Most of the principled resisting have gotten killed too, Jack, throughout history. To hold to principle in the face of corrupt social hierarchies is an extremely hazardous business. If you turn the other cheek, they'll usually kill you. If you strike them on their cheek, they'll usually kill you. The vital thing is to hold to principle, however, and to risk the consequences regardless.

Also, not all the people who followed Jesus' advice got killed, but certainly a great many of them did, just as happens with freedom fighters of any variety.

The most probable meaning of "to turn the other cheek" in the context it was given (as a parable) is: to return positive thinking in the face of negative thinking, forgiveness in the face of unforgiveness, tolerance in the face of intolerance, kindness in the face of cruelty, reason in the face of unreason. To thereby reverse the intentional energy wave rather than copying and amplifying it with the same negative reaction.

Do this in a water tank with actual waves, send a reverse wave of similar amplitude at an oncomng wave and you'll see what will happen. The 2 waves will cancel each other out, and the water will go calm and smooth. That's what Jesus was advising for human relations on a spiritual level, I think, and it does work far better than simply amplifying the first wave by imitating it...which is what people commonly tend to do. Someone "hits" them...they "hit" back...the situation gets worse.

Obviously, this does not apply to an absolutely necessary physical fight...and there are cases where it is necessary in defense...but it does apply to human relations in the sense of one's intention and attitude toward others.

Jesus was not counseling people on how to engage in physical fights when he spoke that parable. He was counselling them on how to handle their inner intentions, consciousness, and attitude.