This is one reason I can't be a Christian. I really do think Jesus meant it when he said love your enemies and turn the other cheek. In fact I think it's central and indispensable to JC's philosophy. But I can't do it. I want physical safety. So, that and the fact that I don't believe in saviors kinda locks me out.
Chris
I hear what you are saying. But there are degrees of non-resistance to evil and the truth of it is that it is a broader easier path than the general consensus would like to admit.
The adrenalin response has many times been described as fight or flight, but there is another option: freeze - and out of that peace can be born. (And out of peace comes the very Kingdom of God). It doesn't take superhuman courage to refine freeze into witness-for-peace - only a little step really.
Suppose you are confronted by a violent situation in which you see someone attacked and you freeze. With a little bit of courage un-freeze yourself by shifting your feet a little towards the confrontation. As you do this, the natural resistance to danger can be easily overcome. Show enough courage to move towards the danger a little at a time and more will be granted you.
When will peace begin, if not by your actions here and now?
Your aim is to neutralize the violence and you can do this by coming between the antagonist and the victim. This is Russell's famous "interpose myself". You might like to pray for both parties and doing so grants you the moral authority to neutralize the attack.
If you are really serious about neutralizing the violence, then it is true that you must be prepared to suffer injury or death. But there are "get-outs" available if you are not ready to make that sacrifice. Pray on it.
If violence is still threatened you can make creative use of body language to further neutralize the confrontation. A tried and tested defensive posture is the "prayer stance": facing the attacker you put your hands together as if to pray whilst focussing your sight on the attacker's chest, avoiding eye contact. You are now in a position to reason with the attacker, whilst also having "inner control" of your relative positions.
If you fail in neutralizing the attack you are in a strong position to repel the attacker if you have no option but this is not the primary aim. Your aim is to communicate to the attacker that while you don't want to see the victim hurt neither do you want to see the attacker having to carry the burden of that hurt.
If your faith is strong enough you may be able to put your trust in God to turn your back to the attacker and facing the victim, reason out with the victim any aggravating factors, for example if the victim precipitated the attack by some means, although this will not always be the case.
None of this is impossible I have successfully applied it without very great injury. Follow this and you will see the power of Christ's teaching before your eyes and it will amaze you!
qj