Family values: Why attachment parenting passes them down best

The main opposition to a ban on corporal punishment is based on family values arguments, meaning parents cling to specific parenting methods that are intended to pass down a specific tradition, usually religious in nature. The main argument in the United States is that "those values are obsolete". I disagree strongly and sharply, being a conservative Christian myself. America is a Christian country, and we will never outgrow our own Judeo-Christian family values. It is the methodology that passes them down that is dated and needs updating.

Attachment parenting is a time-honored parenting tradition. In fact, it is more time-honored than punitive parenting throughout the world. Everywhere in the world, at one time in ancient history, raised children in a securely attached home environment. Christian family values are a values system that can be passed down with attachment parenting, and that is because it has been in the past, with the heyday of Christian attachment parenting being in the 1st Century Christian church.

It says in Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and thy mother, for this is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long upon the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers to a certain standard of Christian discipline in parents, namely one that is entitled to nothing from parents, and grateful for everything. Children owe parents nothing, and parents owe children everything, with this forming a chastened up example for children to follow, backed up by a rare, agreed-upon warning that certain wants are unsafe or unsafe, not backed up by punishment, as denoted by the Greek root word νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia), which refers to a verbal warning for mainly unsafe behavior or that a want is unattainable, with most childhood behavior being left go in order to phase out, as most all childish behavior is a phase, not bad behavior or behavior deserving of punishment. This is weighed by the Greek root word παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers to provocations to anger, meaning any and all offenses against children, as defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul to include any form of punitive parenting, including any punishment or control such as spanking or corporal punishment. Paul here was rebuking Greek Christians who held onto the idolatrous, pagan custom of spanking children predominant throughout Greco-Roman society. Punishment of a child was legally defensible under Roman law, but never Jewish law. Corporal punishment did exist in the Bible, but only in the Old Testament, but only as a sentence for crime, and only for ADULT children. Minor children were not legally responsible for their actions, and could not stand trial. Parents were to apologize in court for the damages caused by their child's mischief, to show that they weren't entitled or permissive as parents. If they blamed the child, they were punitive, and if they defended the child, they were permissive.

Passing down any values system takes a good example, but how do you motivate that example? The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to trust in parents, leading to listening by taking after an example. Replace "obey" and "trust" and you come to a roughly better translation. This is a special form of trust, borne out of maternal warmth and sustenance, leading to respect for parents and their example to children. Children in biblical times were swaddled to their mother's bosom with swaddling bands, wrapped up right next to mother, being nourished with skin-to-skin closeness, with children up until age 3 treated as infants and breastfed. Children were nourished by the sustaining care of their parents, and grew up to respect their parents naturally, without fear of punishment, and took after their parents in terms of example. 

Punishment drives a child away from the good example of a parent, meaning punishment tars any example or values imparted by a parent. Rebellion against values in adolescence isn't the natural course of things. Rebellion against values in the Bible was more based off of the child seeking independence, and thus shaking off their parents, aging out of the closeness to their parents. From there, it was a mad dash for the child to prove their independence to their parents, who then nodded with approval. Therefore, good Christian family values don't themselves punish children, by my expertise as an advocate, but instead any values system associated with punishment. 

America is a Christian nation, founded on Judeo-Christian family values. Those values will always exist, but do not need to be handed down using punishment of any kind. All you need is a good role model for children in parents. A good Christian example is made more powerful by secure attachment. Parents that are easy to talk to by day, and snuggle with by night, are the ones that earn their keep and respect in modeling good values to children. The values can stay the same, but have a different mode of being imparted onto children. We can have our family values and not be controlling or punitive with children in the slightest.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them burn in the lake of fire and burning sulfur, which is the second death prepared for Satan and his accomplices! Let them descend into the everlasting fire of Hell and torment, suffering God's Wrath in fear forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!