supposed to turn the other cheek, but that does not mean, that you allow someone to just walk all over you either. I am a firm believer on what I need to do in order to ignore others. But, I do speak my mind and I don't let them get away with mistreating me either.

The Bible says so,but our human instincts bring about the weaknesses in us.To err is human, to forego divine. I think that the hardest part is the hurt inside when bullied or provoked. There is that verse talking about eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Weighing the impact of these things in our lives, I guess the best we can do is not to retaliate when provoked. We have the proper authorities to run to and remember that running away from aggressions doesn't mean we are coward.

now that depends.. how i am being attack. if someone who is trying to rob me or hurt my family. i will not turn the other cheek, it's all. if someone just talking bad about me then it's ok whatever. or they are judging me for who and how i am.. ok whatever.. last year i was under attack, by the worst words of all. lable the worst thing ever. and yes i did fight back it wasn't turning the other cheeck.. it was just wrong, the worst thing ever for a man to be accuse of.. so it depends

Ron, Uh, very often people try to change my belief system or make me see things their way. That is a useless thing for them to do. In my "walk of life", I've been stepped on and stomped on so many times... But, I just keep on walking and try my best to smile back at those that choose to enjoy doing this to me. In my mind, their actions can't harm me unless they were to cause me to doubt my faith. That temple you mentioned is the very reason I don't attend a church. From what I can see, they are full of hypocrites and stones that will one day be turned over.

No I bug out, I don't wait for the next blow, If people want to abuse me I'm gone. It's just to much stress to turn the other cheek. I'm not God or his son and I have to much temper to be a cheek turner

I tend to turn the other check when someone does me wrong. But if I can fix or get it to stop I will. I try and let things roll off my shoulders. I know at times that is hard to do. Here's an example : A man I use to work with during work hours lifted up my shirt. I smacked his hand. Than reported to a supervisor. I forgave the person who did it. But I also took it upon myself to correct the situation to not happen again. What I can control to make something not happen again. I do.

I try to but that's not always easy. I have come to realize that people will attack for no reason to all the reasons of the world. I have built up a defense against such things but there are those days, where I just lash out!! I was just talking about this the other day. I have bi-polar and get made fun of alot. Some days I defend myself and others I let it go. It's all about the timing I think!

No, I have found out that when you turn the other cheek all you get is the other cheek slapped as well. I am not saying you have to be loud or rude but if you make the other person understand that you are not a victim you will have much less problems with them.

I try to but its hard to do. Most of the time I just want to attack back, but I know that won't ever solve anything. In the Bible it also says that us Christians will suffer because of who we are, and of who we believe in while here on this earth.

I guess in the case of Jesus the bible justifies him for being angry that these people were making business on the house of his father. I saw a documentary about Jesus last days and what was going on the temple was more than exchanging coins, it was basically taking advantage of the poor, and other political things of jesus times were going on the temple, in a few words disrepect for God. As for me I make sure my other cheek is not there for people to slap the second time.

You know that's the hardest thing for me to do and I still need to work on it. As a born again Christian that is one of the hardest lessons for me to learn. Purrs, Catwoman=^..^= & Mija