"Eye for an eye" or "Turn the other cheek"????????

[Proud_Democratt]

References:
Leviticus 24:20
Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.

Matthew 5:39
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Luke 6:29
And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

My question is.........
Which person are you?????

[Warpy]

1. I get away as quickly as I can.

If I have to damage someone to get away, I do it, but I try not to do more than is necessary. I'd rather just leave.

[Proud_Democratt]

2. You are wise, Grasshopper.

:)

[SteppingRazor]

3. I guess I'm more of an eye for an eye...

in that if someone smited me on the check, I'd smite the shit out of them :evilgrin:

[Ron Green]

4. Forgive, forgive, forgive . . .

Forgive yourself, forgive the world. Nobody said it was easy.

[redqueen]

5. I'm with you on this one, Ron.

As the wise man said... an eye for an eye leaves the whole word blind.

[Bonhomme Richard]

6. LOL, the republicans broke me of being a .......

"turn the other cheek" liberal. Now I go for as much smite as I can get away with.

[ozone_man]

10. The problem with the Democrats in a nutshell.

They tolerate way too much. It's really time to stand up for democracy.

"Toleration is not the opposite of Intolerance, but is the counterfeit of it. Both are despotisms. The one assumes to itself the right of withholding Liberty of Conscience, and the other of granting it."
- Tom Paine

The key is in knowing when it is an appropriate response to be tolerant and when it is appropriate to be intolerant.

[Proud_Democratt]

11. We Dems should be more pro-active...

than reactive.

[ozone_man]

12. Take control of the ball and run with it.

We've been down so long we've forgotten how to stand up and take control. But it's our's for the taking now.

[Proud_Democratt]

7. What about Capital Punishment??

Isn't it based on "eye for an eye"?

[Selatius]

8. I'm against it; I believe in atonement and rehabilitation

If a murderer kills his victim, killing the murderer won't help anyone except to satisfy the hunger for revenge. To judge someone worthy of death is the same as the murderer judging a victim worthy of death. The common element is that life and death is judged.

[Proud_Democratt]

9. I'm glad to hear that....

The Death Penalty declares that justice has been served, however isn't it more like revenge?

[The Magistrate]

14. You Say "Revenge", Sir, Like It Were A Bad Thing

It is one of the basic foundations of social organization, the root of all conception of justice, and among the most basic emotional impulses of humankind.

[SPKrazy]

16. And A Sign Of A Less Evolved Society n/t

[The Magistrate]

17. If You Say So, Sir

There does not really seem to have been overmuch "evolution" of societies since their commencement; the basic templates remain pretty much intact....

"Enough of this goose-cackle about progress."

[SPKrazy]

18. Well, You Could Be Right

but at least an ideal

Revenge seems so primal and basic, that maybe it is just something we should accept about ourselves, but it also seems to be something that many (including myself) think we should be able to transcend someday.

But who knows, I don't.

[Proud_Democratt]

22. IMO..."revenge" is wrong. Reasoning and compromise

are strong points for peace, and that's what we should aim for.
Plus...I feel that the action of revenge is stooping as low as the "wrong-doer".
"Two wrongs don't make a right".

[The Magistrate]

29. That Sort Of Line, Sir

Is peculiar to those who imagine themselves to be better than others in the first place, and without any substantial streak of evil in their own characters. It will have little appeal to persons operating without the influence of these delusions.

"Two wrongs don't make a right, but three do."

[Proud_Democratt]

32. Revenge is an immature and counter-productive

action.

[The Magistrate]

33. If You Say So, Sir

"A Spanish General, asked on his death-bed if he would forgive his enemies for his soul's sake, replied: 'I have no enemeis. I had them all shot."

[Proud_Democratt]

23. As an Atheist...we claim reason, rationality, and logic

as our outlook on life. We should "stick to these guns" no matter what.

[The Magistrate]

30. What, Sir, Do Reason, Rationality, And Logic

Have to do with human behavior? These otems are mere surface gloss, affecting action about as much as the paint on an automobile affects its speed and brakes.

The claim made sometimes here by theists that atheism is an act of faith falls short of accuracy when a person reasonably concludes there is not sufficient evidence to agree to the proposition of a diety's existance, but assent to the proposition reason, rationality, and logic consituite an adequate means of understanding human behavior, let alone a successful way of life for and among humans, requires a leap of faith that ought to dazzle even a devotee of the Trinity....

[Proud_Democratt]

34. Atheism is in no way or shape, a "leap of faith". At least,

for myself. At first hearing of a wrong-doing, one would be tempted to react in a vengeful way. If everyone reacted with revenge in mind,(which seems so American), you'd only be kindling for a larger fire. Rationalizing would be much more productive.

To be such a Christian nation, we sure love revenge. We react with law suits, death penalties, and war. I wouldn't call that a shining example for the world. No wonder other countries don't want Democracy/Capitalism.

[The Magistrate]

35. The Chief Use Of Reason, Sir, Is The Support Of Prejudice

"Score-cards here! Can't tell the players without a score-card! Get'cher score-cards here!"

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. "Eye for an eye" is a maximum penalty, not a recommended one

The purpose of the "eye for an eye, life for a life" doctrine was to prohibit the attitude of "You killed one of us? We are worth a whole village of you, so we will go out and kill everyone in one of your villages." It emphasizes that all people were to be treated as equal under what passed for civil law. There is absolutely nothing requiring that you must kill or maim in retaliation for a killing or maiming; there is nothing to preclude mercy.

In short, you are trying to compare apples and bunny rabbits. :hi:

[Nikia]

31. I vaguely remember hearing that somewhere

That the saying "an eye for an eye..." meant no more than an eye for an eye.

[TreasonousBastard]

36. Bingo! The whole point of...

those teachings was that you are not required to exact those penalties, but you could exact no more than them.

They are not prescriptions for punishmnet, but for mercy.

[Silent3]

15. I'm a proud American, and I believe in doing things the American way...

...Sue the bastards! :patriot: :evilgrin:

[unschooler]

19. Anger is like a burning coal. It only hurts the person holding it.

I think that's a Buddhist saying. It makes a lot of sense to me.


However, that doesn't mean one needs to stand around and permit the offender to hurt you or others over and over.

[Random_Australian]

20. Other: Statistically backed information sets.

The two above were not as well defined as I like, so my definition encompasses "Trying to reduce the amount of bad stuff that happens in the first place" and "Why is that person doing that (if given time to work it out)" and a lot of other stuff.

It is more similar to 'turn the other cheek' than 'eye for an eye' though.

[Finder]

21. This question made me think...

but I ended up choosing that it depends on the situation. I do believe in vengeance in some cases but...not if I need to sink to certain levels, if that makes any sense.

[Nikia]

24. I think revenge usually tends to make things worse

Especially in cases of people who you care about or are around you frequently (inlaws, coworkers, neighbors). It can turn into a pointless battle, leaving people more angry and hurt than before, and prevent reconciliation and forgiveness.
Isn't there a saying: An eye for an eye makes us both blind.

[Proud_Democratt]

25. I agree...and it's not just a religious issue.

Revenge doesn't address the problem, although it may seem to ease the emotions of the victim.

[TechBear_Seattle]

27. There is a quote, by Gandhi, I think...

That a policy of "an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, life for a life" leads only to a world of blind, toothless corpses.

[Proud_Democratt]

28. Ghandi was a wise man.

:)

[Ready4Change]

26. Depends. Combine with the Irish saying

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

And you get:

Fool me once, I'll turn the other cheek. Slap me twice, it'll cost you an eye.

Or something like that.

[salvorhardin]

37. I say

depants the enemy and make them walk the plank while singing Steam's Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.