'if someone throws a rock at you,throw back with bread'

'turning the other cheek'-jesus

(i'm not sure if there verses are correct,but the message is pretty much the same)

'respond to kindness with kindness,respond to evil with justice'-confucius

i think confucius's statement is more universal,but it doesn't show a concrete example how punishment isn't always the solution to make someone reliaze his evil deeds

i don't think that these two statements are contradictory,but rather coherent

-- sdqa (sdqa@sdqa.com), January 13, 2005

Answers

You have to differentiate between societal response to evil for the sake of society vs. individual response to evil inflicted on the person. Obviously society cannot "turn the other cheek" when an individual is committing crimes against the citizens of the society. In such cases the response to evil must be justice, including punishment. Likewise a teacher in a classroom cannot "turn the other cheek" when a student is disrupting the class, but must respond in justice, including if necessary punishment, for the good the whole class. Those in official positions of authority have the responsibility of dispensing justice.

The teaching of Jesus, "turn the other cheek", relates to individual interactions. If Joe hurts me, can I respond by taking steps to "punish" Joe? No, I cannot, because I have no official authority over Joe, and therefore any action I take directly against him does not constitute "justice" or "punishment", but rather, retaliation or revenge, which are inconsistent with Christian charity. Of course if Joe takes some action against me that also constitutes a crime under the laws of society, I can report the incident to the proper authorities, and I can testify against him in a court of law. But I cannot retaliate directly.

-- Paul M. (PaulCyp@cox.net), January 13, 2005.

sdqa quotes from Confucius, ''respond to kindness with kindness, respond to evil with justice'' -- and says it's more ''universal''. Catholic means universal, sp; was Confucius closer to Jesus than you are today? Let's consider:

You maintain JUSTICE should repay evil. But you deny you have to pay for sinful conduct such as sexual licentiousness, contraceptive devices, whoring, etc.

In the last day, Jesus will come as King and Judge, and gather up all men and women, from the four corners of the earth. He will judge what they've done in all their lifetimes, and reward them according to their deeds. The good and faithful he will give eternal life and happiness; with Him in heaven.

The ones who do evil in this life will be cast into a lake of fire; never to find peace or happiness again in all eternity. So, we see then; Jesus upholds Justice. We have only a short time in which to decide what our own reward is going to be.

-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), January 13, 2005.