Take another look at the famous “turn the other cheek” passage from Luke’s Gospel:

Luke 6:27-36

‘But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

So let me get this straight…love your enemies, expect nothing in return, and you can expect a great reward later. In other words, you will be rewarded slavishly for your selflessness. Would Orwell have classified this as DoubleThink?

I can imagine Jesus’ followers discussing this among themselves:

“Hey, Jesus said that we will be rewarded if we do not seek any reward.”

“But doesn’t that mean by not seeking a reward we really are seeking a reward”

“Oh, crap. So how does this work again?”

So tell me. Why again do some people claim that Jesus was a “great moral teacher?”