Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: LindyBill who wrote (26804)	4/24/2002 8:00:10 AM
From: Bilow	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Hi LindyBill; Re: "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." This shows up several places in the Old Testament. The meaning is clear. Of course the New Testament rewrites this to be "turn the other cheek", which has its own set of limitation. Anyway, the King James version: Exodus ... 22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe. bartleby.com This doesn't apply to the Israeli / Palestinian conflict because it's a rule for applying judgements regarding interpersonal conflicts, not international conflicts. I don't think that Moses had time to write down the rules for international relations in a nuclear age. He was kind of busy with the Bronze Age as it was. If it did apply to states, notice that it says that "judges determine". That means that the wounded person does not have the right to take revenge or retribution upon the injurer. This is for the very sensible reason that humans have a tendency to magnify their losses and minimize the damage they do. Neither Israel nor Palestine is following the Biblical injunction in this sense. If they were, they'd be asking for a "judge" to make restitution (i.e. the United Nations). In addition, neither state is attacking the actual perpetrators of the violent act (surely God wasn't talking about taking an eye from a randomly chosen noncombatant), but instead are largely hurting each other's civilians. As far as keeping the arithmetic of the injunction, to take "one eye for one eye", I believe that right now the Israelis are taking more body parts than the Palestinians are, so the injunction would be for them to reduce their violence level. I have no doubt that if the Palestinians were able to, they'd take two eyes for one, so I have little sympathy for either side. I will save my sympathy for when they quit with the bloodshed, but I don't think that will happen any time soon. This is not our fight, and it does not have a moral solution that we can yet contribute to. Eventually, when the two sides are talking about 1000 years of peace and all that "I will fight no more forever" BS, then maybe we should get involved. -- Carl P.S. New testament version: 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.