Crying: Why crying is not bad behavior

All parents have had to deal with a crying child of some sort. Most American parents think there is a cut off age where children shouldn't cry. Most parents take the attitude towards their children of "stop your crying or I'll give you something to cry about". And then, parents actually do give children something to cry about - punishment. 

The Apostle Paul wrote in 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 are to rest securely in the sacrifice of parents, just as parent believers rest in the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Parents are to be extensions of Christ, sacrificing for their children, just as Christ sacrificed for His children, with children being a Godhead for parents to serve, with children resting securely in the submission of parents, owing absolutely nothing to parents, yet giving back to them as adult descendants, out of grace and not out of legal obligation. Parents are the enemy of children, just as mankind is the enemy of God, with parents being subservient to them just as they are to Him.

The Greek root word translated "provoke...to anger" is ερεθιζο (Latin: erethizo) and refers to damages or offenses, namely the slightest of personal offense perceived by the child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by the child, out of entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and understood in its original context, as a moral statute prohibiting all forms of punitive parenting, including any form of punishment or controlling demeanor towards children. In the Old Testament, punitive parents were put to death by way of bloodletting, after punishing their children one last time. Parents who punish their children were charged with kidnapping, with "kidnapping" being defined under the Law as the slightest of damages or offenses stemming from hostage-taking - child punishment was seen then as holding a child hostage merely for things they did wrong. Paul here was lifting up this legal context for a group of Greek Christian parents who brought their pagan custom of spanking and punishing children into the church. Paul, contrary to popular legend, was anti-spanking, and opposed any and all punishment of a child. Paul, here, was lifting up the Law in order to educate Greek and Roman parent newcomers to the Christian Church of the Jewish parenting traditions, with the Early Church being considered a sect of Judaism in the 1st Century.

Children, in biblical times, wore no clothing, at all, until they became adulthood. Women only wore clothing when outside the home, and otherwise, went in the nude in order to serve their husbands and their children, separately. Mothers served their children through nourishment and sustenance, namely breastmilk (until age 3) and skin-to-skin closeness and intimacy, respectively. Parents in biblical times comforted all children who cried in the same way that parents comfort infants today. Mother and child co-snuggled when the child was crying and/or upset, and the mother held the child close to her bosom in mammary closeness. Fathers reassured children too, but from a distance, and did so by empathizing with the child with statements such as "I can tell you are upset...". Fathers just did so without physical contact with the child's body, and only with the consent of the mother.

The abovementioned context can be replicated today. The best way to do this at home as a mother is to disrobe and invite the child to disrobe to the level that the child wishes to, and then hold the child to your bosom. This should stop crying within 1-2 minutes, and then you can talk with your child about what is wrong. In public, you can simply hold your child to your bosom through clothing, as the contact with the bosom is what reassures children. What reassures children with fathers is the words of empathy coming from a male role model. It is recommended that fathers do this in pro-social ragdoll format, meaning they passively react to the child's tears in order to please the child, instead of simply try to "shut up" the child.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke children to anger through punitive parenting will not inherit the Kingdom of God! Let them be forever 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!