Punch The Other Cheek
Latest update: May 20th, 2012
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I was bullied as a child. A lot. And every time my schoolyard bullies tormented me, I obeyed the teachings of Jesus and turned the other cheek.
The problem with turning the other cheek is: it doesn’t work. Not with bullies. Not even with Catholic school bullies. Because bullies don’t consult the “Good Book” before they do bad things.
So, day after day, when I turned my other cheek, my schoolyard bullies saw it as weakness and punched my other cheek.
After years of being terrorized like this, and wishing in vain that my bullies would go away or tire of tormenting me, I finally decided to disobey Jesus and change tactics. I grabbed the biggest, meanest bully by the throat, slammed him against a wall, lifted him off the ground, and breathed my warning into his shocked and trembling face. I can’t remember what I said to him. But I knew, from the terrified look in his eyes, that he believed every damn word of it. Because I spoke to him in the language that he understood. The language of the bully.
My years of torment ended in that moment. I was never bullied again.
That was my first big break with the teachings of Jesus. Because turning the other cheek to a bully – whether in a schoolyard or on the world stage – never, ever works.
Just ask any kid. Or any Jew.
tell a friendAbout the Author: Not a Jew --> Jew is a blog of one man's journey to convert to Judaism. The author has written for Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Christians United For Israel, The Jerusalem Post, The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, Townhall, and the Washington Times. He did battle with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on behalf of women’s rights, and won – and he stands up for the people and the State of Israel wherever they are threatened: from the university campus to the world stage. His name is not important, but his journey to become a Jew is. The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of The Jewish Press
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Dear Friend;
i had a speech impedimen, had polio, andwas Jewish in Grammar School. I was bullied a lot, but I learned to take it, to deal with it.
One day, there was a big outburst of bullying, clling me a dirty Jew amd other things. I walked away from it, shackened. But what really hurt the most was when I happened to pass the Princaple. I asled him fro help, and all he did was to shrugg his shoulders.
This was what really hurt, that one who has the responsibility to at least keep the trouble down, did nothing but said by his actions; OK.
It was when I got home and told my parent what happened, and came to the shrugg, that I brocked down. Since then, I have had a very negative response to the "shrugg", as it only promotes evel. To dispell the evel behavior, you have to stand up for what you know is right. It works. I used it in my work as a law inforcement officer, and even disbeyed my sarge to do my job. I used it when I was conffronted with bullying behavior, it works.
I thank you for your blog. It goes beyond the srugg, and helps to bring justice into the world.
Shalom;
Yechiel Shlipshon
Dear Friend;
i had a speech impedimen, had polio, andwas Jewish in Grammar School. I was bullied a lot, but I learned to take it, to deal with it.
One day, there was a big outburst of bullying, clling me a dirty Jew amd other things. I walked away from it, shackened. But what really hurt the most was when I happened to pass the Princaple. I asled him fro help, and all he did was to shrugg his shoulders.
This was what really hurt, that one who has the responsibility to at least keep the trouble down, did nothing but said by his actions; OK.
It was when I got home and told my parent what happened, and came to the shrugg, that I brocked down. Since then, I have had a very negative response to the "shrugg", as it only promotes evel. To dispell the evel behavior, you have to stand up for what you know is right. It works. I used it in my work as a law inforcement officer, and even disbeyed my sarge to do my job. I used it when I was conffronted with bullying behavior, it works.
I thank you for your blog. It goes beyond the srugg, and helps to bring justice into the world.
Shalom;
Yechiel Shlipshon