What Would Jesus Do?

[ElCodeMonkey]

My "Christian" neighbors are ultimately being bullies. They called for an ordinance violation just because a yard sign was about 10' too close to the road which we merely had to move back 10' to resolve. They built an 8' by 8' giant orange wall near our property line with a "private property" sign on it just to spite us. Today, much to the eyeroll of the fire marshall, they called the police because we were open burning (entirely legally). Anything and everything we do is taken as an afront and we are just terrible and awful people. So what WOULD Jesus do in this situation? So far, it seems he would be the bully since the bullies are the Christians, but we all know that's not true. Me, despite being atheist, have been mostly pacifist in this whole endeavor. Since I own our driveway easement, I could easily put up signs they'd have to drive by every day, I could put in speed bumps, and I could even put in a gate they'd have to manually open and close with every traversal. I could plant hedges and shape them to be a guy mooning them as they drive through, and I could call an ordinance violation on their silly orange wall. Lots of ways for me, the bad neighbor, to "get back" at them. But what would Jesus do?

[marco]

Take them or him to your backyard and beat the crap out of him and do it in the name of Christ and Christ's love.
Tell him after why you did it. The reason you did it?
To get their attention and their respect. If after they don't give you what you got coming to you of Christ in them, then they are not Christian. And say so, too.

Some Christians are rather tall, and powerfully built. In the Land of the Free they might even be Christian soldiers with guns, so your advice to follow Christ's example with the temple traders is maybe risky.

[jeremiah1five]

Take them or him to your backyard and beat the crap out of him and do it in the name of Christ and Christ's love.
Tell him after why you did it. The reason you did it?
To get their attention and their respect. If after they don't give you what you got coming to you of Christ in them, then they are not Christian. And say so, too.

Some Christians are rather tall, and powerfully built. In the Land of the Free they might even be Christian soldiers with guns, so your advice to follow Christ's example with the temple traders is maybe risky.

I agree. Still, it's not the goal to win the fight, but to exact respect from your opponent knowing that each 'offense' is met with a right cross. When the offenses stop so do the right cross. It's the Golden Rule. Eye for eye and other things.

[marco]

I agree. Still, it's not the goal to win the fight, but to exact respect from your opponent knowing that each 'offense' is met with a right cross. When the offenses stop so do the right cross. It's the Golden Rule. Eye for eye and other things.

Well eye for an eye, or Lex Talionis, is a bit different from the Golden Rule, Jeremiah, but it is powerfully good for the soul whereas treating folk as you'd want them to treat you and wishing them Merry Christmas does little to cool one's anger.

Anyway, what Jesus would do in public is different from what he'd do in private. He was pretty nasty to his poor mother.

[jeremiah1five]

I agree. Still, it's not the goal to win the fight, but to exact respect from your opponent knowing that each 'offense' is met with a right cross. When the offenses stop so do the right cross. It's the Golden Rule. Eye for eye and other things.

Well eye for an eye, or Lex Talionis, is a bit different from the Golden Rule, Jeremiah, but it is powerfully good for the soul whereas treating folk as you'd want them to treat you and wishing them Merry Christmas does little to cool one's anger.

Anyway, what Jesus would do in public is different from what he'd do in private. He was pretty nasty to his poor mother.

Good one. Had to look that up.
But although the Law of Retaliation may seem as "punishment [that] resembles the offense committed in kind and degree" the Golden Rule is the Law of Retaliation and IT DOES NOT mean an offense has been committed. It is the Mercy, Grace, and Wisdom of God that He gave His people the instruction and command in how to treat brethren daily in their interaction with them. The instruction is important as is the command. So, if 'you' want to protect 'your' eye don't come after mine. That does a lot to teach me about doing to others what they are under command to do unto me.
The Golden Rule.
Right?