How many think avenge, revenge, and vengeful, are similar, & do you think th

Question:

How many think avenge, revenge, and vengeful, are similar, & do you think these are traits good or bad?

Until recent generations, these were the same in meaning, but I was raised to "turn the cheek, God's little tests, & my personal fave, "Karma", which we know needs alot of pushing.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Avenge: inflict harm in return for (an injury or wrong done to oneself or another)

Revenge: the action of inflicting hurt or harm on someone for an injury or wrong suffered at their hands

Vengeful: seeking to harm someone in return for a perceived injury

Avenge is the verb, the action taken when you seek revenge. Both are done when a person IS wronged. Being a vengeful person usually means you FEEL wronged, and search for a way to punish the person you perceive wronged you. A lot of vengeful behavior, in my opinion, is unjustified. I mean, I could blame the world, my parents, old teachers, my boss, the traffic, New York City, or George W. Bush for the way my life has turned. And I could spend my life trying to "avenge" myself. But what a waste.

What a damn waste.

I think those traits are only going to cause more pain. I always go with Gandhi's theory, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." And I agree. Vengeance doesn't bring you whole, it doesn't right the wrongs. Sure, it may make you feel better. I bet it does. But it's fleeting. And it's cyclical, meaning you hurt me, I hurt you, you hurt someone I love, they hurt you, and on and on.