Turn The Other Cheek

I would like to explain my statement: "maybe they should burn their own books..."

I reread the Book, and it seems clear that "turn the other cheek" does not mean:

"Walk away"

"Roll with the punches."

"Ignore idiots who try to wind you up."

"If someone harms you in any way, accept it and don't take revenge or hit back."

None say "ignore it". All say "engage it". But the way is counterintuitive.

The actual quote:

1) "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

2) "If someone wants to sue you for your tunic, give him your cloak as well."

3) "If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

1) Upon being hit, it says to turn, as if to open yourself to further abuse.

2) Upon being sued, it says to give more, as in more than was ever asked.

3) Upon being forced to walk, it says to walk, as if to talk it upon yourself.

You can't harm a man willing to take all punishment.

You can't steal from a man willing to give anything.

You can't enslave a man willing to do everything.

It takes all their power away. By taking it upon yourself, their actions become meaningless, impotent, trivial, irrelevant. You take control, saying, 'If it happens, it happens by my hand'. You show dominance by going one-step-further, saying 'You are not so dangerous; I am even more dangerous'.

As comedian John Oliver said: 

You might look at the Oreo pizza ... I put it to you, that is the single most patriotic item I have ever seen in my life! ... Because that is the biggest imaginable 'fuck you' you could possibly issue to terrorists ... What you are essentially saying is, ‘there is nothing you can do to us we are not already doing to ourselves.'"

The biblical quotes:

1) "If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

 (as if to open yourself to further abuse).

2) "If someone wants to sue for your tunic, give your cloak as well."

 (as in more than was even asked).

3) "If someone forces you to go one mile, go two miles."

 (as if to take it upon yourself).

• You can't harm a man willing to take all punishment.
• You can't steal from a man willing to give anything.
• You can't enslave a man willing to do everything.

* Also someone asked how to interpret the word "meek", and for an example of "meek" behavior. The one person who really jumped out at me was the character of "Hurley" from LOST; he almost seems like the poster-child for "meek". According to Dictionary.com, "meek" is: great humility.

humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others. considerably submissive or compliant; tame. unassuming; calm, passive; mild; gentle; kind.

i.e. "amenable": ready or willing to answer, act, agree, or yield; open to influence, persuasion, or advice; agreeable. open or susceptible to suggestion; likely to listen, cooperate, etc.