Conflict between religion and job responsibilities

cloudyday2

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P S - If our neighbor lets his dog poop in our yard, we should throw the dog-poop into his house or porch. In the meantime, be ready to defend ourselves and/or make a police report.
But Jesus said to "turn the other cheek", "go the extra mile", etc. Shouldn't you happily gather-up the dog poop from your neighbor's yard (day after day after day ;) ) as an opportunity to tell the world:
"the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A man brings his dog into his neighbor's yard every day to deposit some poop on the grass. Rather than complaining or calling the home owner's association, the neighbor simply gathers up the poop with a smile."
 
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Robban

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But Jesus said to "turn the other cheek", "go the extra mile", etc. Shouldn't you happily gather-up the dog poop from your neighbor's yard (day after day after day ;) ) as an opportunity to tell the world:
"the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A man brings his dog into his neighbor's yard every day to deposit some poop on the grass. Rather than complaining or calling the home owner's association, the neighbor simply gathers up the poop with a smile."

The Kingdom of Sweden is like this, unless you keep your dog on a leash and pick up his dropping put them in a disposal bag and place in a special alloted bin,

It could be that you are not suitable as a dogowner.

I prefer Davids turn the other cheek:

Let the righteous one strike me with kindness and let him rebuke me,
like the finest oil, let my head not refuse it (Psalms 141:5)

To be rebuked may feel like a slap on the cheek,
 
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cloudyday2

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The Kingdom of Sweden is like this, unless you keep your dog on a leash and pick up his dropping put them in a disposal bag and place in a special alloted bin,
Let's say I adopt a big unruly dog and fly over to Sweden so it can poop on your yard. If you report me to the police isn't that just an indirect way of punching me in the nose? You would be getting the police to punch me in the nose on your behalf.

Jesus said to "turn the other cheek". In the spirit of obedience to that teaching, you should install a bidet in your yard so my dog can easily wash his tail afterwards. You should put-up a sign that says "poop stop - all dogs welcome". ;) ... if you were a Christian.

So what would be the Jewish teaching on people who abuse your kindness?
 
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Robban

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Let's say I adopt a big unruly dog and fly over to Sweden so it can poop on your yard. If you report me to the police isn't that just an indirect way of punching me in the nose? You would be getting the police to punch me in the nose on your behalf.

Jesus said to "turn the other cheek". In the spirit of obedience to that teaching, you should install a bidet in your yard so my dog can easily wash his tail afterwards. You should put-up a sign that says "poop stop - all dogs welcome". ;) ... if you were a Christian.

So what would be the Jewish teaching on people who abuse your kindness?

Turning the cheek to a violent aggressor is not the Jewish way.

Lamentations 3:30,
"Let him offer his cheek to his smiter;
let him be filled with reproach."

If not for the word "smiter" we would not know there was another person involved.

The remark "offering the other cheek" is not in relation to confrontation with an adversary.

The remark is made within the context of hope and consolation.

As for you and your unruly dog, if it were allowed in,

try it, I garantee I would not have to report you,

the occupants of the house would come down on you like a ton of bricks.

I do not have an own yard,
 
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salt-n-light

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But Jesus said to "turn the other cheek", "go the extra mile", etc. Shouldn't you happily gather-up the dog poop from your neighbor's yard (day after day after day ;) ) as an opportunity to tell the world:
"the Kingdom of Heaven is like this. A man brings his dog into his neighbor's yard every day to deposit some poop on the grass. Rather than complaining or calling the home owner's association, the neighbor simply gathers up the poop with a smile."

Jesus also flipped tables and called out hypocrites. His niceness is not for Christians to be doormats in this world, its to put perspective on our motives. So since you like the neighbor poop thing, I'll take that as an example.

What Jesus taught wouldn't be to pick up poop for your neighbor every day (although you can offer that), nor to put justice (although you can do that too). Doesn't matter, your heart should be towards the things of God. That means no matter how you approach it, it has to be done with wisdom and where God gets the glory. So it could range from picking up the dog's poop, to calling the police, it can be done in a way where you are not attacking the person.
 
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Tayla

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I often feel there is a conflict between managing our small business and the teachings of Jesus. I would think the same conflicts would occur in other area of life too. For example people often use other people, but Jesus said to forgive 7 times 70, lend the shirt off your back, go the extra mile, etc.

IMO, Christianity is not a practical way of life. It leads to humiliation and defeat - just as it ended for Jesus on the cross. People can water-down Christianity and claim to be successful in life while also being Christian, but they are deceiving themselves.
Yes, the moral implications of trying to live as a Christian can be difficult. For me, it is the culture within Christianity that seems to think it is OK to live with one foot in the world. One example: They watch evil characters in movies having plot elements that are repulsive. Why would anyone want that stuff in their head?
 
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cloudyday2

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Jesus also flipped tables and called out hypocrites. His niceness is not for Christians to be doormats in this world, its to put perspective on our motives. So since you like the neighbor poop thing, I'll take that as an example.

What Jesus taught wouldn't be to pick up poop for your neighbor every day (although you can offer that), nor to put justice (although you can do that too). Doesn't matter, your heart should be towards the things of God. That means no matter how you approach it, it has to be done with wisdom and where God gets the glory. So it could range from picking up the dog's poop, to calling the police, it can be done in a way where you are not attacking the person.

That's a very interesting answer, but I don't remember any teaching of Jesus that would agree with it. Can you think of anything from the gospels that says "don't be a doormat"? I have read that the overturning of the table of the moneychangers was simply a physical expression of the prophetic message that Jesus was trying to convey. It was like a pastor who brings a mustard seed to the pulpit as a prop for his sermon.

Another problem is that you as a Christian could justify bringing your dog into my yard to poop as long as your hope is that I might come storming outside to confront you and this would give you an opportunity to witness the "Good News". Perhaps when you knocked on my door with Bible in hand last Sunday I hid in the closet, so you hope that dog poop might give us a chance to meet. If that doesn't work then you are planning to play loud gospel music and maybe I will come onto your front porch to complain.
 
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faroukfarouk

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Jesus also flipped tables and called out hypocrites. His niceness is not for Christians to be doormats in this world, its to put perspective on our motives. So since you like the neighbor poop thing, I'll take that as an example.

What Jesus taught wouldn't be to pick up poop for your neighbor every day (although you can offer that), nor to put justice (although you can do that too). Doesn't matter, your heart should be towards the things of God. That means no matter how you approach it, it has to be done with wisdom and where God gets the glory. So it could range from picking up the dog's poop, to calling the police, it can be done in a way where you are not attacking the person.
Humility is the key, I think.
 
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Robban

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I can remember horse and carts, baker, milkman, scrap merchant, brewery.

I remember garden lovers rushing out with a bucket and spade to collect
the droppings from the horses, supposed to be good for the roses.

But the owners of the horses did it for a living, not out of indifference
as with your example.

Or rather the owners of the horses did not drop anything, but their horses did.
hehe.
 
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