Why attachment parenting is an American tradition

Many parents think that punitive parenting such as spanking and other forms of punishment of children are "part of our culture". This is a common belief among American parents, and the Bible seems to always be cited in these arguments. However, the Bible has been widely been misinterpreted and formed into a false and abusive teaching that keeps children down and parents/adults up.

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 the 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 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 and 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 and non-conforming traits, expecting absolutely no punishment or reprisal in return from parents. Children in this loving and affirming environment learn, eventually, to take after parents, wanting to be like them, then following their example. Children can't be expected to follow the example of parents right away, as they are emotionally immature and thus emotionally labile. Children usually only come to a place of following the example of parents come young adulthood.

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, but not limited to, 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 of children, rebuking Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking children into the church. Christian parents of Greek origin were musing Proverbs to justify their punishment habits. Paul was warning parents in the Colossian church that Proverbs is simply wisdom literature - a list of wise sayings - not a parenting manual of any sort. The rod verses - all seven of them - actually have nothing to do with raising children, but instead refer to an ancient, archaic legal practice within Judaism where the father was subpoenaed to issue 40 minus 1 lashes with the rod of correction to his errant ADULT son who was convicted of a capital offense, as a final warning that any re-offending would result in immediate execution. The Bible was mistranslated willfully by the Roman Catholic Church to pander to the violent parenting habits of European pagans during the course of the Christianization of Europe.

Mothers and fathers had different roles in the parenting process in biblical times. Mothers nurture closer, and fathers nurture more distantly. Mothers provided sustenance and nourishment, especially breastmilk and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy, respectively. Children were naked wherever they went, and women were traditionally naked in the home in order to serve their husbands and their children, separately. Children ranged right next to the mother in the home by day, and slept next to her by night. Children, when the mother took them out in public, were held close to her by way of swaddling blankets and papoose bags, with the child being held close to mothers in skin-to-skin closeness. Fathers were nurturing in a distant yet encouraging way. Fathers usually had a parent attraction towards their children, but usually the type where fathers were extremely motivated to spend time and be nurturing with children, namely an attraction where a child was placed on a pedestal and worshipped in a figurative way. Fathers coped with the attraction by addressing children on formal terms, until the child "broke the ice" and allowed for the parent to speak to children in casual terms.

In biblical times, children played freely, but with adult supervision. Many of the games played then were high-risk by today's standard. The most high-risk game was "marriage". Christian marriage, in biblical times, was defined by sexual intercourse as a form of legal contract signed on the dotted line. Most children simply embraced for that part, but some boys wanted to penetrate. The two were separated, and both children were reassured by their parents that they'd get a chance, someday, once they were married. It was a simple reassurance, not sexual shaming. Children then were not shielded from the sexual realities of the world, and many children engaged in solo masturbation from a young age. Parents in ancient Hebrew and Christian culture were some of the most non-shaming parents ever.

America is a Christian nation, founded on Judeo-Christian family values. We have been wrong about our values before - look at slavery and Jim Crow. Attachment parenting IS part of our heritage, as the main book we find wisdom in as a country is the Bible, and the main context we glean from as a society is the biblical context, meaning both the Ancient Israelite context and the Early Church. That wisdom is in favor of attachment parenting, as the context we glean from is an attachment parenting context.

The depraved and entitled parents will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be cast into the lake of fire and torment, 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!