What is a criminal?: Why children shouldn't be disciplined

Many parents believe that if they do not punish their children, they will grow up to be criminals. Most people do not understand what a criminal is, and punish children to "beat the criminal" out of them. Monsters aren't born. They are bred.

The police are pro-spanking as an establishment, but a great deal of police are actually anti-spanking in their personal lives, but because the law says otherwise, they have to endorse the law. Most police would agree with me when I define a criminal. A criminal is someone who needs punishment to function in society without hurting others. Many criminals beg to go back to prison when caught re-offending, and many criminals report actually committing crimes just to go back to prison. This is because of the structure of prison - it is the same strict structure that they had growing up, meaning for many American children, growing up is as structured as prison, and that kind of structure makes one dependent on more structure, so criminals commit crimes, and then go to prison.

You don't discipline a child. You invite them to accept discipline as a vocation. The Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:1-4 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor thy father and 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 anger: 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 specific standard of Christian discipline in parents in relation to children, namely one that is entitled to nothing, but grateful for everything, especially in relation to children. Children owe parents nothing, and parents owe children everything. This here form of discipline leads to a chastened up example in relation to children, backed up by instruction of children as a righteous test, meaning that if a child does not heed instruction the first time, it is assumed that they don't understand the instructions they were given, so they are cut a break and then simply kept safe, with this way of setting instructions denoted by the Greek root word translated "admonition" which is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and refers to God's loving instruction mixed with righteous test. It is testing to see what instructions your child is ready to understand, as though child development is pretty predictable, every child develops differently. Usually, this instruction is the rare word "no" when absolutely necessary, and an explanation given. This is all backed up by the Greek root word translated "provoke...to wrath" which is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. It is the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch and speech perceived by the child. The Apostle Paul here was lifting up the Law on punishing and controlling children. The mere punishment and controlling demeanor towards children was dealt with severely by the religious authorities in both Ancient Israel and the Early Church, and incurred bloodlust in both contexts. The seven verses that depict the rod of correction are repealed verses, meaning they are only relevant to the context in which they were given to. This is because these verses do not refer to a "biblical spanking", but to a dated form of judicial corporal punishment closely associated with the death penalty in ancient Israel - the 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction, as a last warning before being put to death, administered to an ADULT children after a criminal conviction by a Sanhedrin, with the father as an accessory appointed by the state to whip his own adult son. Minor children could not be legally whipped, as being whipped required a criminal conviction, and minor children could not stand trial under the Law in order to be convicted for criminal offenses or civil wrongs that they committed.

What will encourage children to take up the example of their parents? Christian love is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to being convicted of the every need of one's child, putting children first, and parents last, to the point of dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, being a bondservant to one's child, leading to secure and safe rest in parents. This restful surrender into the loving arms of parents is denoted by the English verb "obey" and the corresponding Greek root word υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo), and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in parents. This refers to a secure parent-child bond, with Ancient Israel and the Early Church both being attachment parenting societies. This rest is one where children can be themselves, and tell parents anything and everything under the sun, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. Children who rest in the love and grace of parents usually, then, internalize the example of their parents, taking after their parents. Children naturally look up to parents in this regard, so chasten yourself up in the Lord, and allow your child to take up that chastened up example. This is known as co-regulation.

Most children in America are punished for developmentally-appropriate behaviors, meaning behaviors understandable given their age and development. Most childish behavior that annoys the parents, but not the child or anyone else, is a phase. Some children scream at the top of their lungs in the store, and they are going through a phase where they like hearing the sound of their voice. They just discovered their voice, and they are testing to see how far (or loud) their voice will go. Just leave it go, and be the one that is silent and shamefaced around them. This way, when they are older, they will want to discipline themselves just like you.

When a child disciplines themselves in relation to a role model, they absorb and internalize life lessons at their own pace. Criminality occurs when structure is instead imposed on children, in which case they are unable to think for themselves and morally decide for themselves, based on proper input, what is right versus wrong. They will become dependent on this structure for the rest of their lives, and when there is nobody to reel them in, they will be more likely to commit crimes, usually in an opportunistic fashion. Thus, anyone in America can become a criminal given the collective punitive upbringing we as a country have endured in the United States.

Children should not be discipline, but should be invited to take up a vocation of discipline by their parents. Children naturally want to follow the example of their parents, and take after their parents, to the best of their ability, and so we don't need imposed structure systems. What children need is someone to lean on and learn from by example, and then take after that parent or adult. Then, they will be able to think for themselves as to what is moral or immoral, and then they will do the right thing, even when nobody is watching. This is how parents raised their children in biblical times.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke 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 ever-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!