I say that if you want to follow the teachings of Christ, you have to follow the teachings of Christ, thereby what's found in the Holy Bible.

That being said, I don't believe the Bible was meant to be taken 100% literally. Let me give you an example:

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well." — Matthew 5:38-42 (ESV)

So, what do we get from a literal reading? Don't defend yourself, give in to tyranny, and in fact, be a party to your own robbery, or worse.

What dreadful advice! Now, let's put our thinking caps on. "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'" Where exactly have we heard that said? Ah, that's right. It's the word of God.

From Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Leviticus:

"When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman's husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."

"The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."

"Whoever takes a human life shall surely be put to death. Whoever takes an animal's life shall make it good, life for life. If anyone injures his neighbor, as he has done it shall be done to him, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him. Whoever kills an animal shall make it good, and whoever kills a person shall be put to death. You shall have the same rule for the sojourner and for the native, for I am the Lord your God."

So, not only are they going to repayed eye for eye, if it's found that they were GOING to take someone's eye, then their eye is taken. What does this mean? It means that Jesus was giving us permission to forgive people, and imploring us not to savage them for insulting us, or wanting to rob us, etc. Much in the same way, if you only read the version in Deuteronomy, it might sound like God was compelling you to take the assailant's eye.

That's the danger of a 100% literal reading. The remedy is to delve into what the Bible says, not what a lone paragraph in the Bible says.

I hope that's helpful to you. :)