That all sounds to me like I should just sell my guns and tear up my concealed-carry permits. Why bother defending myself or my wife or my child? I’m empowered by letting anyone do anything they want to me.
I’m not trying to be caustic, don’t misunderstand, but it strikes me (and always has) as being highly irrational. And Christ was not irrational.
Hmmmm. Not sure where you read what you criticize. I certainly did not say that you are empowered by letting anyone do anything. Moreover, even though Jesus came tofulfill the Law and the Prophets, he would never insist that a slavish devotion to the letter of any rule should result in death. He was, after all, Lord of the Sabbath.
Nor do I read the Bible to say, if someone wants to kill you, or your wife, or your child, do nothing. God regularly tells his people to wage war. I think what Jesus is doing here is criticizing the man who kills at the slightest provocation, who withholds his abundance from his neighbor. Maybe your discomfort at this teaching is a sign that God is calling you to trust Him more, and your gun less.
As to your insistence that Jesus was not irrational, well, all due respect, I think you either aren’t familiar enough with the Bible or are disregarding large portions of it (and you’re in good company - google Jefferson’s Bible). Not even the people of his own day thought Jesus was rational. And his mother and his brothers thought He was crazy.
Which part of dying on the cross and being resurrected in three days for the forgiveness of the sins of anyone who has ever lived or shall ever live is rational?
Sorry, I will follow Jesus even when reason tells me not to go there.
That all sounds to me like I should just sell my guns and tear up my concealed-carry permits. Why bother defending myself or my wife or my child? I’m empowered by letting anyone do anything they want to me.
I’m not trying to be caustic, don’t misunderstand, but it strikes me (and always has) as being highly irrational. And Christ was not irrational.
Note the tenor of Christ's words.
He is not calling for us to allow ourselves to be killed, or our loved ones.
He is speaking in the context of a minor offense against you ... He is saying that a meek response to such an offense may convince someone that the Christian way is real ... and full of it's own type of power.