Adult attraction to children: Individual responsibility for adults attracted to children

Many adults are rightly concerned about children being sexually abused. Most adults, however, pin responsibility somewhere else, or else to a person being stopped if they show a threat to children. This is called collective responsibility. However, the fact of the matter is that every single adult is individually responsible for the primary prevention of child sexual abuse, as any old adult could sexually abuse a child under the right/wrong conditions.

The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to any sexual relations outside of the context of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with this marriage being equitable in nature. A Christian marriage then was deemed equal, thus acceptable, when the bride was the same age as the groom, or else up to 4 years older. Intergenerational marriage was banned in the Early Church, and this is the context where we can understand what fornication objectively is. Children were not considered "insel-persons" in the Early Church, but instead were considered full human beings that were vulnerable in their nature.

Most child sexual abuse happens in sexually repressive environments where an adult man does not take care of his sexual needs in relation to children. Most child sexual abuse is committed as a form of father-daughter incest, with the father having sexual lusts for his daughter to the point of physical pain in the stomach. Most sexual attraction in a domestic household happen in the form of a criss-cross, with the attractions between father and daughter being mutually unrequited. However, sexual attractions in daughters exists only in her masturbatory fantasies, and only before she reaches the onset of puberty. We as a species, in terms of our nature, are glorified apes. 

Most adults do not masturbate to sexual thoughts of children enough, and that is what leads to a sexual narcissist in the adult in question. When this sexual narcissist is ejected onto the nearest child, it becomes child sexual abuse. The key is to masturbate whenever necessary to thoughts of the first child that comes to mind. Usually, for most fathers, this entails sexual fantasy about his daughter.

In Israel, the Jewish teaching of righteous pedophilia is widely practices. This does not mean men can sexually abuse a child, as the age of consent in Israel is 17. However, whenever a father sexually fantasizes about his daughter, he turns it into a joke. Some more orthodox fathers might instead be a man of few words about his fantasies about his daughters, but the issue of adult attraction to children exists on the surface, and most people know when they are talking to an abuser - the abuser is instead evasive in a skittish way. I myself am required as a Christian to masturbate to thoughts of children, as an amendment to my theology, but I cannot disclose a fantasy in story format. I instead have to abbreviate my fantasies or else give entirely in secret. 

In the Early Church, pedophilia was a surface-level issue, not something hidden in darkness. Whenever an adult admitted to sexual thoughts of children, they were given help and accommodation. Usually, all the adult needed was someone to talk out their desires with. Pedophilia then was not seen then as something shameful to admit - the admission was seen as a cry for help. Some pedophiles even attained the status of clergy, where they could convict the parents of their parenting flaws. 

A pedophile is not an anger packet directed towards a child. A pedophile is a human being with a sexual preference for children under age 14. Pedophilia involves arrested sexual development in terms of age-based sexual attraction. A pedophile starts out as a child attracted to children their own age, but as they grow older chronologically, their attractions stay the same in terms of age. Most pedophilia exists in the context of moderate-severe autism. If you see a man with autism get along naturally with children, think pedophile. Most adults with autism find children to be "too noisy" or "too chaotic". A pedophile usually is a burial ground for knowledge about children. Their whole world revolves around children, usually despite themselves having little to do with children. 3 out of 4 pedophiles have never sexually abused a child, with pedophiles making up 1-2% of the male population. Most child sexual abuse has nothing to do with pedophilia, and when it does have something to do with pedophilia, it usually does not involve any intent to harm. Most pedophilic adults who sexually abuse children are curious about what children look like naked. 

I myself have a history of sexually abusing children. I usually committed street harassment against children. I did not intend harm towards my victims, but instead was curious about their bodily attributes. I also committed sexual assault by the feminist understanding of the term, in my grandparents' attic with a cousin, meaning I freshened up the sides of her budding breasts. I was found not guilty by the police after a children's rights test was performed on me, because my writings showed that I did not intend harm to my cousin. I was initially accused of rape, and my cousin was accused of being a rape victim in relation to me. An uncle lodged a false and fraudulent prediction that I'd go on a string of rapes starting with a cousin. But, what I did, in and of itself, is inappropriate and sexually abusive. I deserve prison for what I did. My motive involved lack of understanding of boundaries, with most pedophiles instead knowing the boundaries in relation to children. I was an atheist at the time of my offenses, but now I know Christ and accept Him as my Savior, with God wanting me to avoid giving a child sexual attention. 

The depraved and decadent, defiled adults who rape or sexually offend against a child will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them descend into torrents of Hell-fire prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Repent! 

"Spare the rod, spoil the child": Why the rod verses in Proverbs are repealed verses

Many parents think it is acceptable to physically punish a child. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents cite the Bible to justify their choice to use physical punishment, usually by arguing the phrase "spare the rod, spoil the child". This phrase points to 6 verses in the book of Proverbs that mention the rod of correction. However, the rod of correction was never used in the Old Testament for purposes of parenting, and instead was a form of judicial corporal punishment.

One popular rod verse for parents to cite is Proverbs 13:24 KJV:

He who spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. 

The Hebrew word translated "son" is ben and refers to a mature adult son. The Hebrew word translated "rod" is shebet and refers to, in the context of the book of Proverbs, to the rod of correction, namely a switch. This passage, and those like it, ultimately refer to the 40 minus 1 lashes, applied to the bare back of an adult son, in the context of a courtroom setting, as a sentence for a crime. Striking a fellow Jew was prohibited under Jewish law except in the context of a courtroom, and striking a minor Jew was prohibited regardless. The reason for this commandment was that, otherwise, Jewish fathers would refuse to administer the blows that he was deputized by the court to impose.

All 6 verses that mention the rod of correction are repealed verses. Christ did away with the harsh punishments of the Old Testament with His Work on the cross. Christ endured the 40 minus 1 lashes from the Romans before being nailed to the cross. Thus, because Christ endured physical punishment unjustly, the Early Christians shunned all corporal and capital punishment of anyone.

The Bible does not speak of any "biblical spanking". The rod verses in Proverbs do not refer to any sort of Christian parenting, but instead refers to judicial corporal punishment. However, the Bible does weigh in on the spanking issue, and then some. See Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your child altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology to your child whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this passage ultimately was received as prohibiting all offenses towards children, as perceived by the child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals, with all of these parenting manuals advocated attachment parenting. Among these biblical writers writing attachment parenting manuals was King Solomon. King Solomon recommended intense closeness for the first 6 years of childhood, with children then wanting to please their parents in an affectionate way.

Anger at children alone was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Most parents in the Early Church were not motivated by anger, but instead were motivated by worry or concern. Christian parents in the Early Church were prohibited from having parent anger at their children. The only place where parents were allowed to ger angry was in the context of protecting their children from interlopers. Anger at a child then was seen as akin to a viper - maybe the child got some warning, but that's about it.

The Apostle Paul was a child advocate, meaning he was not a strongman in most cases. Paul was a very emotional man, and could cry at the drop of a hat. However, he became a strongman when advocating for children. Paul wrote many parenting manuals to many Christian parishes, all advocating attachment parenting. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Hebrews 12:5-6: Why this passage is not a pro-spanking passage

Many parents support the use of corporal punishment in parenting. Many times, parents cite Scripture as their excuse for spanking their child, with the passages cited consisting of a few verses in the book of Proverbs, as well as a passage in the book of Hebrews. However, the core of the pro-spanking argument rests on Hebrews 12:5-6. But, this verse has nothing to do with any "biblical spanking", but instead refers to enduring hardship.

God's Word on trials and tribulations is spelled out in Hebrews 12:5-6 KJV:

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

This passage, when understood correctly, is comforting to me. The Greek root word translated "scourgeth" is μαστιγόω (Latin: mastigoó) and can have a figurative meaning to it. This sort of language is known as "rod language". When a Christian in the Early Church got home from a long day at work, he instead said "God whipped me hard today". God does not literally reach down from the Heavens and whip His children. But, God does punish His children, like only He can, sending trials and tribulations the way of His children that He loves the most. However, God only punishes His children when it does not harm them, whereas earthly parents only punish their children when it does, in fact, harm them. The Apostle Paul here was comforting the Hebrew Christians in their persecution from Rome. 

The Bible nowhere speaks of any "biblical spanking". God does not want His Parenting methods used by earthly parents, as earthly parents might get it wrong. However, the Bible does weigh in on the spanking issue, and then some. See Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your child altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in your child. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, when you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase translating roughly to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this passage was ultimately received in the Early Church as prohibiting all offenses in children, as perceived by a child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

A staple punishment in the broader Greco-Roman world consisted of an open-handed spanking to the bare bottom. This sort of punitive parenting was seen by the Early Christians as pagan in nature, and was shunned as such. A few Greek Christian parents did punish their children this way, but Paul would have none of it, convicting the Greek Christian parents in question of their offenses against their children.

Any parent anger directed towards a child in the Early Church was seen as entitlement. Most parents in the Early Church did not have an entitled parental backbone. Instead, Christian parents in the Early Church were motivated by worry or concern. Anger at a child in a parent was instead seen as akin to a viper striking out against its prey - maybe the child was given a warning, but that was about it.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

 

Child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for expanding child abuse definitions

Many parents think that the ancients in the Bible had no concept of childhood, let alone child abuse. This is a common belief amongst American parents. Most American parents support the present-day definitions of child abuse. However, God's Law is above the law of the land. The ancients in the Bible had their own definition of child abuse - whatever the child victim perceives as abuse.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement consists of a parent who is sorely disappointed when they don't get the well-behaved child that they feel that they deserve. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing in relation to children just for existing. Even any parent anger directed towards a child is parental entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. Whenever this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived by a child as offensive or damaging, it was deemed child abuse. See also Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. Child abuse in the Bible, as a legal concept, consists of entitlement in parents, leading to offense in children. The key to not abusing your child is to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in your child, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, when you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as losing your cool with your child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translated to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was ultimately received then as prohibiting any offenses as perceived by a child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned in the Early Church, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers here to long-term damages imposed on a child, namely childhood trauma. The ancients in the Bible had a basic understanding of childhood trauma. If a child grew up to be atheist, shame fell onto the parents, not the child. An atheist was seen in the Early Church as an abused child, not a "lost soul" to be "won over".

The ancients in the Bible even had a concept of child sexual abuse. The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia) and refers here to any sexual relations outside of a Christian marriage between one adult man and one adult woman, with this marriage having to be equal in nature. A groom then was only allowed a bride his age, or else up to 4 years older. Any sexual relations with a child then was prohibited in the Early Church. Most child sexual abuse then happened in the form of father-child incest, and when that happened in the Early Church, the perpetrator was excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God. Most fathers kept a masturbatory fantasy going about their daughters, as a means of rechanneling their sex drive away from hitting their daughters directly. Child sexual abuse, in the biblical context, was rare, meaning next to non-existent, and was a huge moral outrage whenever it happened. 

Child abuse was prosecuted in the Early Church by way of internal church investigation. The investigation usually started out with a child confiding into a clergyperson about their home life. From there, the parents were subpoenaed to appear before a council of 3 elders. If the parents defended themselves at all, as opposed to answering to the court directly, they were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God. 

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation - were written by anti-spanking Jews, with no Jewish rabbi ever recommending punitive measures in parenting, then and now. All of the biblical writers also wrote parenting manuals advocating for attachment parenting. Even King Solomon wrote an attachment parenting manual for minor children, with the rod of correction in Proverbs referring to the 40 minus 1 lashes, towards an adult son, as a sentence for a crime. It just so happens that these parenting manuals were not translated into English until the 1960s.

The Bible is America's book. America is a Christian nation, founded on Judeo-Christian values. We as a society glean from the Bible and its context for answers as to how to live and treat each other with respect. Even our legal codes largely are based off of biblical teaching. However, the "reasonable chastisement" defense is based off of dated biblical teaching. It is about time we abolish the "reasonable chastisement" defense, and expand the child abuse definitions, under both state and federal law, to prohibit any abuse as perceived by the child victim.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torrents, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Abortion: Why abortion benefits men and harms women

Most people have an opinion on abortion. Most American mothers on the political left support abortions for other women "if they need it". Most American mothers would never get an abortion themselves, but allow for other women to get abortions. Abortion isn't what most women think it is.

Abortion isn't a procedure involving the doctor reaching into the vagina of the mother and pulling out a baby. Abortion involves a prescription of a category of drugs known as abortifacients. Abortifacients are drugs that induce a miscarriage. The baby is still going to come out, but only in a state of being stillborn. Most women who learn this come to oppose abortions. If most women knew what abortion is, they wouldn't support abortions.

The Bible is anti-abortion. The Greek root word translated "murder" in the New Testament is φονος (Latin: phonos) and refers here to any death other than natural death. This was seen then as prohibiting murder in the womb, with childhood in the Early Church beginning at conception. Whenever a woman got an abortion in the Early Church, the mother and the man impregnating her were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God. Most women murdered their unborn children by drinking abortifacient teas. Such herbal drugs did not grow in Ancient Israel during the time of the Old Testament being written. Whenever such teas were caught at the border, they were treated as contraband, and were kept out.

Most men benefit from abortions. Many men pressure women into abortions in order to escape the responsibility of being a father. Also, abortion removes the consequences of male promiscuity, including sexual violence such as rape. When men are faced with the possibility of fathering a child, they are more reluctant to sleep around town. Ask any young woman who is pro-life - the men go elsewhere.

Abortion is also bad for women. Abortion doesn't stop the baby from passing through the birth canal. Instead, the baby comes out stillborn. This experience is traumatic for mothers. Most mothers regret the lost time spent with the child that they killed. Only the coldest of mothers defend abortion as a right. A mother who got an abortion in the Early Church was seen as cold on the nurturing side, and was ostracized from Christian society then. Most women in the Early Church were warm and kind on the nurturing. 

An unborn child is a valid child. Only half of the baby's DNA belongs to the mother. The other half of the baby's DNA belongs to the father. Thus, the unborn child is not a part of the mother's body - it is a body within the mother's body. If you truly support the science on genetics, you must support the rights of the unborn.

Being pro-life does not end at birth. I support paid parental leave for all mothers, for the first 6 years of childhood. I also support a social safety net that supports all human beings from conception to natural death - from the womb to the tomb. Whenever the government takes care of core expenses such as healthcare or parental leave, that leaves less expenses for working families to worry about. I support, to fund these expenses, abolishing the IRS and having a federal sales tax to fund a governmental safety net. I support the free market and a safety net, all in one. I support, as a Christian, caring for the poor and the vulnerable, and that includes with my tax dollars. I don't mind paying more in sales tax. See Matt. 25:31-46. 

Most women have natural instincts telling them not to get abortions themselves. The problem is that most women support abortions for other women. If they knew that abortion is a medically induced miscarriage, they wouldn't support it. Most women can wait in order to have the baby naturally, and then they can put the baby up for adoption. Either way, the baby is coming out, dead or alive. Pregnancy is not a big deal for a woman if she is in touch with her maternal instincts fully, even if the child wasn't planned. No nurturant mother ever defends abortion in first-person as a "choice". 

The depraved and entitled mothers who murder their children in the womb, and all those who aid and abet, will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them descend into the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent!

Child discipline: How to discipline your child without punitive measures

Many parents want their children to have discipline. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most parents have discipline as a goal of theirs. However, most American parents equate discipline with punishment. However, there are better ways to teach discipline than punitive measures.

God's Law on child discipline is spelled out in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza clarifies for the second that discipline should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking your child. However, it is not enough for parents to stop spanking their children, or even stop punishing their children altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just as hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt your child's feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt your child's feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit never to lose your cool with your child ever again, as any parent anger directed towards a child alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This first stanza of this commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents in the parish at Ephesus who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanction on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this commandment was received as any offenses as perceived by the child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

The second stanza of this commandment spells out what discipline is acceptable, with the first stanza ruling out anything punitive with a child. The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers here to a certain specific form of nurturing, namely of the teaching sort. Christian parents in the Early Church looked for preferred behaviors in children, with the main one of these behaviors being self-discipline. When parents saw preferred behaviors in children, the child was lavishly praised and encouraged to keep up the good work. Christian parents in the Early Church set a good example for their children, but then backed it up with praise and encouragement, as opposed to punishment or force. Children also need religious instruction, as religion is a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly translated as "instruction" in more modern versions of the Bible. The Apostle Paul here was discussing religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were lavishly praised and encouraged to keep on studying, with fathers then adding "you can ask me any question about that book". From there, religious instruction came in the form of question and answer, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers as to the context. This method of catching children in the act of being good is the Hebraic tradition of positive reinforcement. This Hebraic tradition is also a part of the Jewish faith, and predates the coming of Christ by thousands of years.

Occasionally, parents need to set limits with their children. However, children accepting those limits is a whole other story. Whenever a child cannot accept a set limit, you as the parent must apologize whenever a limit hurts their feelings. Usually, all that is needed is an informal apology. However, if you set a limit out of anger or haste, you definitely need to give a formal apology whenever you hurt their feelings with your anger.

Parent anger directed towards children was not seen as acceptable as motivation for parenting. Most Christian parents in the Early Church were not motivated by anger, but instead were motivated by worry or concern. Anger at children was seen then as akin to a viper lashing out at a defenseless child - maybe the child got some warning, but that was about it. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to wrath through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Passing down the faith: How to instruct your child in the Lord without punitive measures

Many parents think that children should have values. This is a common goal amongst American parent. However, most Christian parents in particular feel the need to beat a religious education into a child. However, religion is a human need for children and adults alike. Children can learn the Christian faith almost entirely on their own.

God's Law on child discipline, including religious instruction, is spelled out in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

This first stanza clarifies for the second that religious instruction should not hurt. The Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers here to offenses or damages, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by a child, stemming from entitlement. It is one thing to stop spanking children. However, it is not enough to stop spanking your child, or even stop punishing your child altogether for that matter. You need to avoid offense in children. Avoiding offense in children is the same as avoiding offense in other adults. Just like hurt feelings are inevitable in relations between adults, hurt feelings are also inevitable in children when dealing with them. Thus, in order to avoid offense in children, you need to be willing to give a meaningful apology whenever you hurt their feelings. Usually, all that is necessary is a reassurance of good intent coming from parents, in the form of an informal apology, whenever you hurt their feelings with limits not set out of anger, such as "I'm sorry, but I had to set X limit for Y reasons". However, if you ever lose your cool with your child as a parent, including while setting limits, you definitely need to give a formal apology for hurting your child's feelings with your anger, such as "I apologize for losing my temper with you", and then commit to never losing your cool with your child ever again, as parent anger directed towards children alone is entitlement, and was seen as entitlement in the Early Church. This stanza of this commandment cross-references the Eighth and the Tenth Commandments, with the Apostle Paul here convicting a group of Greek Christian parents in the parish at Ephesus who brought into the church their pagan custom of patrias potestas, which is a Latin phrase roughly translating to "power to the parent", namely the power to impose punitive sanctions on children, such as spanking or other forms of punishment of children. However, this stanza of this commandment ultimately was received as a prohibition on all offenses or damages as perceived by a child. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punitive parenting in his secular writings. Attachment parenting was banned under Roman law, but the Early Christians did it anyway, obeying God over men.

Children do not need to have religion beaten into them. Religion is a human need for children and adults alike. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and is more aptly diagnosed as "instruction". The Apostle Paul here was discussing religious instruction. Starting at age 6, fathers left out a Bible for children to discover and explore. When children were caught in the act of studying the Bible, they were given lavish praise and encouragement to keep on studying. Fathers then said to children something along the lines of "you can ask me anything about that book". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, with children being curious about Scripture, and with fathers giving pointers on the context. 

A common way to instruct children in the Lord is to "break the will" of children. In many Christian households, children are punished for "having a will" as soon as they are mobile. However, a child does not have a will to be broken. A child simply wants things, in most cases from you as a parent. In most cases, children aren't asking for much, so why not give them what they want. 

Many Christian parents rush the natural religious development of their children. One way parents do this is by forcing their child into grateful positions. However, grateful positions come on their own, with grateful postures being a sign of healthy religious development. I myself tie my hands behind my back, and nobody made me as a child.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to wrath through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast forever into the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the abyss which is the ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath day and night forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!