Turning the other cheek: can you dodge?

[Lance & Rite]

I've been thinking about this recently. Let's say that you know someone is going to do something bad to you, e.g., that they are going to slap you. If they hit you then you're supposed to turn the other cheek. But if you dodge them, you never have to turn the other cheek because they haven't actually connected with you yet.

So my question is, can we dodge?

 

[Shempster]

Yes!
Many of us set ourselves up for a slap.

 

[Emmy]

Dear Lance&Rite. Turning the other cheek is: instead to retaliate try with love and compassion.
Jesus gave us good advice in Matthew 22: 35-40: " The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: love thy neighbour as thyself." In verse 40 we are told:
" On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7: 7-10: tells us: " Ask and you shall receive." We ask for Love and Joy, then thank God and share all love and joy with our neighbour. (neighbour is all we know and all we meet, friend and not friend) Treat others as we would love to be treated, always with friendly words and smiles.
The Bible tells us: "Repent and be Born Again," change from being selfish and unloving, to loving and caring,
be always kind and considerate. The Holy Spirit will help and guide us, and Jesus our Saviour will lead us all the way:
JESUS IS THE WAY. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us and carry on loving and caring. God is Love, and God wants loving sons and daughters. Love is also very catching, and a Christian`s weapon
is Love and Compassion.
Always let us remember to always ask and receive, then thank God and let love and kindness be our great weapon.
Love God with all our beings, and treat our neighbour as we would love to be treated. God sees our loving efforts,
and God will Bless us. I say this with love, Lance&Rite. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[fhansen]

I've been thinking about this recently. Let's say that you know someone is going to do something bad to you, e.g., that they are going to slap you. If they hit you then you're supposed to turn the other cheek. But if you dodge them, you never have to turn the other cheek because they haven't actually connected with you yet.

So my question is, can we dodge?

In this world we'll get slapped-physically, verbally, spiritually-it cannot be avoided. The question is, how do we handle it then?

 

[Lance & Rite]

Turning the other cheek is hard, I've found that with the proper attitude and preparation you can avoid having to do it. It makes me wonder about what might be deeper lessons involved, such as avoiding conflict before it happens. My personal interpretation though is that it means not responding to provocation; people slap you because they want you to get angry.

 

[Radrook]

In my Kung Fu training a slap was used as a serious weapon capable of unbalancing or stunning an opponent in order to set him up for a deadly blow.

 

[Lance & Rite]

In my Kung Fu training a slap was used as a serious weapon capable of unbalancing or stunning an opponent in order to set him up for a deadly blow.

Seems possible but presumably not on the cheek. If you are trying to seriously hurt them and have access to the cheek there would be no reason to slap.

 

[MoonofIsaiah]

I've been thinking about this recently. Let's say that you know someone is going to do something bad to you, e.g., that they are going to slap you. If they hit you then you're supposed to turn the other cheek. But if you dodge them, you never have to turn the other cheek because they haven't actually connected with you yet.

So my question is, can we dodge?

I take turn the other cheek to mean don't hold a grudge, don't seek revenge, don't give like for like when offended. Not that you should turn the other cheek should someone assault you the first time. Or, worry about how fast your reflexes are in hopes you can dodge a punch.

I don't feel God created me to be a punching bag. If someone tries to hit me, I don't turn the other cheek and give them another go. That's the surest way to guarantee you're assaulted. Or killed.

 

[Radrook]

Seems possible but presumably not on the cheek. If you are trying to seriously hurt them and have access to the cheek there would be no reason to slap.

We constantly practiced very powerful resounding slaps to the face by slapping our hands against each other's hands until the pain was almost unbearable. These weren't your common variety slaps. These were potentially disorienting stiff wristed slaps with the full palm of a desensitized hand and having the hip torque to reinforce them. I'm sure Jesus meant was a wrist-flicked sort of slap intended as an insult.

 

[Lance & Rite]

We constantly practiced very powerful resounding slaps to the face by slapping our hands against each other's hands until the pain was almost unbearable. These weren't your common variety slaps. These were potentially disorienting stiff wristed slaps with the full palm of a desensitized hand and having the hip torque to reinforce them. I'm sure Jesus meant was a wrist-flicked sort of slap intended as an insult.

That's pretty interesting. I'm actually intending to start Kung Fu classes soon, so I'll keep an eye out for this slapping stuff. I have some martial arts experience so I can see how a slap would be useful in limited contexts but if I had to fight and had access to the face, just not sure I would ever slap.

 

[Radrook]

That's pretty interesting. I'm actually intending to start Kung Fu classes soon, so I'll keep an eye out for this slapping stuff. I have some martial arts experience so I can see how a slap would be useful in limited contexts but if I had to fight and had access to the face, just not sure I would ever slap.

This was Pai Lum White Dragon Kung Fu which incoprprsates techniques from other systems such as Kickboxing, regular boxing, Tai Chi, and others., Ki

That's pretty interesting. I'm actually intending to start Kung Fu classes soon, so I'll keep an eye out for this slapping stuff. I have some martial arts experience so I can see how a slap would be useful in limited contexts but if I had to fight and had access to the face, just not sure I would ever slap.

Well, not all Kung Fu Systems are similar. Some emphasize high kicks and others low kicks. The Northern styes where the Chinese are taller with longer legs emphasize high kicks while the southern ones where people are shorter with shorter legs emphasize low kicks. Also, Pai Lum Kung Fu, the one I practiced is known to incorporate many systems into its training such as Muy Thai Kickboxing, Tai Chi, Tiger Claw Kung Fu and Regular boxing.

However, Pai Lum it is known to focus great importance on mediation both prior and immediately after training and the development of inner strength or determination which is expected to influence not just the fighting skill but the whole personality as expressed in all areas of life. So the horizontal palm strike or slap technique might or might not be included. It all depends on the trainer's preferences.


BTW
I was taught that Jesus wasn't referring to a literal slap. Remember, Jesus also spoke about poking out an eye and cutting off a hand if these continually caused us to sin. Taking such things literally can do grave damage. There is a certain famous theologian who actually took Jesus literally and castrated himself. He later realized his mistake but of course by then it was too late. The Catholic Church refuses to canonize him due to that serious error although it does take his other thehological work seriously.

 

[Radrook]

In this world we'll get slapped-physically, verbally, spiritually-it cannot be avoided. The question is, how do we handle it then?

Unfortunately, meek replies might convey fear and fear usually encourages predatory individuals to become even more aggressive. I can't imagine the creator wanting us to encourage someone to abuse us by giving that person the impression that we are helplessly at the person's mercy. I believe that he understands why we growl at certain people sometimes in order to deter their abusive intentions. Especially if our meek reply has merely caused the person to become more aggressive. Then a less meek reply is in order.

 

[ToBeLoved]

I've been thinking about this recently. Let's say that you know someone is going to do something bad to you, e.g., that they are going to slap you. If they hit you then you're supposed to turn the other cheek. But if you dodge them, you never have to turn the other cheek because they haven't actually connected with you yet.

So my question is, can we dodge?

Turning the other cheek is more about forgiveness that physicalness. That is to say we must forgive and then not hold it against someone. When Jesus forgives our sin He casts it as far as the east is from the west. We are to do the same. Give others another chance. Yes, they may do it again, but when Jesus was asked how many times we should turn the other cheek, Jesus said 7 times 70.

 

[Lance & Rite]

Turning the other cheek is more about forgiveness that physicalness. That is to say we must forgive and then not hold it against someone. When Jesus forgives our sin He casts it as far as the east is from the west. We are to do the same. Give others another chance. Yes, they may do it again, but when Jesus was asked how many times we should turn the other cheek, Jesus said 7 times 70.

He said that about forgiving, I feel as if turning the other cheek is not exactly the same thing. Otherwise, why say it in the way he did?