Jesus told us to turn the other cheek, sure.
He also told us not to be patsies and be perennial victims, either. Immediately before He left us, he demanded that those who followed him arm themselves - not for revenge, marauding or banditry, but to defend themselves against those who would harm them. Luke 22:35-36, to be specific.
From the Bible, I take it thusly: Jesus tells us to let the slings and arrows (insults and affronts) of everyday life in stride and not to let them get to you, let alone start feuds. But when attacked, one is to defend oneself.
Well stated. That is how I have had it explained to me - and also what seems right within me. The “turn the other cheek” did include a slap to the cheek - an insulting act (not like a violent punch).
Jesus would have been a poor messiah indeed had his attitude been that he was here to spread the news of salvation to all the Earth, but if his followers were murdered before they got a chance to help spread that news, well that would have been ok since they didn't engage in violence. I mean think about it, if his followers would not defend themselves against evil, then how could they have spread his teachings? And if they could not have spread his teachings, they would have failed HIM, and they would have failed those who could have learned his message!
CHRISTIANS need not back down from murderers nor do they need to apologize if they use violence to obliterate and annihilate them!