Reverent rebellion: Why the entitlement of children is understandable in nature

Many parents believe that children are entitled, and that is why they need discipline, usually in the form of punishment. The Christian teaching is that children are naturally rebellious. What does this mean for children? Under my Christian family values, children ARE entitled and rebellious, but isn't that what makes children who they are? Isn't it understandable that someone so young and inexperienced would be entitled and rebellious in their traits? 

The centerpiece of an attached Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao). This refers to Christian Agape love for children, namely prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing and non-conforming traits, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. In this accepting environment, children will then take after their parents, wanting to be like them, then following their example, with parents being their children's first role models. Children will not listen right away, meaning children have immature developmental traits, and thus a child of a certain age will not understand what is being told of them, as they are too young and their brain hasn't developed enough to even understand what parents or adults are asking of them.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, especially child abuse. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is the slightest of offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech, coming from entitlement. Child abuse, at minimum, is prosecutable as kidnapping/grand theft, or maybe fornication if the offense was sexual in nature. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek origin were misusing the book of Proverbs to justify their punitive parenting habits. Paul was warning these parents that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature - a list of wise sayings - and not a book of parenting commands. The rod verses, in context, do not even refer to raising children, but to a form of judicial corporal punishment that was part of how Judaism was practiced then, meaning the 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction to warn an evildoing ADULT child of them being put to death.

Children in biblical times were seen very differently than they are seen today. Children today are seen as pure and innocent. That was not the view of children in Ancient Jewish society, including the Early Church. Children were seen as naturally rebellious, but in an excused way that today can be applied as pro-social permissiveness. Children caused mischief, and children were expected to cause mischief. Children ran around the house, knocked valuables over, made messes, and then laughed about it - and parents and other adults laughed along. 

Children in biblical times were demanding in nature, meaning they gave clear orders, and as a parent, you were to give in and give up the fight, giving them everything the needed/wanted. Children weren't gracious in demanding their needs, and they weren't expected to be. They were seen as little human beings needing to be fierce in order to survive.

Christian love is about loving people for their flaws, not despite them, meaning wanting to serve your neighbor, including children, for their flaws, not despite them. Parents in biblical times doted on their children for their flaws, not despite their flaws, seeing childhood entitlement as understandable in an endearing way. Children were not forced into a narrow role of purity and innocence like American children are today, but were expected to cause a little trouble, run around, and rebel against adults, and adults just had to deal with it.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Co-sleeping in the Bible: Why co-sleeping is crucial to a secure parent-child bond

Many parents think that co-sleeping is a bad thing. Some sexualize the practice, and some simply fear children becoming "dependent" on sleep next to parents. The fact of the matter is that co-sleeping is the most time-honored parenting tactic in the book, and serves to tether the parent-child bond, bringing children close to parents, and vice versa.

The centerpiece of an attached Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, which is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their minds, including admissions of wrongdoing or non-conforming traits, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. Children in this sort of restful, secure environment take after their parents, wanting to be like parents, which leads to children following the example of parents and other adults. Children won't follow your example right away, as children of a certain developmental level will not understand how to behave, meaning a child's brain isn't fully developed yet. When the brain isn't fully developed, a child will not be able to understand instructions from parents the first time, or the next time, or the next for that matter. When they are teenagers and young adults, they should be able to follow the disciplined example of Christian parents.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch and speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement, and is prosecutable as kidnapping/grand theft. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christians for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek origin were misusing the book of Proverbs as a justification for their punishment habits even in the 1st Century, when this passage was written. Paul was warning parents then that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature - a list of wise sayings - and not a book that carries commands on parenting. The rod verses in particular refer to a practice in Judaism - a form of judicial corporal punishment - and at that, a dated Jewish practice. It does not refer to anything regarding raising children.

Young children up until age 6 often have trouble going to sleep on their own. This is a common motive for punishing a child - they just won't go to bed. This is because they are still too young to sleep on their own. Children under age 6 have primal instincts that alarm them that there might be predators around if they aren't next to mothers all of the time. In ancient times, predators included snakes and scorpions, but also the human kind. Fathers had a parent attraction to their children, usually of the low-level connotational level, with children being naked everywhere they went. Mothers slept next to children in biblical times, guarding children until they felt safe sleeping on their own...The context contained herein this paragraph is crucial in understanding the importance of co-sleeping.

Children, yes, were naked wherever they went. Mothers also were naked when at home, in order to serve their husbands and children, separately. Mothers didn't just sleep next to their children to get them to sleep, but slept next to them the whole night through, with the young child snuggled up next to mother, in skin-to-skin fashion, engaging in pure closeness and intimacy with young children. Mothers were completely disrobed, and the children naked, when mothers slept next to their children, with children up until age 3 being breastfed throughout the night...This context may seem dated, but it can be applied today, if the intent on both ends is sexually pure.

Children in biblical times shook off their parents on their own regarding co-sleeping. Children started going to bed on their own at different, graduating ages starting at age 6, slowly spending more time away from parents, yet in their supervision nonetheless. Sleep dependence is a myth fueled by limited research as opposed to the rich experience of attachment parents. Even with children with autism or other developmental disorders, children shake off their parents eventually, usually in their mid teens. In attachment parenting homes, the shaking off of parents with children with developmental disabilities is simply a gradual struggle to be independent that may take years into adulthood, and starts with the adolescent child automatically and instinctively knowing that they are older, and adjusting to their age by shaking off their parents.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! 

Crying: Why children of all ages should be allowed to cry

Crying is seen as a behavioral issue in children by a lot of parents. Most parents in the United States punish their children for crying once over a certain age, or at all with some parents. However, crying is communication in all children, not just babies. Your child cries for the same reason a baby does - the child wants love.

The centerpiece of an attached Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, as denoted in the New Testament by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or anything else, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but from restful trust in parents, with children being able to vent anything and everything into parents, crying out for love and then being listened to. Children, once in a restful, listening environment, start following the example of parents, taking after a parent (usually of the same sex), wanting to be like parents. Children don't immediately take after parents. Below a certain age, they cannot possibly hold the same standards that parents hold to themselves, but they try, fall down, get up, then try again. Parents should be the primary role models of children, and should treat children the way they want their children to treat others when they are older.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement, with entitlement being want to the point of imposition. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek origin were misusing the book of Proverbs to justify their punitive parenting habits even in the 1st Century, when this passage was recorded. Paul was warning these parents that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature - a list of sayings - and not a book that gives parenting commands. Paul was anti-spanking, and opposed all punishment of a child, as was King Solomon. The rod verses in Proverbs does not refer to parenting, but to a custom of judicial corporal punishment in Judaism, as it was practiced during Solomon's time - the 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction. All of these verses are repealed verses, meaning all seven of them.

Children cry for a specific reason - they need love. That isn't only a reason for babies to cry. Not just babies cry because they want love. Young children, and sometimes even older children with a developmental disability and/or mood disorder, cry because they want attention. When a child cries to seek out attention, give them some attention - maybe take them for a walk, maybe also talk about something that interests them. Some children need very little attention, some children need constant attention, and everywhere in between. Even when you are supervising a child, that may not be enough attention.

There is a quick way for a mother to soothe the crying of her child - hold the child close to the top of the mother's bosom. In a family home, this can be done with a mother completely or partially disrobing, and inviting the child to do so as well, with the child being held at the upper cleavage end of the bosom. Nude skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy with a child is not sexual battery if there is no sexual intent on either end. The bosom of mothers is there to nurture children, not for men to sexually objectify and leer at. In public, simply holding a child to that area of the bosom can stop the crying within seconds, and then the child, if they have the words, will tell you why they were upset. Fathers can reassure children too, and should expect to feel parent attraction in a way that may make them more motivated to be a nurturing and loving father, but not enough attraction to lead to sexual abuse. Reassurance from fathers should come in the form of holding a child under age 3 in his arms, and with older children, holding them to his shoulder to give children a shoulder to cry on.

The abovementioned parenting methods were used in biblical times. Children up until age 6 did not leave the side of mothers. Children went naked, and women went naked in the home as well to serve both their children and their husband, separately. Mothers served their children by giving them full skin-to-skin closeness, being co-mingled to her with swaddling blankets when out in public, then sleeping next to her children in skin-to-skin closeness by night. Children rested in their mother's bosom, and were invited forth to her bosom when they were crying or upset.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

 

Attachment parenting in the Bible: A family tradition

Many parents think punitive parenting is a family tradition, and cite the Bible as justification for that "family tradition". It is a common mistake that the Bible allows for the punishment of children. The fact of the matter is that attachment parenting is the accepted norm throughout the Bible. Attachment parenting is the most time-honored form of parenting ever practiced by parents.

The centerpiece of an attached Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: as is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead comes from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their minds, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. This sort of environment leads to children taking after their parents, wanting to be like their parents, and then following their example in terms of values and demeanor. Children did not take after their parents right away, meaning young children were still free spirits, but when children were older, they started taking after their parents, usually the parent of the same sex, looking up to parents, wanting to be like them.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch and speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek origin were using the book of Proverbs as a justification for their punishment habits even in the 1st Century, when this passage was written. Paul was warning Greek Christian parents that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature - meaning wise sayings - and not divine instructions on how to raise children. Paul himself was anti-spanking and was against punishing a child for any reason, as was King Solomon. Proverbs wasn't referring to switching a child, but to applying a switch to an ADULT child who was convicted of a criminal act. The rod verses in Proverbs were specific to Judaism, and specifically how Judaism was practiced in the Old Testament.

Mothers and fathers served different roles in a child's life. Mothers provided nourishment and sustenance to children, namely breastmilk and skin-to-skin closeness respectively. Children went naked wherever they went, and women traditionally were naked in the family home to serve their husbands and children, separately. Mother and child snuggled in the nude, with mothers sleeping next to their young children by night, and co-mingled to their young children with swaddling blankets by day. Mothers held their children close to their bosom, especially young children under age 6, with swaddling blankets, with children never leaving the side of mothers until age 6, being guarded from the self-interest of their fathers. Fathers took a more casual role, encouraging children in their self-directed religious education, otherwise hanging out with their children, being passive to their demands like a human ragdoll. Fathers usually had connotational sexual attraction to children, of the "sun tan spray" sort. It came out as an extra drive to nurture the child on an equal level, but in a way that mothers knew there was something behind it. Child sexual abuse was still seen as wicked even then, and adult fornicators of children were excommunicated from Christian churches, and put to death in the Old Testament. Fathers spoke of their children in flowery, baroque language to answer for their attractions in court...This context may be dated a little bit, but most of it is applicable, at least with some tweaking.

Free play was allowed in biblical times, but with supervision. Many of the games played were high-risk in nature, with the most high-stakes game being "marriage", where a wedding ceremony was reinacted. Marriage contracts then were signed on the dotted line by the husband to the wife by way of sexual intercourse. Most children simply embraced when pretend-playing that scene. Sometimes, however, a child did try to penetrate, and then the two were separated, the sternest penalty a Hebrew or Christian parent could set forth. Boys were reassured "you'll get a chance, someday"...This context is to help the reader understand what parents were really like in Ancient Israel and the Early Church.

The depraved and entitled parents will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Pro-social listening, pro-social crying/punching bag, pro-social vulnerability: How to deal with aggressive behaviors in children

Many parents are perplexed by their child's aggressive or otherwise destructive behaviors. This is a common theme in some children, especially those with mood disorders such as bipolar disorder. Many parents and schools both seek out aversive strategies in dealing with behaviors that don't change the behavior, and in fact, make it worse. The fact of the matter is that vulnerability tactics are better in dealing with aggressive or destructive behaviors in children. 

Many adults think that an aggressive child needs more structure. They, in fact, need less, and a safe place to be themselves as well, which the family home should serve. Children who are chronically aggressive either learned the habit or have a mood disorder, or both. Either way, the answer is LESS discipline, not more, and with the child being cut many breaks. One of the best things my one school vice principal did was send me home on medical leave, because I couldn't function even though I wanted to in school. It literally was a physical ailment of the brain. More schools should react in this way.

The centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV: 

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead comes from restful trust in parents. When a child with bipolar disorder trusts you as a parent, you end up hearing all their feelings, including their physical aggression. Respect for parents in biblical times was based off of trust to the point of venting to parents. Then, children took after the example of their parents later in life.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, refers to the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul is lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek origin were using the book of Proverbs to justify their punishment habits even in the 1st Century, when this passage was being written. Paul was warning that Proverbs was simply wisdom literature, not a set of commands on how to raise a child. The Apostle Paul was anti-spanking, and opposed punishing a child for any reason, as was the case with King Solomon. The rod verses in Proverbs instead describe the 40 minus 1 lashes as a form of judicial corporal punishment, imposed once on an ADULT child - as a last warning before being put to death.

The first line of defense with aggressive behavior is listening and validating upsets. A mother can do this by holding her child to the top of her bosom, with the child then surrendering into her arms in skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy. This usually de-escalates children immediately, and then their anger turns into crying. This is a quick trick to de-escalate a ramming up child, with or without mood disorders. This is what mothers in biblical times did for their children.

Sometimes, that doesn't work, in which case you incur an attack from the child (Matt. 5:38-39). The goal is not to hurt yourself, but to surrender to being helpless as a parent to help your child feel better, so you take the punches, and cry to admit helplessness over the situation with your child. Your child should then stop crying, and then reconciliation can occur. Children will likely want to fix the harm they caused, and scramble to reassure their parent, and it would be like they snapped out of it. 

A rage attack in a child with bipolar disorder or other mood disorders is a seizure-like explosion of anger, usually triggered by the word "no". The fight-or-flight centers of the brain just light up, as if the child was fighting for dear life, say, to get a piece of candy. Do care to say "yes" to as many things as possible with these children to avoid power struggles leading to a violent outburst. 

No mood disorder in a child can be treated without medication. Medication first, then dealing with behaviors, though you might find that medication has a transformative effect on your child. It is a myth that gentle parents are all anti-medication. It is more likely that punitive parents are anti-medication because they see it as "the easy way out" for children, who "really just need a good spanking/whipping/whopping" or something along those lines. That only triggers aggression in these children, meaning they are highly sensitive people, but in a repressed way where they even see the word "no" as the end of the world. 

The depraved and entitled parents will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 evet-burning Hell of fire and torment, suffering God's Wrath forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Forgiveness of parents: Why you don't have to forgive your abusive parents

Many parents think that their children have to forgive them. This is a common belief among parents. Parental rights groups spread the false message that parents should be forgiven. Forgiveness is not an emotional matter in the Christian faith, but is a matter of law. With independent adult children, guilt can be mutual between parent and child, meaning just as a parent can sue their child at court, so can a child sue their parents at court.

Christ said on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:14-15 KJV:

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

The Greek root word translated "trespasses" is παραπτομα (Latin: paraptoma) and refers to legal trespasses committed from neighbor to neighbor. This meant mainly civil wrongs, but also every criminal act under Christian law except fornication. In context, this referred to forgiveness based on the apology of the offender, and the genuineness of said apology.

There are two main types of forgiveness

1. Acquittal (charges erased)
2. Exoneration (charges deemed false based on evidence)

An acquittal usually happens before the trial, and is simply letting go of a personal offense, meaning there was an offense committed, but it wasn't recorded by the judgment of the Christian. Exoneration happens after the trial, when you have the wrong person or else mistakenly judged someone in some other way. An acquittal can be reversed in court with repeated infractions. An exoneration can be reversed with new evidence, in which case the exoneration never existed to begin with. An acquittal can also occur with a sincere apology to the victim that was harmed by the offense. Forgiveness is mandatory if the plaintiff perceives the offender as genuine in his/her apology. All forgiveness means is the statement "I acknowledge your apology" meaning a record of the offender saying sorry. You don't have to trust an offender right away, and if you are wrong in your acquittal, and they re-offend, cast them back.

Forgiveness is the opposite of non-existence by way of biblical standards. Proper non-existence is when the offender has egressed at the orders of the plaintiff, and is obligated to be quiet to the victim they wronged to the point of perceptual non-existence. Forgiveness is appearing to the victim again, and making amends. It is an uphill curve for the offender, not the plaintiff, meaning the plaintiff can simply choose not to forgive if the offender appears ingenuine in some way, by the victim's perception. An offense perceived, when coming from entitlement, is like a restraining order, meaning the Bible allows for the victim/plaintiff to send away their abuser, and harass the abuser in a pro-social manner until the abuser does not exist, and the victim does not perceive the abuser. Forgiveness is not for everyone. Christ never said that. Christ simply said to forgive your enemies when they turn themselves into you, and mean what they say when they are apologetic.

Minor children could not be charged with any moral legal offense by a parent, and nor could dependent adult children. But, among independent adult children, judgment was mutual, meaning just as parents could judge their children, children could judge their parents. Abused children who judged their parents were seen as discouraged children, and such was a shame on the parents for their own actions. 

Let the depraved and entitled parents BURN in everlasting Hell-fire! Repent!

Why punishment of children is banned in the Bible

Many parents punish their children in order to "get them to listen". This is a common mistake made by parents, and an abusive one. The commandment not to provoke children to anger prohibits punishment of children, as well as any controlling demeanor towards children. God's Law is the law of the land.

The centerpiece of an attached Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable trust in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their minds, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. This form of safe environment encouraged children to want to be like parents, and follow their loving example. Children don't pick up the example right away, but as they get older, they are more like their parents, and more cooperative with parents.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek origin were misusing the book of Proverbs to justify their punishment habit even in the 1st Century, when this passage was written. Paul here was warning that Proverbs is merely wisdom literature - a bunch of sayings - not a book for parenting commands. Paul was against punishing a child for any reason, as was King Solomon. The book of Proverbs refers to an archaic form of judicial corporal punishment designed for ADULT children, and one that was carried out once in a lifetime - the 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction, as a final warning before putting a repeat criminal offender to death.

Punishment of ANY child is a moral crime. Punitive parenting arose out of mistranslations reeking of Greco-Roman cultural bias when the Bible was translated into Latin. The Hebrew root word translated "child" in all of the rod verses is נַעֵר (Latin: na'ar) and refers to a young man, not a minor child. The Roman Catholic Church pandered to the punishment habits of European pagans, absorbing those pagan methods of parenting into Christianity. The true teachings of Christianity concerning parenting are attachment based.

The alternative to punishment is to form a secure parent-child bond. Children went naked wherever they went, and women were traditionally naked in the family home, to please both their husbands and their children, separately. Mothers held children close to their bosom in skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy. Children up until age 6 never left the side of their mothers, and children much older, perhaps into adulthood, slept next to mothers...This context may be a bit dated, but can be applied today, perhaps with sone tweaking.

Most punishment happens at bedtime. Children in Ancient Israel and the Early Church slept next to mothers up until age 6 at the very least, and usually even older. This was because children then, like today, were naturally afraid of predators in the home coming and eating them up. This is a valid fear in a child, as most child sexual abuse takes place in the child's own home. The idea is to give in and give up, sleeping next to your child, as a 2- or 3-year-old is not old enough to sleep on their own. They need a bodyguard, so to speak, and no bodyguard is as protective as a mother. It is recommended that mothers partially or fully disrobe, and invite children to do the same, for full skin-to-skin comfort and safety. 

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast in to 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Why to have a secure parent-child bond with your child

Many parents think children need to be in fearful compliance to adults, and be afraid of adults, and that the Bible commands it all. This is a misunderstanding of both children and Scripture. God wants parents to have a secure parent-child bond. 

Christian love is the centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship, and is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead comes from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. This sort of environment leads to children following the example of parents, wanting to be like either a combination of both parents or a preferred parent.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch and speech perceived by the child. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek descent were misusing the book of Proverbs to justify their punishment and abuse of children even in the 1st Century, when this passage was written. Paul himself was anti-spanking, and opposed punishing a child for any reason.

The goal of every Christian parent was a secure parent-child bond. Mothers and fathers took different roles in raising children. Mothers took the role of providing nourishment and sustenance, namely breastmilk and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy. Children went naked wherever they went, and women were traditionally naked in the family home, both to serve their husbands and their children separately. Children were served by mothers snuggling next to them with both mother and child in the nude, in skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy. Fathers took a more casual role that was encouraging in nature, namely by encouraging a child's self-chosen religious education. Fathers usually had a parent attraction of a connotational nature, meaning an attraction on the level of "sun tan spray". The ancients did have a concept of child sexual abuse, and raping or sexually assaulting a child under the age of majority was seen as wicked and evil. Fathers displayed their parent attractions to the court by speaking of their children, especially older daughters, in baroque, flowery language. Most men had some level of pedophilia then, usually for their own children and not so much other children...Some of this context is dated, but much of it can be applied today as it was then.

If a child is crying, there is a quick maneuver to deal with the crying. Mothers in particular should hold their child to their bosom and reassure them. This form of closeness stops crying immediately, while at the same time encouraging openness and honesty with parents. The first step is to hold the child to your bosom as a mother, and the second step is to reassure them of your presence. Fathers can reassure children too. Children under age 3 can be held in the arms of fathers, and older children can be held over his shoulder, when he knows that he isn't touching them for sexual reasons. A woman's bosom is for nurturing children, not for men to objectify. Men may find the bosom of a mother attractive, but it is primarily there for a secure parent-child bond between mother and child.

The depraved and entitled parents will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Zero expectations in parenting: Why children should have no expectations imposed upon them

Many parents think that children need high expectations. This is a common belief among parents, and one that is in error. Most parents impose these high expectations on children, not knowing that children develop slowly, not overnight. The fact of the matter is that children should have no expectations imposed upon them.

Entitlement, in the New Testament, is denoted by the Greek root word πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés). Officially, this word refers to parental entitlement, or want from or of children to the point of imposition. Unofficially, this refers to wanting anything from a child, period. When you expect anything from children, you might end up sorely disappointed, because children are going to develop the way they are going to develop, and you can't speed up that pace with expectations. Any time you are sorely disappointed at not getting something you wanted from someone else, you are entitled in that instance. Ask, and you shall receive from your child, if they are ready developmentally. Demand, and you get nothing but resentment from your child.

The centerpiece of an attached Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. This sort of safe environment leads to children forming a secure parent-child bond with a parent, leading to the child following the loving example of parents, seeking to be like parents or else a favored parent.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church, with Christian parents of Greek descent misusing the book of Proverbs as an excuse for abuse even in the 1st Century, when this passage was written. Paul was warning the Greek Christians in the Colossian parish that Proverbs was simply wisdom literature, in this case a book of wise sayings, meaning not a book on parenting. Paul himself was anti-spanking, and opposed any punishment of a child, for any reason. King Solomon was the same way towards minor children, with the rod verses instead referring to an archaic form of judicial corporal punishment for ADULT children done then in conjunction with the death penalty - the 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction.

Expectations are imposed wants on a child, meaning you want them to be a certain way, walk a certain way, talk a certain way, and behave a certain way. Any wants imposed are entitlement, and covetous sin when said imposition is defended in court. Preferences are simply a statement of values that isn't binding or imposed onto a child, but is simply what an adult would like to see in a child. They can be stated as a form of encouragement. Preferences become expectations once they are imposed or enforced on a child, and all expectations of people outside of the Law is entitlement, with children not being legal subjects under the Law, but instead being exempt from prosecution. Preferences should stay preferences. Some preferences are good to state, such as behavioral preferences. Others should be channeled away from the child, such as sexual preferences.

Most children are punished in America for behaviors that are developmentally appropriate in nature. The idea is to let go of some behavior, and respond to others with love and concern. A young child might want to scream at the top of her lungs in the store, for seemingly no reason at all. In that case, the child just likes to hear her voice. That voice is new to her, and so she is exercising her lungs. Let her. Children of all ages cry for the same reason an infant cries - they want love and attention, so give it to them.

In biblical times, children who cried were held close to the mother's bosom, in skin-to-skin closeness. Children went naked then wherever they went, and mothers were traditionally naked in the home. Children ran to mothers in the nude when they were upset. Today, a child can be held to the top of the bosom of mothers for instant comfort and reassurance, and then the child learns to be honest and tell parents everything that upsets them. This is better than punishing them based on entitled expectations. Every cry from a child comes for a reason, and no child is "too old to cry".

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Pedophilia awareness: Why everyone is a risk to children

Many parents think only pedophiles are at risk of sexually abusing children. This is a common mistake many parents make with their children, dismissing the idea, usually in a defensive way, that they would ever hurt a child sexually.

Pedophilia is a mental health disorder characterized by primary sexual attraction to children under age 14. 3 out of 4 pedophiles do not sexually abuse children. 1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 6 boys will be sexually abused before their 18th birthdays. The abuse cannot all come from pedophiles. Most sexual abuse, meaning 90% of known cases, does not come from a pedophile, but instead comes from a non-pedophilic adult who acclimated themselves to a specific venue before sexually assaulting or raping their victims.

Every single adult is guilty in relation to children, for every single adult is capable of the worst of abuse under the right/wrong conditions, and this includes sexual abuse. It is just that some adults are more of a risk than others. Most men are at risk for sexually abusing girls who are entering puberty or are teenagers.

I myself abused a child sexually by way of antisocial "flirt". I flirted with young girls in the form of sexual harassment, seeing the girls I flirted with as parent figures. What I did wrong was get used to the local swimming area as a place to meet young girls. I would do my signature wave, which annoyed one girl. I also walked up to a young girl and asked for a hug, and she saw right through my intentions. When the children put out a stophand, so to speak, and protected themselves from harm, I knew I was abusing them. I was a compliant abuser, meaning when my victims made it clear that I was crossing a line, I stopped. 

What happened was that I allowed myself to behave in a sexually entitled way as an adult, but only in a place where I associated the allowance with the place, behaving normally everywhere else in my life, apart from bragging about sexual crushes on young girls in a way that got to them, in a sexually slanderous way. This is what acclimation is. Usually, it is one room in the house where the abuser feels license to sexually abuse the child. At my grandparents' old house, it was the attic, where I engaged in inappropriate sexual exploration with my younger cousin.

Any adult can, by chance, get into a situation where they become acclimated sexually to a child, and then cross the ultimate boundary and sexually assault and rape the child. Former offenders describe grooming as crossing multiple boundaries, meaning one boundary, then the next, then the next, until they end up sexually abusing the child in question.

The way to prevent sexual abuse is to learn to enjoy sexual fantasies about children. A sexual predator is in habit of sexually abusing their victim. The idea to break the habit is to discharge the attraction through solo masturbation instead, so then the brain is used to discharging in private and away from the child instead of towards the child. Sexual attraction to children is normal, but can only be safely enjoyed by remote, meaning at home, in your own room, with the shades down and the door closed.

Also, DO NOT be alone with a child, no matter what. 90% of sexual abuse incidents occurred when there was no other adult around to supervise. There is always a way out of being alone with a child, that is, if you work with children. It may be harder in the case of parent attraction, but adults can manage.

Let the depraved and decadent, defile adult fornicators of children BURN in everlasting Hell-fire! Let them burn in torrents of fire and torture! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Self-behaviorism: Why behaviorism should be self-directed in parenting (pro-social example)

Many parents, particularly of children with autism, believe in behavioral measures to deal with their child's behaviors, meaning measures coming from the behaviorist camp of psychology. I am not opposed to behaviorism as a child advocate, but see behaviorism as a personal struggle as an adult in relation to children, meaning a struggle to impart the best example to children. Instead of telling a child to sit on the floor with folded hands, YOU sit in a chair with folded hands, or walk around children with your hands behind your back. Then, dear parents, you are truly grateful for your child.

The Greek root word denoting entitlement, and cross-referencing the Tenth Commandment, is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and refers officially to parental entitlement, or want from or of children to the point of imposition, and unofficially to wanting anything from a child, period. Ask, and you shall receive from your child, if they are ready developmentally. Demand, and you get nothing but resentment from your child. Parents and adults are entitled to nothing from children, and are to be grateful for everything, stifling want directed towards children in all settings and instances.

Christian love is the centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship of the attached variety, and is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to prioritizing children first, and yourself as a parent last, to the point of dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. Children, from there, follow the example of their parents, seeking to be like a parent or parents. Parents in biblical times were attachment parents, meaning they didn't punish children one bit - they sought to encourage children in following the example of parents, as well as encouraging religious studies, which were largely self-directed.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, in biblical times, at minimum, was defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Greek Christians were using the book of Proverbs as an excuse for abuse even since the 1st Century, when this passage was written. Paul was warning the parents that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature, not a book on parenting, and that such verses did not refer to parenting, but to a form of judicial corporal punishment practiced then, but not in the Early Church. Paul himself was against punishing a child for any reason, as was King Solomon.

Parents and adults are to show a non-entitled example to children at all times, being shut up and shamefaced in the Lord, dragged down by the child's thirst for attention and love, following the child's every vulnerable need and special interest, like a human ragdoll. Parents and adults are entitled to nothing from children, and grateful for the every joy that children bring them, having no pride in dealing with children, and only shame in dealing with children. Adults have enslaved children for far too long, so children now have the right to righteously enslave their parents and adults for their every vulnerable need, with children being treated as a deity to serve, not a peon or slave to order around.

I myself am a depraved and entitled adult in relation to children, and am deserving of absolutely nothing from a child that is good, and am deserving of everything that is hateful, for I do not deserve to even exist in the wake of children in the eyes of God, yet children trust me, and I am grateful, for I am undeserving of such trust and respect. I sit with folded hands at the restaurant, and I put my hands behind my back around a child. The hands behind the back show how shamefaced and apologetic of an adult I am. They let me exist? With me being the wretch that I am as an adult in relation to children? I am so beholden to children in terms of gratitude! Children look up to adults, and develop the same non-entitled habits, especially if I were to be their parent. 

How do you get into non-entitled habits as an adult role model? The parent has two compartments of entitlement - parent anger and parent attraction. Both should be denied. Parent attraction runs so low that it should be channeled elsewhere - behind closed doors, with the shades down, and nobody else in the room. Parent anger and attraction should be denied by want avoidance, meaning when you want to get angry with a child and/or sexually assault or rape a child, do the opposite of what the urge tells you to do, perhaps regarding it as part of a sinful nature. Remember that offending your child could cost you eternity in Hell. When you see yourself approaching a child to lash out at them out of anger or lust, STOP immediately, remind yourself of the otherworldly consequences of such an action, and turn away from sin. Turn yourself into an accountability partner if you need to, such as a co-parent, family member, close friend, or mental health professional. The more you avoid an entitled behavior, and char the possibility in your head, the more it will become a habit not to offend a child by way of entitlement, meaning parent anger or attraction.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast in to 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Pro-social deification, pro-social child worship: Why biblical society was child worshipping society

Many parents think that biblical times were harsh on children. Rumors have it that children were made to work around the house, and of course, the frequent associations with corporal punishment. None of this is true. Not only were children treated with love and respect in the Bible, but they were treated as next to God. Children were worshipped in biblical times. Pro-social deification, pro-social child worship.

Jesus Christ said in Matthew 25:45-46 KJV:

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not unto me. And these shall go away unto everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

This refers implicitly, in context, to pro-social child worship, meaning children are the most vulnerable of society, then and now, and so they are to be treated as one would treat God. Children were seen as holy then, meaning punishing or abusing a child was desecration of their deity. Children were put on a pedestal then, and prioritized above all else, to the level of being miniature gods and goddesses.

The centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship is Christian love for one's child, just as one would love God, with this love being denoted in the original Greek by the root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to putting children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting securely and safely in the good works of parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. Children in Ancient Israel and the Early Church were placed on a pedestal in terms of status in society, with parents and other adults in their life serving them, being beholden to their every vulnerable need as righteous slaves to their child's need. Children were fully deified in biblical society, in terms of how they were treated, meaning they rested pretty, and were given much of what they wanted.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment or controlling demeanor towards a child, and was rebuking Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Greek Christians were misusing the book of Proverbs to justify the punishment and abuse of their children even then. Paul was warning the parents that Proverbs was simply wisdom literature, not a book on parenting. The Apostle Paul was anti-spanking, and opposed punishing a child for any reason, as was King Solomon. King Solomon was completely against striking or punishing a minor child, with the verses in Proverbs referring to ADULT children on trial for a capital offense.

Children in Ancient Israel and the Early Church were deified heavily by their parents and other adults. Children were placed on a pedestal, and treated individually like special gods and goddesses, with parents reverently fearing their children, surrendering to the every demand and order from their children.

How did this servitude of parents towards children look in practice? Mothers provided nourishment and sustenance for young children, meaning breastmilk and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy, with children going naked everywhere they went, and mothers going naked traditionally in the home to serve their husband and children separately. Children snuggled in the nude next to mothers. Parents placed their children on a pedestal, speaking of them in baroque, flowery terms, with fathers speaking this way to admit to the court that they had a parent attraction to their children. This form of pedophilia was commonplace and accepted in biblical times, but only in abstinent format. The attachment parenting of Ancient Israelite and Early Christian society was at that level where parent attractions could form in men in particular. Men channeled the attraction into worshipping their children in a way that they were surrendered to their children in a servile way. Just as parents served God, they served their children as well, and what a child wanted generally was what God wanted. Children were signs of God, and were seen as in place of God in the family home.

Children were seen as imperfect extensions of God in biblical times. Children were known and expected to cause mischief, running around the house, knocking things over, making messes. Children laughed at their mischief - and parents laughed as well. Children were loved and worshipped for their faults, not despite them.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Understanding the Fifth Commandment - and why it doesn't mean blind obedience to parents

Many parents think that they have the right to demand respect from children, and cite the Fifth Commandment to honor parents. This is a common misuse of Scripture, and misunderstanding of children, from parents. The fact of the matter is that the Fifth Commandment does not require blind compliance from minor children, and merely legislates a ban on elder abuse.

The Fifth Commandment states in Exodus 20:12 KJV:

Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

This commandment is divine legislation against elder abuse. Elder abuse occurred quite a bit in Ancient Israel. It wasn't rampant, but instead uncommon in a way that was very isolating for its victims. Ancient Israelite society tended to take the side of children, including adult children, and thus it was a shame to take the stand in court against one's child. The attitude was "they must have learned that somewhere" and that statement was used to blame the victim in cases of elder abuse. So, God instated the parent protection laws, solely in the context of the Old Testament, to combat elder abuse. All of the parent protection laws except the Fifth Commandment itself are repealed verses, meaning we don't put children to death today just because they struck or gaslit their parents. "Do not strike your parents" meant do not beat or bludgeon your aging parents, and "do not curse your parents" means do not put a gaslighting curse in them. Gaslighting and striking others were already unlawful, but only on the civil level. These laws made crimes against parents a high priority for God.

The centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to putting children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way that leads to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents comes not from fearful compliance, but instead restful trust in parents, leading to children telling parents anything and everything under the sun, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return from parents. Attachment parenting was the established norm in Ancient Israel and the Early Church. Think a Christian mother holding pales of water, with a young child wrapped up next to her bosom in swaddling clothes, and an older child strapped to her back in a papoose bag. That was how children surrendered to parents back in biblical times. 

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, as defined under biblical law, at minimum, is the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law on punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek descent were misusing the book of Proverbs to justify their punishment habits towards their children. Paul here was warning the Greek Christians that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature, and not a book on parenting. Paul himself was anti-spanking, and opposed punishing a child for any reason.

Children surrendered to parents, in biblical times, not by submitting to punishment or controlling demeanor, but by being honest with parents, telling them anything and everything that is on their minds, expecting absolutely no punishment in return. All child surrender means in the Bible is rest, meaning children rest safely and securely in parents, with the parents doing good works so that children could rest in their parents, just as adult believers rest in the Lord.

The Fifth Commandment refers ultimately to a secure parent-child bond, on the receiving end, meaning the child's end. Children went naked wherever they went in biblical times, and mothers also were naked traditionally in the home, in order to serve both their husband and their children separately. Children rested in the bosom of mothers, being comforted and reassured in a sustaining way, with children snuggling with their mother in the nude. Children up until age 6 never left the side of parents, with mothers sleeping next to their children until age 6, and often much later than age 6, perhaps into young adulthood.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Why children don't need to be disciplined (and why parents need discipline more)

Discipline is an important life skill. It is good to have discipline and order as an adult. But, do children deserve to have such legalism forced on them? Or, conversely, should we be modeling it to them? Children don't need discipline. They need a strong, self-controlled example to fall back on.

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 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 specific standard of Christian discipline, in parents in relation to children, that is entitled to nothing, and grateful for everything. Children owe parents nothing, and parents owe children everything, leading to a chastened up example for children to follow, backed up by instruction as a righteous test for developmental capacity, meaning that when children do not listen the first time to instructions, it is assumed that they do not understand what is being asked of them, with this form of instruction being denoted by the Greek root word νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) which refers to righteous instruction of children. Righteous instruction of children is never backed up by violence, as denoted by the Greek root word παροργιζο (Latin: parorgizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, is defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child. In this commandment, Paul is lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor, rebuking Greek Christians who were misusing the book of Proverbs to justify their pagan custom of spanking children. Paul was warning the Greek parents that Proverbs was simply wisdom literature, not a book on parenting. Paul, in fact, was anti-spanking, and opposed punishing a child for any reason.

Christian love is the centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to putting children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way that leads to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every need, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in parents. The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment and reprisal in return. The goal for every Christian parent in the 1st Century was a secure parent-child bond, where parents worked to win over their children's trust, and then children rested in their work.

Most behaviors that children are punished for in modern American society are for developmentally appropriate behaviors understandable given their age and developmental level. The idea is not to intervene with every behavior, but to respond to certain behaviors, and let others go. A 2-year-old who screams at the top of her lungs just likes the sound of her voice. She's not going to understand that screaming in public is socially unacceptable. Children cry always because they need something, including loving attention, meaning an older child cries for the same reason a baby cries - they need love. 

If you are your child's mother, the best way to deal with a crying child is to place them, or at least their head, on your bosom for full comfort and sustenance. This stops crying immediately, and at the same time encourages children to confide into parents. Fathers can reassure children as well, but since they don't have a bosom like a mother has, they can have a child cry over their shoulder. The bosom is there in mothers not to be sexually objectified by men, but to nurture children. 

Children don't need discipline, but a disciplined example from parents. This means parents must stifle both parent anger and parent attraction, and channel it elsewhere. Parental entitlement is denoted by the Greek root word πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés), and refers to wanting things from or of children to the point of imposition. But, why even want anything from a child? It is not good to want anything from a child. When you feel like you will impose a want onto a child, do whatever the opposite of that want is, and maybe channel that self-interest elsewhere, where it doesn't impact the child or anyone else. The more you avoid wants and channel them elsewhere, the more it becomes a habit.

Children also need a secure parent-child bond with parents to back up that disciplined example from parents, meaning children need a reason to follow the example imparted by parents. A secure parent-child bond is usually formed on the mother's end of raising children, by skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy with children. In biblical times, children went naked wherever they went, and mothers went naked traditionally in the family home, to serve both her husband and children separately - children snuggled in the nude with their mothers, in skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy. Parents in biblical times were very close with their children, on an equal yet guiding level. Parents guided their children along, but in a fun way that catered to the immaturity of children, with parents "growing up with" their children. The more fun a child had with a parent, the more they wanted to be like that parent. Childhood in biblical times was full of warm encouragement, and a lot of sustaining comfort alongside it. Children ran to parents when they had a problem, not peers or strangers...This context is necessary for a proper Christian parenting relationship, even if it may be dated in some ways.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast in to 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

The myth of adult authority: Why it doesn't exist

Many parents and adults think that they are authority figures in the lives of children. Society rewards this draconian mindset in adults, with parental rights activists making being the adult sound "empowering". Being the adult in America isn't empowering at all, but shameful. Adults serve children, and don't rule over them.

The centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship is Christian love, and is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to putting children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead comes from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. Children shouldn't take orders from adults. Children should have the right to tell adults off, order them around, and vent into them their upsets. Attachment parenting was the norm in Ancient Israel and the Early Church. Think a Christian mother holding pales of water, wrapping a young child up next to her bosom in swaddling clothing, and with an older child strapped to her back in a papoose bag. That was the parenting then, meaning parenting then was selfless, not authoritarian in nature. These parenting ideas apply to school personnel as well, as parents then homeschooled their children, with children then allowed to learn at their own pace.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. The Greek Christian parents were misusing the book of Proverbs even then. Paul was warning the parents of Greek Christian descent that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature, not a book on parenting. Paul himself was anti-spanking, and opposed striking a child for any reason. 

Adult authority is a myth. Adults simply provide for and serve children, being bondservants for children beholden to their every need, revering and fearing children as being in place of God. In Ancient Israel and the Early Church, adults did not line up against children and order them around as "one united front", but simply provided for children, giving them nourishment, comfort, and sustenance.

Children went naked wherever they went in biblical times, and mothers went naked in the family home. Children snuggled next to mothers in the nude, receiving skin-to-skin closeness from their mothers, with fathers standing by. Young children were wrapped up in swaddling blankets when the mother left the house with them, with older children being placed in a papoose bag.

It is also a myth that a schoolteacher has full authority over their students. Schoolteachers should be friends with the children they look after and instruct, allowing schoolchildren to tell them anything and everything that is on their mind, in a laid back, informal setting. Children should be told to do work, but should be allowed to play on break after 5 minutes of work, with the play break lasting 5 minutes, with the cycle continuing. Children should be allowed to oppose the teacher, and even screaming in the teacher's face. I recommend homeschooling for children because obviously, public schools don't operate like this. School is like prison for children, where there is forced learning, and free play quashed by endless drills and work. Under state law here in Pennsylvania, it is legal to embrace or hold a child for purposes of comforting or reassuring the child - there is no hands off policy in Pennsylvania. Same with a lot of other states.

Homeschools in Ancient Israel and the Early Church were largely self-directed by the student. At the age of 6, on average, children developed interest in theology, as well as worldly academic topics such as mathematics and reading. Children taught themselves how to read, but with distant guidance from fathers. Fathers and children would compare notes about biblical interpretations and what they learned through researching in textbooks. The father would provide the textbooks, and his children would do the reading. It was a friendly, casual discussion, not a formal educational setting. Schools should reflect this laid back educational tradition modeled by the Bible.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Lying: Why children lie to parents

Many parents believe their children lie because "that's just what children do". This is a common oversimplification and misconception about children. The fact of the matter is that people lie and deceive when they are being punished.

Christian love is the centerpiece of a Christian parenting relationship, and is denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to putting children first, and parents last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every vulnerable need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children and others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents in Christian homes does not come from fearful compliance, but instead comes from restful trust in parents, with children telling parents anything and everything that is on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return. Children are honest with parents who don't punish at all.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, including child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is defined as the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek descent were justifying the punishment of their children with the book of Proverbs even then. Paul here was warning Greek Christian parents that Proverbs was simply wisdom literature, not a book about raising children. Paul himself was anti-spanking, and opposed punishing a child for any reason. Spanking and punishment of children does not come from the Bible, but from European pagan custom absorbed into the Roman Catholic Church, and then Christianity in general. Roman law allowed for a defense for physically punishing children, whereas Jewish and Christian law had no defense for minor children, with punitive parents being seen as worthy of death in the Old Testament, and worthy of excommunication in the Early Church.

Children lie for a simple reason - they don't want to be caught. So, why make instructing children about catching them doing things wrong? The idea is to form a secure parent-child bond that allows for transparency and honesty, where a child can casually admit to doing something wrong, or else having a misunderstood trait such as being a pedophile, and have no consequences coming to them. Then you will get more, and more, out of your child, hearing every little detail about their day.

Children, when they are allowed to be honest with parents, and have no punishment or consequence coming to them, should admit everything casually, in a tone-deaf manner, admitting to doing things wrong without even realizing that they are admitting to it, and parents should NEVER punish for this, but instead reward honesty (meaning NOT the behavior). Ideally, a child should be able to be honest with a parent to the level of free association of thoughts.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Fornication: The "identity" myth

Many people think being a pedophile is this big sin. This is a common misunderstanding about Scripture that being a pedophile is a sin. The theology is that parental entitlement is an excused form of entitlement except in the case that it is sexually motivated. In reality, ALL parental entitlement is sin. Pedophilia, however, is neither adult sexual entitlement nor fornication.

Fornication is mentioned many times in the Bible. It says in 1 Corinthians 6:18 KJV:

Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

The Greek root word translated "fornication" is πορνεία (Latin: porneia). Many adults believe this refers to identifying by an "abnormal" or "aberrant" sexual desire. The fact of the matter is that fornication has nothing to do with identity, but to the perceptions of the child victim. If the child plaintiff perceives sexual contact by the adult defendant, it is fornication automatically, meaning an act of child sexual abuse. 

Fornication can be understood as having two components, entitlement and theft, with actual fornication being the theft component stemming from the entitlement. Adult sexual entitlement is denoted by the Greek root word επιθυμέω (Latin: epithumeo), and refers to wanting sexual relations with children to the point of taking the first steps to doing the deed with someone other than one's spouse. At the point of simply taking the first steps, there is room for choice to avoid a moral crime entirely because if you stop immediately when you find yourself approaching your sexual target, you have committed no sin, because entitlement is only sin when it is defended in court. But, a man must stop himself every single time, or his defense to himself for himself for his actions alone is covetous sin, not mere entitlement, which isn't a moral crime on its own, but merely an infraction to avoid at all costs. I myself stopped myself by reminding myself, before I got in that situation, that I would be the lowest in Hell, and while on earth, "unclean until the even" meaning my mere corpse is defiled and dirty merely for existing while holding onto that sort of sexual sin. I used images of Hell and self-defilement as aversion imagery to remind myself that approaching a young girl or even flirting with her is sin.

Is it a sin to identify as a pedophile? Depends why you are identifying. If you are telling me, as a child advocate, that you are a pedophile, I presume the best in you, until proven otherwise beyond a reasonable doubt. If a child then comes to me and says "Don't be friend with X person because he's creepy" I know then why the pedophile is identifying - as an excuse for abuse, which doesn't exist with a mental health label like pedophilia.

I identify as a pedophile on the surface, meaning the pedophilia does not have a will of its own. I have complete choice over my sexual actions apart from maybe where my gaze goes, but even then, when a child is offended by my gaze, that deters my gaze so not to offend others. At this point, I can't have sex with a child unless I make the conscious choice to, and that choice is stopped by the Holy Spirit, meaning I can't bring myself to have sex with anyone at this point, as none is my wife.

Most pedophiles are victims of abuse, usually spiritual abuse from religious abusive parents, meaning they were targeted by their abusive "Christian" parents. Unlike most religious child abuse, pedophilic children can perceive religious abuse even from moderate or progressive religious parents, with the more progressive religious parents misusing valid feminist concepts and turning them into a reason to punish a child for, for example, misusing an image of a child. The most oppressed of all pedophiles are pedophilic children, because they have two strikes against them - wearing the "child" label and the "pedophile" label all at once. 

How do you deal with pedophilia in your child? A pedophilic child is likely to have at least some autistic characteristics, and usually has a form of child-centered autism, meaning they prefer the company of children more than same-age peers or adults. A pedophile needs to be listened to, with "I'm here to listen" type acceptance. Listen without assuming anything about the situation. Nothing has changed. Your child just clarified to you what group of people they are attracted to. Usually, such disclosures are not a bomb going off, but are either full of tears or simply a self-diagnosis that seems tone-deaf in nature. 

It is not a sin to identify as a pedophile, but instead it is a sin to have sexual contact with a child or defend taking the first steps to sexually abuse a child. Fornication is not based off of identity, meaning holding a certain identity won't cast you into Hell unless it is intended to defend taking the first steps to sexually abusing a child, or the act of sexual abuse. Most pedophiles simply reclaim their label as a means of re-appropriating it to non-criminals who better deserve a mental health label to use to seek professional help.

Let the depraved and decadent, defiled adult fornicators of children BURN in the lake of fire and torrents! Repent!

Pro-social nudity, pro-social freedom: The value of child nudity in the family home

Many parents do get squeamish about a child being naked, and sexualize the concept. This is a common misconception about parenting - that children should stay clothed. Children have a nudity option when understanding the Bible in context. Children went in the nude in biblical times wherever they went.

The concept of Christian love is necessary for a proper Christian parenting relationship, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao) and refers to putting children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to children and their every need, expecting absolutely nothing in return from children or others, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead comes from restful trust in parents. This includes children telling parents anything and everything that is on their minds. This also meant shedding clothing in all contexts, while at the same time being supervised by parents in all contexts. Pro-social nudity is not a context that can be applied fully, but can be applied within a family home, where children can be as naked as they want to.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. Child abuse, under biblical law, at minimum, is defined as the slightest of personal offenses, perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech, perceived by the child, coming from entitlement. This includes all punishment, including for nudity and "immodesty" (modesty is a real Christian term, but just covers the basics). In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christian parents for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church, misusing the book of Proverbs to justify their idolatrous custom even then. Paul was warning that Proverbs was simply wisdom literature, and not a book on parenting. The Apostle Paul was anti-spanking and was opposed to any punishment of a child.

Child nudity was the norm in Ancient Israel and the Early Church. Children went naked everywhere they went, yet, at the same time, they were supervised everywhere they went. This lowered the levels of attachment down to the level of full equality, meaning parents were immature like their children were, but at a guiding level, meaning children were influenced by the attitudes and level of discipline in parents, wanting to be like parents, with parents "growing up with" their children...Much of this context can be applied, to the degree that it can be applied today, perhaps with some tweaking.

Women in the Bible were also naked, for their husbands and for their children, both. Husbands and wives mutually submitted to each other sexually when the children weren't around, and when the children were around, mothers provided comfort and sustenance when children ran to them, with children up until age 6 not leaving the side of mother. When women left the house, she wore a thin dress with nothing underneath, preferably in plain fashion (i.e. no expensive jewelry or pearls). Young women, or virgins, over age 13 in the Early Church, went completely naked, and had to be accompanied by her father when leaving the house...Much of this is dated, but some can be applied, as judged by the commonsense of the parent.

The idea here is not to force children to be naked, but to invite them to be naked. This is only really safe if you are their mother, meaning not their father, but know that their father will likely find subtle sexual pleasure in it, meaning he'd be very focused on nurturing the children all of a sudden, and you'd know as a mother that there would be something driving that male nurturing instinct - this is what we call connotational attraction of the "spray tan oil" type, which makes him good at supervising his children and keeping them safe. You invite children to be naked, in a way that invites them into your arms. A great time to do this is when you, the mother, step out of the shower, and just lay down with your children. Children in an attached home usually aren't fully clothed even when they are older, when at home. They may wear a shirt or tank top (if she's a girl) but that's about it. That means a child feels safe around you, and feeling safe is a form of surrender in the Bible favorable for parenting, which leads to cooperation. If they refuse to be naked, that is a sign of sexual abuse, or else parent sexual entitlement in a household member.

Children should only be naked in the privacy of their own home, in order to follow all secular laws. See Romans 13:!-2

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

The Greek root word translated "subject" is υποτασσο  (Latin: hupotasso) and refers to reverent loyalty leading to surrender. Christians are to observe their national, state, and local laws, including that on nudity.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

Co-sleeping in the Bible: Why biblical parents slept next to their children at night

Many parents think that co-sleeping is a bad way to bond with children, oftentimes citing dependence on the presence of parents. There are so many fears about co-sleeping that need to be addressed. Co-sleeping is the most time-honored parenting tactic out there. It was done in biblical times between mothers and children. There are reasons pertaining to a child's safety why mothers in specific should co-sleep with their children.

Christian parenting requires the component of Christian love for children, as denoted by the Greek root word αγαπαο (Latin: agapao), and refers to putting children first, and yourself as a parent last, in a convicted way leading to dutiful and selfless submission to the every need of children, expecting absolutely nothing in return, with children resting safely and securely in parents. See Colossians 3:20-21 KJV:

Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

The Greek root word translated "obey" is υπακουο (Latin: hupakouo) and refers to secure, vulnerable rest in the love and grace of parents. This form of respect for parents does not come from fearful compliance, but instead comes from restful trust in parents, leading to children telling parents anything and everything on their mind, including admissions of wrongdoing, expecting absolutely nothing in return. Attachment parenting was the norm in Ancient Israel and the Early Church. Think a Christian mother holding pales of water, with a young child being wrapped up next to her bosom, and an older child strapped to her back in a papoose bag. That was the parenting then.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or abuse, namely child abuse in this context. The definition of child abuse under biblical law, at minimum, is the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child. In this commandment, the Apostle Paul was lifting up the Law against punishment and controlling demeanor towards children, rebuking Greek Christians for bringing their pagan custom of spanking children into the church, with these parents misusing the book of Proverbs as an excuse for abuse. Paul was warning Greek Christian parents that Proverbs was simply wisdom literature, and not a book on parenting. The Apostle Paul was anti-spanking, and never believed in punishing a child for anything.

Co-sleeping does not cause dependence on parental comfort for getting to sleep. One of the good things my parents did was co-sleeping, which I shook off when I was 16. Sleep dependence is a common concern among autism professionals, but I believe all children shake off their parents' closeness, but a child with autism will do it at a later age, usually late teens to early adulthood.

Most children cry and refuse to go to bed for a reason - they are afraid of predators. They may express their fear as fear of "monsters". That monster could be their father lurking in their room at night. Children in biblical times never left the side of their mothers up until age 6, and even after that, snuggled with mothers at night. This served a function - so that mothers could guard their child from predators...The context contained herein is applicable today, and should be applied today, perhaps with some tweaking.

Children went naked in biblical times wherever they went, and mothers went naked when in the home, wearing a thin dress with nothing underneath when leaving the house. Mothers and children co-slept with each other in the nude. This lowered the level of attachment to an equal level. Skin-to-skin closeness is crucial for the development of children, and this can be done in co-sleeping fashion or co-mingling fashion...Some of this context may be dated, but much of it is applicable today, perhaps with some tweaking.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast in to 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 forever and ever! Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!