Can a Shaman also be a Christian?

[JackRT]

Yes -- to deliver a spilling back kick upside the head.

Matthew 5:39 ---“But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

In an honour/shame, domination/submission culture such as existed in the first century in the Middle East, this saying has a far different meaning than a straightforward reading of it might indicate. If a man were to strike a social equal, he would strike him with the palm of his right hand on the left cheek. However if a man were to slap a social inferior he would do so with the back of his hand to the inferior’s right cheek. If the inferior were then to turn his other cheek it would force his assailant to treat him as a social equal by striking with the palm of his right hand. Since slapping is no longer a widespread cultural practice, it can be helpful if you could actually act this out with another person. Jesus’ audience likely would have had a good laugh at his comment. Jesus is not counseling humility here, he is counseling a covert defiance.

 

[AservantofGodandthelordJC]

I'm not so sure James would approve of being called "James the Just."

James 1:1a James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

My Catholic mother-in-law balks when I call myself a "saint."

Something tells me, he would be fine with it

 

[dlamberth]

I beg your pardon?

Only that it's not a good idea to throw stones at others when one's own history has it's dark sides as well.

 

[ViaCrucis]

There is no verse in the Bible that records this. Jesus does say that we should love each other. Elsewhere he says to turn the other cheek but for a different reason than most Christians realize.

I'm familiar with the theory that turning the other cheek is a way of forcing the aggressor to acknowledge one's equality, but this still must be understood in the context of Jesus' teaching of other-love and intentional non-hostility. Offering the other cheek, walking the extra mile, and giving one's tunic in addition to one's cloak are acts which transform violent demands into acts of willing sacrifice. To voluntarily give of yourself means you are no longer a slave to violent power, but are acting as a willing servant. Power is turned on top of its head by grace and love, which is a central significance of Jesus' preaching of the kingdom, made visibly present in His passion, death, and resurrection. Which is why the cross ceases to become a symbol of Roman violent oppression, and is instead transformed into the instrument of God's peace.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[JackRT]

To voluntarily give of yourself means you are no longer a slave to violent power, but are acting as a willing servant. Power is turned on top of its head by grace and love

It also embarrasses the oppressor which is why I used the term "covert defiance".

Matthew 5:40 ---“If someone sues you for your coat, give up your shirt as well.” --- In Jewish law if you fail to repay a debt you may be taken to court and if you are still unable to repay, the lender is entitled to take your coat. The lender holds the coat during the day but he is obliged to return it at night because the coat or cloak doubled as a blanket at night. In a two-garment society this would be highly embarrassing to the debtor. However it would be even more embarrassing to the court and the lender if the debtor were to turn over both garments and stand there naked. Remember this was a society with a strong taboo against public nakedness. Using this somewhat risqué humour Jesus is once again counseling covert defiance and taking the part of the poor against the rich. I'll bet his audience laughed out loud. Humour is a great aid to the memory.

Matthew 5:41 --- “If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” --- In Roman law a soldier had every right to have a civilian carry his pack for one [Roman] mile but no further. For the civilian to carry the pack a further distance would be to embarrass the soldier and possibly to get him in trouble with a superior officer. Once again Jesus takes the part of the small against the powerful by suggesting covert defiance. I suspect that Jesus’ listeners ‘got the message’ especially since it was couched in such sarcastic humour.

 

[dlamberth]

I'm familiar with the theory that turning the other cheek is a way of forcing the aggressor to acknowledge one's equality, but this still must be understood in the context of Jesus' teaching of other-love and intentional non-hostility. Offering the other cheek, walking the extra mile, and giving one's tunic in addition to one's cloak are acts which transform violent demands into acts of willing sacrifice. To voluntarily give of yourself means you are no longer a slave to violent power, but are acting as a willing servant. Power is turned on top of its head by grace and love, which is a central significance of Jesus' preaching of the kingdom, made visibly present in His passion, death, and resurrection. Which is why the cross ceases to become a symbol of Roman violent oppression, and is instead transformed into the instrument of God's peace.

-CryptoLutheran

Personally, in the way I know Christ, I'd change your words of "willing sacrifice" (which I set in bold above) to "Forgiving Love". Through the Inner Eye of Love, which is the lens through which Christ looked at life, there is no sacrifice. There's only Love. But again, this is the lens through which I view Christ and others may have a different colored lens through which they look at things.