Putt Says: When Retaliation Is Always Necessary

Indeed, we are obsessed with retaliation, our "pay back" to those who have hurt us. And usually, our aim is to cause more pain than we have experienced.

And we tend, we USA folks of the 21st century, we tend to aim never to make an exception. If someone does something terribly bad to us, our goal is to make them pay, big time, as we like to say.

Frequently, it works, the one or ones against whom we have retaliated, if we hurt them enough, they may want the "paybacks" to cease. So, the engaging parties stop trying to return heartache for heartache

But does it? really work, that is? Our first answer is: yes, it often seems actually to end the hateful exchanges.

Yet, just as often or more so, the retaliation cycle seems never to end; like, for example, the JEWS AND THE NON-JEWS were engaging in mutual retaliation in the earliest period of recorded history; and they still are at it.

Which, of course, brings us to Jesus of Nazareth's teaching that his followers should give up "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" as a way of living. Jesus' point: it doesn't work; if the cycle is not broken, it will continue indefinitely.

But to many interpreters of Jesus. "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" is a failed way of living.

Some might say that Jeus was only referring to day-to-day routine matters and not to the really important issues that may divide us.

So, we continue endlessly to ask the same questions: When is retaliation justified? and when is it not?

Again, we confront our dilemma: should we or should we not?

Why we should: We succeed in hurting those who have hurt us. And we show clearly to everyone what we will NOT tolerate.

Why we should not: Retaliation cycles frequently never end. And the animosity between the retaliating parties mainly increases in their fight-for-fight game.

Do we want to live our lives retaliating, or do we not? That is THE question!

I don't.