ARE WE TO TAKE THESE IDEAS AT FACE VALUE?

When Jesus said 'love your enemies,' Do you think he probably meant don't kill them?

When he said 'turn the other cheek,' do you think he probably meant don't strike them back?

There are many other examples of revolutionary ideas Jesus seemed to be teaching. Do you think we can take them at face value or do you think we are suppose to conclude that He really didn't mean for them to be taken seriously?

If they aren't to be taken seriously, why did those that followed shortly after Him seem to take them seriously? Many of them seemed to follow in His very footsteps when it came to these stunning ideas of how to live.

Why don't we? I include myself in this also. Why do we believe this isn't what He meant even for us 2000 years later? Could it be that we have wandered so far from the life Jesus called us to, and we have actually added to many of the problems in the world today. Do you think that if we took this seriously, at face value, we would see the demonstration of the life that changed the course of mankind again, right here in our time?

Maybe to break the cycle of violence that started with Cain and Abel and has spread like fire throughout history, it can only be broken by our committment to stand up against the cycle of hate, violence and vengeance for self-preservation by actively demonstrating love as Christ did? It seems to me, this is exactly what Jesus was trying to get us to understand. Love really is the only answer. Not hate or fear hiding behind some twisted version of 'I love you brother, but.....'

Anyone want to take a shot at these questions? If not here, do you think these are important questions to think about?