Also, according to a friend who researched this type of stuff with a passion, a lot of (like, pretty much every single one of) Jesus’ sayings that frequently get used as “be a doormat,” are actually anything but! A couple of examples:
-“turn the other cheek” (actually, “if a man strikes you on the right cheek, turn to present him with your left”): in biblical times, where the stories took place, the left hand was used for cleaning up messes (like wiping after pooping), and was seen as unclean, so hitting someone had to be done with your right hand if you didn’t want to immediately get branded as a social outcast for being unclean. So to strike the right cheek was to strike with a backhand swing (and was reserved for reprimanding servants, slaves, or anyone else you might view as “less than” you, whereas striking he left cheek would be an actual front-hand slap (aka, a challenge to a duel).
So, “turn the other cheek” did not mean to be a pacifist, even in the face of physical violence against you; it meant to demand the respect you deserve when others might deny it to you!
-“give the shirt off your back” (originally, something to the effect of “if a creditor you owe demands the coat off your back, give him your shirt as well”): in a culture where public nudity was apparently very taboo, if a debt collector is so intent on claiming what they are owed, even if it is literally one of the last few of your possessions, go ahead and give him the rest, thereby making him the cause of a very taboo spectacle, and basically shame the hell out of him for being such a heartless, greedy bastard
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