the Jesus Manifesto » The Impotence of Pacifism?

March 13, 2009

culture / jesus / mark-van-steenwyk / peace / peace-activism

Oppressors (everyone from dictators to slave owners to school-yard bullies) have told the oppressed to “turn the other cheek” in order to keep them in their place. This sort of passive pacifism does not properly reflect Jesus’ teaching. Jesus told the oppressed to turn the other cheek as an act of positive assertion of self-worth, but also as an act of love.