{"id":4290,"date":"2018-10-28T11:08:08","date_gmt":"2018-10-28T17:08:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/?p=4290"},"modified":"2018-10-28T22:22:02","modified_gmt":"2018-10-29T04:22:02","slug":"turn-the-other-cheek-four-words-that-will-change-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/davidrupert\/turn-the-other-cheek-four-words-that-will-change-america\/","title":{"rendered":"Turn the Other Cheek: Four Words That Will Change America"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Over the weekend, 11 Jewish brothers and sisters<\/a> were killed and scores of others were injured in a horrific shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. The small assembly had gathered for their Sabbath celebration when a man stormed in, gun blazing, shouting, \u201cAll Jews Must Die.\u201d<\/p>\n

In contrast to this crime, the peaceful, gentle Fred Rogers, of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood,<\/em><\/a> lived a mere three blocks from the synagogue.<\/p>\n

Of course, the question that weaves its way into our post-tragedy discussion is \u201cwhy.\u201d It seems he was a Nazi and espoused white supremacy viewpoints. And he hated<\/a> President Trump.<\/p>\n

Last week, a Florida man<\/a> somehow managed to not only find the personal addresses of a dozen targets but bypassed built-in system safeguards to mail look alike explosive devices to his targets. He loved President Trump.<\/p>\n

Last year, nearly a third of Congress cowered at a baseball diamond while a gunman picked<\/a> them off one-by-one. He too hated President Trump and was an active supporter of Socialist Bernie Sanders.<\/p>\n

Right now everyone is pointing fingers at each other, blaming the other side for the heated rhetoric. The Left is blaming the President for his language and targeted verbal attacks. The Right is blaming the Left for giving cover<\/a> to calls for aggressive public attacks on \u201cthe opposition.\u201d The middle is blaming the extremes.<\/p>\n

And Facebook is one big food fight, dividing friends, families and social groups.<\/p>\n

I threw beans at my brother once at the dinner table because he had flicked a piece of bread at me. Disgusted, my mother sent us both to our shared room where we continued to throw things at each other.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo by Allen Taylor on Unsplash<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Third Way: This is Not Who We Are<\/h3>\n

There is a third way, a growing number of people who are calling for a truce. \u00a0The Washington Post\u2019s headline this morning is, \u201cWhat is Happening to Our Country<\/a>?\u201d\u00a0 Max Boot writes:<\/p>\n

\u201cTolerance for political and religious differences is a non-negotiable part of the social contract in the United States. It is the very core of our national identity, even if it has all too often been honored more in the breach than the observance. We settle our political differences through debate followed by voting. Political terrorism and sectarian bloodletting \u2014 these are the sorts of horrors that occur in the Balkans or the Middle East. Not here. Not in the land of the free. We\u2019re better than this. We\u2019re Americans.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

We all need to take a step back. President Trump is not Hitler. Democrats are not evil. The media is not the enemy of the people. Together, we have a problem. Together we\u2019ll fix it.<\/p>\n

The Mayor of Pittsburgh said<\/a> at a news conference, \u201cWe are a better society than this.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m calling for an army of peace, people on all political, religious and racial sides to take the \u201cTurn the Other Cheek\u201d pledge.<\/p>\n

Turn the Other Check<\/h3>\n

Jesus was living in a hot mess of a society, the ancient Jewish land occupied by the Romans. There were more sides to every debate than the current Syrian conflict. The Romans wanted their heavy-handed rule. Some Jews wanted to overthrow the government. Some religious leaders loved the access and power the government gave them, so they went along to get along. And then here comes Jesus. Everyone wanted him to take a side. He chose humility. He chose the high road. He offered the other cheek.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have heard that it was said, \u2018Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.\u2019<\/em> But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.<\/em>\u00a0And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Let Love Have the Last Word<\/h3>\n

You\u2019ve no doubt been in conversations where the other person has to have the last word. They need the victory. They need the win. And to keep your respectability, you are forced to compete.<\/p>\n

No. One. Wins.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to be a Christian to understand the wisdom of humility. I know it goes against everything inside you \u2014 Every defensive twitch in your body, every reactive synapse in your brain, every resistance mechanism you\u2019ve honed throughout the years. But it can \u2013 and must be done \u2013 if we have any chance to survive.<\/p>\n

We shouldn\u2019t try to one-up those we oppose. We shouldn\u2019t try to out debate, outduel them. We shouldn\u2019t try to humiliate or shame them.<\/p>\n

We should offer humility at every chance. We should let love have the last word.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Photo by Kristopher Roller on Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You don\u2019t have to be a Christian to understand the wisdom of this. I know it goes against everything inside you — every defensive twitch in your body, every reactive synapse in your brain, every resistance mechanism you\u2019ve honed throughout the years. 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