It’s Churchian nonsense. There are two forms of forgiveness in the Bible, the mortal and the Divine. The Divine forgiveness is absolution and that is Gods alone. The mortal forgiveness is to not hold hatred in your heart. That means act justly without anger and judge righteously, that is what is meant by forgive trespasses and turn the other cheek. This whole “victims” granting absolution is actual heresy because they are granting themselves divine right. So much of the Bible is bastardized by bad translation, much like meekness.
This is the correct take here. In properly practiced Christianity, "forgiving" an enemy means giving them a chance for the last rites before you cut off their head.
there are also theories that Jesus was referring to some custom or other where Romans backhanded people they saw as beneath them, so turning the other cheek would be challenging them to slap you with the palm like an equal.
same for the "extra mile". Romans were supposedly limited to forcing civilians to carry their gear one or two miles only, and going further could then incur punishment for the Roman.
i'm not sure if these 2 things are very historically accurate, but if they are they tell much more of a defiant Jesus Christ instructing His people to be as much of a nuisance to occupiers as they can be, not of a weak lamb for the slaughter telling us to hasten our deaths and humiliations. how could Christianity have survived if it was a death cult? how could it have led to the crusades and the reconquista if it called for total pacifism and submission?
There’s a book series called sword of truth, overall it’s terrible. One interesting idea is the hero kills someone after he forgives them. He understands who they are and what lead them to be evil but still knows he has to kill them. His sword glows white when this type of thing happens instead of the usually anger red.
It’s Churchian nonsense. There are two forms of forgiveness in the Bible, the mortal and the Divine. The Divine forgiveness is absolution and that is Gods alone. The mortal forgiveness is to not hold hatred in your heart. That means act justly without anger and judge righteously, that is what is meant by forgive trespasses and turn the other cheek. This whole “victims” granting absolution is actual heresy because they are granting themselves divine right. So much of the Bible is bastardized by bad translation, much like meekness.
This is the correct take here. In properly practiced Christianity, "forgiving" an enemy means giving them a chance for the last rites before you cut off their head.
there are also theories that Jesus was referring to some custom or other where Romans backhanded people they saw as beneath them, so turning the other cheek would be challenging them to slap you with the palm like an equal.
same for the "extra mile". Romans were supposedly limited to forcing civilians to carry their gear one or two miles only, and going further could then incur punishment for the Roman.
i'm not sure if these 2 things are very historically accurate, but if they are they tell much more of a defiant Jesus Christ instructing His people to be as much of a nuisance to occupiers as they can be, not of a weak lamb for the slaughter telling us to hasten our deaths and humiliations. how could Christianity have survived if it was a death cult? how could it have led to the crusades and the reconquista if it called for total pacifism and submission?
There’s a book series called sword of truth, overall it’s terrible. One interesting idea is the hero kills someone after he forgives them. He understands who they are and what lead them to be evil but still knows he has to kill them. His sword glows white when this type of thing happens instead of the usually anger red.