'Beat Them Who Curse You'

[presidente]

Oops, the Bible verse says bless them that curse you, not beat them.

If someone across the street threatens to rape your wife and grandchildren and kill them when you go out of town, do you have the right as a Christian, or as an overseer in the church, to go over there and beat the guy until he needs a visit to the hospital?

This is only words, from someone who may have been saying stuff like that for years without doing it. The secular law, as I understand it, doesn't allow physical force used against him unless he is a threat in the moment, like if he were walking over to attack the wife or grandkids at the moment. Otherwise, it's a serious crime and charges could be stressed and a restraining order (or 'stay away' order) could be issued.

The Bible says if someone strikes you on your right cheek to turn to him the other also. Does that mean if someone is coming after your wife or kids or grandkids or some innocent bi-stander to rape or kill them, you stand idly by?

Now, if someone hurls curses and threats, are you at liberty as a Christian to 'ground and pound' said individual? How about if doing so violates local law? If the police don't do their job, does it make the 'ground and pound' approach justified?

Is it proper to use the 'lay hands on the sick' verse, even as a joke, to justify beating up someone who is 'sick' in the modern sense of being deemed 'sick in the head?'

What does it say if there is widespread support for this?

If a pastor is beating a young man in the head, and the young man isn't fighting back and is screaming for help, should the pastor lay off?

 

[Gideon300]

Oops, the Bible verse says bless them that curse you, not beat them.

If someone across the street threatens to rape your wife and grandchildren and kill them when you go out of town, do you have the right as a Christian, or as an overseer in the church, to go over there and beat the guy until he needs a visit to the hospital?

This is only words, from someone who may have been saying stuff like that for years without doing it. The secular law, as I understand it, doesn't allow physical force used against him unless he is a threat in the moment, like if he were walking over to attack the wife or grandkids at the moment. Otherwise, it's a serious crime and charges could be stressed and a restraining order (or 'stay away' order) could be issued.

The Bible says if someone strikes you on your right cheek to turn to him the other also. Does that mean if someone is coming after your wife or kids or grandkids or some innocent bi-stander to rape or kill them, you stand idly by?

Now, if someone hurls curses and threats, are you at liberty as a Christian to 'ground and pound' said individual? How about if doing so violates local law? If the police don't do their job, does it make the 'ground and pound' approach justified?

Is it proper to use the 'lay hands on the sick' verse, even as a joke, to justify beating up someone who is 'sick' in the modern sense of being deemed 'sick in the head?'

What does it say if there is widespread support for this?

If a pastor is beating a young man in the head, and the young man isn't fighting back and is screaming for help, should the pastor lay off?

Turning the other cheek is much misunderstood. It has nothing to do with getting beaten up. Most have heard the expression, "A slap across the face". And that is what "turn the other cheek" relates to.

In those says, being face slapped was the ultimate insult. There are records of slaves being so humiliated that they committed suicide after a face slap. What Lord Jesus was saying was to not only not respond, but to offer the other cheek.

A friend of mine, now with Lord Jesus, was a really "out there" personality. He sometimes got a negative reaction, especially as he put his finger on people's wrong attitudes. If someone got upset and started criticising, he would agree and add something else to the criticism. So someone told him that he was impatient, for example. He would say something like he was pushy as well.

So no, we do not have to sit back and watch someone beat up a neighbour or a family member. We also have no right to respond to verbal abuse with physical abuse.

Christians are no carpets to be walked over. I had words with a number of dog owners where I used to live. The dogs barked day and night and I needed to sleep. Some were understanding and one especially was a real pain. I got the local bylaws people involved. Eventually the woman gained a bit of sense and the dog was kept in overnight.​