Some sources suggest "turn the other cheek" was actually advice to peasants to force the upper classes to treat them like equals. It supposedly meant (according to some sources) something like "Make them hit you on the other cheek, like they would their equals." Not "Let them hit you again like you like it like that."
Social stuff is heavily dependent on context and the words of Jesus were two millennia ago in a context we scarcely understand.
which would have necessitated a backhanded slap with the right hand (left hand wasn't used for anything much besides wiping one's butt), which means the slap is from someone who considers themselves to be the better of the person they're slapping. Turning the other cheek would indicate that you're their equal and striking an equal resulted in a heavy fine.
Each of the amazing zomg radical ideas Jesus outlines in Matthew 5 are actually loopholes to get people into serious trouble.
It's controversial, to be sure. I did state "some sources" say this.
The article I would like to post here is no longer online, but here is a discussion of it with other sources cited and some people saying "That's utter BS" and others saying "Yeah, that's what I was taught ages ago.":
Social stuff is heavily dependent on context and the words of Jesus were two millennia ago in a context we scarcely understand.