Should We Always Turn The Other Cheek?

This is a subject that I have been wrestling with recently. I think that many of the teachers in the New Age field have written that it is better not to respond in kind to unkindness. I believe that in many instances that is true. If someone is baiting you and you "bite" you become part of the problem. I do think that we need to stand up for ourselves in some instances because allowing people to walk all over you is not healthy. I think this is being played out right now in this country. There are bullies in sight who are causing great harm in the world. I suppose I have been thinking about this because over the past few years I have had to stand up for myself and I have learned how to back down a bully without becoming part of the problem. I think many times people do not stand up for themselves because they believe that what goes around comes around or they want to be "better than that". But there are times that you need to take a stand. I am interested in what others think about this subject.

retribution. Boundaries are so much better than becoming a victim after the fact. I think each case is different and so I try to figure out if I'm protecting myself or just getting even. Sometimes the line is very blurry and then I just have to do my best in the situation.

We all make mistakes, that is a given. The point is do we learn the lesson we are meant to learn, do we evolve and grow. When that happens we release the karmic debt and move into grace.

goof on 'em

"Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand."
Mark Twain

I used to be the turn the other cheek sort of female, but after having my children I learned to stand up for what I believed and felt and wanted for my family. Via them I learned the fine art of standing up to "authority" or bullies, and most of the time I do it without revenge or wanting to hurt - my only goal is to set my boundaries, make my wishes/ideas known, and not back down until something has been worked out for all our benefits.

I remember when my kids were little there were books out by Dr. Gordon on Parent Effectiveness Training that taught how to try to set boundaries and find a win-win solution for most problems and confrontations.

I have come 180o from wanting to be passive and peaceful at all times to now being more of a wise warrior.

Now to learn how to control my anger that I unleashed by letting my warrior come into consciousness.......:grr: :nuke:...for my anger has only seemed to grow in the past 5 years since 2000.....

DemEx

bad karma to be dealt with in a future life. We are meant to take care of self and others, it is a balance, not an either/or situation.

Sometimes we do need to let something go, to turn the other cheek, but sometimes we need to confront the issue. Depends on the situation.

Also depends upon soul mission, some of are trying to learn to be more true to self, others to be more in tune with others. Most of us need to learn to balance the two.

protecting yourself issue. It is a fine line and an ongoing issue that seems to have been stirred up by the times we live in.

So the very same behavior can have many different karmic consequences, depending upon the intent behind the behavior. Even feelings and thoughts can have karmic consequences.

For example to kill someone defending your family or children is different from other kinds of killing. Stealing milk to feed your baby is different from a greed based theft. Being angry and sad at a loss or disappointment is normal, but to dwell on it forever and to seek revenge is another matter. I keep quoting Edgar Cayce, I love his line: Be in anger, but not in sin. It is OK to be angry, just be thoughtful about what you do with it. IT is OK to stand up for yourself and what you believe in, but do no deliberate harm to others.

Karmic justice is set up to take everything into account.

Yes I think we are all struggling with our thoughts and feelings during this dark night of the soul as I call it. That is all part of what we are supposed to learn.

We came back during this time to learn many lessons, and it is important we learn them. I have found that the issues that bother me the most about the current situation in America, are probably the things I need to work on. I think that I must have power issues since in this life I feel totally helpless to make any significant change in a corrupt govt system.
Also I must have not been an independent thinker in past lives, eg followed others blindly, because that is one thing that is so disturbing to me about the American people.

It's leftover christianity to equate taking abuse with higher spirituality.

Either/or. The truth is usually in the middle and karma is really about balance.

(Look at the zodiac signs as a 6 basic polar opposites, it is all about balancing energy in each axis.)

And I think man made religion distorted spirituality for the purposes of social and political control. For many centuries the major point of religion has been to create a docile populace which was under tight control. Certainly not to help foster soul growth, but to foster political aims.

And I must admit the new age movement has also gone on what I think are knee jerk reactive tangents, some tenets just do not make any sense from a karmic perspective. Also one size doesn't not fit all, each soul is here to work on specific issues and balance things differently.

should defend those being bullied if they can't defend themselves.

On the other hand, getting revenge and making vendettas isn't helpful and escalates problems. This is what the bad guys want. It works for them.

I posted sometime ago that you must really try to love everyone, even someone as awful as Bush. You need to remember that the same Divine Mother who loves you also loves him because she created him as she created you.

If you keep that in mind it helps you to make the right decisions in defending yourself and others or in turning the other cheek if that is what is called for.

i dont ever back down, lol lol with a bully. as a matter of fact i will picture myself as aa michael, where i draw the sword and stand ready, but....... i do do it in love. in turning the other cheek i have decided we are not asked to become doormats by any means.

i had an experience on a busy board with people i had known for a long time. we were talking about going into iraq, so many years ago. it was a spiritual board. a lot of wonderful people that knew me well, and i knew well. talking of opinion and mine being different people were attacking me post after post. the were so angry and fearful and sad and in pain. i felt seperate in that i was like jesus standing and being stoned by the angry mob. (such a real feel, and huge lesson) and as i felt the rock hurled some were in so much anger and force, some such weak wobbles of people that didnt want to but caught up in the emotion of it and just standing, feeling their pain, i felt no pain. i was able to understand and feel with they experienced yet i was seperate.

i dont think there was ever a time jesus didnt take a stand. i think he did it in love though, and not feed the hate and fear. but do it in love. regardless of what people feel, they will feel that it is done in love.

i dont think it ever does self good to be unkind. "not to respond in kind to unkindness". i think the point you go to unkindness, you do damage to self. not to the other person. i just dont see it worth it. that is not saying dont respond, but dont respond in unkindness. giving hard factual truth is a kindness and purity.... being mean, just damages self.

what I try to do. You're probably more successful at it than I am, but I'm trying! :)

I think intent has a great deal to do with whether a response is appropriate or not.

i dont alwas have the answer, but if intent is pure that is what ou create. intent is what creates. that is wh bushco will never succeed. their intent is never pure. they will never accomplish, regardless of the words that come out of their mouth. so in not knowing, i keep intent pure, then i dont have to always have the answer

very good