Alright i have had this thought running through my head for a couple of days now. My question is why is respect usually one sided. Take this situation: Say i like to swear to add emphasis to a sentence or to add feeling to how I feel. Now say I'm talking to another person who doesn't like to hear swearing in any form. Is it right to not swear out of respect for them, or should they return the respect and realize that you do swear to accentuate what you are saying and thus let you do your thing? Basically should respect be met half way. Why is it that we always have to respect what others think is wrong, even when the other person doesn't care.
I've been told to not care about what i think but to respect others. But on the flip side of that, why don't those people do the same? I guess its always right to be on the right side of what its acceptable professionally. I dunno just a strange thought lately.
Next up, last night at our young adults get together we talked about a few things. One thing we talked about was pacifism and the ability to turn away when someone hits you. Now i didn't talk to much last night as i had talked to much that week and got myself into some trouble. This seems to be the norm in my life with me and my mouth, but alas. I think its wrong to let someone hit you, to take advantage of you like that. Why? Well if someone hits you, it is in every right of yours, legally, to hit that person back. Is my example supposed to be that if someone hits me then I'm a wimp and people see its easy to take advantage of a Christian. Or is it to walk away and be the "bigger man". I hate the statement in some regards. I'm no less of a man for defending myself, then i would be to walk away. It's not about walking away or setting an example. It's about doing what is right in a situation like that. Defending your right to live safely.
People who are pacifists amaze me. I've heard stories where they wouldn't care if there families were at stake, they wouldn't do a bloody thing about it. This is my opinion is completely stupid. If you cannot defend yourself and your family from evil, then you need to be seeking a psychiatrist.
One comment was last night that well what about the other person. Say if you kill this person to save your family, instead of you dying and going to heaven, because you are Christians, you kill the other guy and damn him to a life in hell. Right.... basically this says it's ok to kill other Christians now because hey, we are all going to the same place right. No jail time no nothing, just the feeling like hey, I am the man, I'm saving people by each swing of my Machete. Hell, we might as well have Christian Gladiator with real weapons and put it on Pay Per View. What a spectacle that would be. Or maybe created a reality show of Christians killing Christians, we could have surprise attacks and ambushes and just laugh at it because we just sent them to heaven. I could make millions, and it would all go to the ministry of sending others to the pearly gates. What a business plan! Watch out American Idol, your ratings are about to drop. (All in good fun)
I have a problem with people who say they wouldn't defend themselves or others. My future job will require me to use force. Should Police Officers be allowed to defend themselves and others? We aren't supposed to separate God from our Jobs, so how do Cops get away with it? I don't think it would look right if I was a cop and I let others die because I didn't want to pull my gun.
Anyways this is just my opinion on this matter. But there must be something seriously wrong with people that are pacifists. If life is about being righteous and doing what is right, then pacifism has no place. Wouldn't the best thing you could do for someone is put your own life on the line to save another? The bible says that laying your life done for another is the greatest act of love.
Thoughts?
1 comment:
Here's my opinion on "when someone slaps you in the face, turn the other cheek".....
I think Jesus was talking more about insults vs. pride and not so much at focused physical violence and aggression vs. defending yourself.
Think about it...a slap in the face has long been considered the greatest form of insult. I think that what Jesus was talking about here is not to let our pride take over and either seek revenge or hold a grudge.
For example, if I were to call you a douche bag and lousy poker player, this passage would suggest you brush off the comment and take the higher road. Or even if I were to sucker punch you from behind in hockey...once again, the passage suggests you just let cooler heads prevail instead of trying to stick me in the groin later in the evening.
In these cases, the only thing that really has been hurt is your pride and you have nothing to gain (other than trying to make yourself feel proud again) from trying to get back at me, but plenty to lose if you were to start up a feud or something.
Now, if I were to come at you with a Bowie knife, it's different because I'm not trying to insult you or take a cheap shot at you. I'm actually trying to phyiscally harm you and kill you. It's totally different than a slap in the face and in this case you have everything to lose by not acting.
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