Yes, the Christ told us
to respond to insults, even to a slap to the face, by
“turning the other cheek”. That is, even the most gross
insults are not an excuse for such evils as revenge by criminal infliction of death or injury or great fear.
To better understand
this, it must be remembered that for time immemorial any blow to the
head or face was the worst of insults in most cultures. Even in the
“civilized” Western world, it has not been so many years since
such a blow would result in two “gentlemen” standing ten-paces
from each other with pistols in hand and murder in their hearts.
Yet, I do not
find in the Scriptures any instructions to accept murder, rape,
genocide, mutilation or even robbery/theft (ie The taking of that part
of a honest person's life expended in honestly
earning property) without taking effective and immediate actions to
forestall the execution of such crimes. Such are beyond insults and
are dealt with such force (Even deadly force) as is needed to stop such crimes.
Anger does have the following "downside": It spoils the accurate aiming of modern-and-effective firearms in "putting down" dangerous animals.
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