Journal of Other Forum Analysis (Volume II, Issue 1)

[BIONIC]

https://www.resetera.com/threads/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-%E2%80%9Cliberal%E2%80%9D-and-%E2%80%9Cweak%E2%80%9D-warns-that-evangelical-christianity-is-moving-too-far-to-the-right.1065762/page-3#post-133250286

This is a bit unrelated but I recall reading a while ago that the “turn the other cheek” part isn’t just “passively accept what comes” but that in the original cultural context would be considered more of a challenging action, or a strategic one that one could seek recompense for. Don’t recall the details now though.

Honestly, this makes so much sense. Reading it like that, it's like a classic sociopathic triangulation move if you've ever been in close proximity to a certain type of pathological personality.

"Deliberately let them hurt you, but make it a point to make it visible for certain desired others to see" ala Palpatine to Anakin Skywalker against Mace Windu in Revenge of the Sith. Makes total sense that this would less be about "do not retaliate/always be submissive/compassionate" out of a truly pure love for your fellow man, and more a cynical ploy to engender broader cultural sympathy in order to accrue religious cultural cachet/power. And when questioned, they could always defer to the longstanding traditional assumed interpretation of that line in scripture as a means to defang criticism.

Sounds about right honestly.