Redefining child abuse: Why we should expand child abuse definitions

Many parents are opposed to expanding child abuse definitions, and cite the Bible as an excuse for abusing their own children. The fact of the matter is that the child abuse definitions should reflect the founding values of this country. Child abuse definitions, under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), should be expanded, and legal defenses for punitive parenting retracted. The Bible supports a ban on all punitive parenting.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement, and cross-references the Tenth Commandment, is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Once children perceive the entitlement imposed on them by parents or other adults, it becomes child abuse. See Colossians 3:21 KJV:

Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

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 a child, including, but not limited to, the slightest of offensive touch or speech perceived by a child, stemming from 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, but not limited to, any punishments, reprimands, or other 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 punished 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 in biblical times as holding your child hostage merely for things that they did wrong, thereby treating your child as a quartered slave. Paul here was lifting up the Law in order to convict 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 in his secular writings. Paul may not have gotten along with the women of the church, but he sure loved children, and even took in a few orphaned children during his time. Indeed, Greco-Roman fathers would get out the scourge of cords in order to punish their children, but NOT the Christians among them - the Early Christians were largely persecuted for being "too soft" on their children.

Sweden is the first country in the modern day to ban all forms of child punishment. In the ancient world, many societies were attachment parenting societies. In most cultures, however, sexual correction by fathers was the custom of that ancient society. Ancient Jewish culture had no such custom. Instead, fathers masturbated to sexual thoughts of their children, and otherwise were only there to provide praise and encouragement for good traits. 

In modern Israel, punitive parenting has been banned since the year 2000, with the ban coming in the form of a court ruling that allows for the Israeli police to unilaterally raid homes where child abuse occurs. Before then, the authorities could only raid Jewish homes, with the Muslim and Christian courts ruling in favor of the parents. The Israeli police long had the authority to collect children from abusive homes, but their authority to overrule Muslim and Christian courts was unclear until the 2000 court ruling. Israel has a unique legal system where family courts serve specific religious denominations.

God chose Israel, and sent His only begotten Son to Israel, where He died and Rose on the Third Day. From there, Christ's message of peace and forgiveness spread across the world. Now, there are Christians in every country. Christ catapulted the Christian faith around the world. Whatever happens in a country as diverse as Israel will happen in the United States, and that includes an anti-spanking law. America looks to Israel for a lot of things. Why can't we as a nation learn from our Israeli counterparts on parenting? Abuse rates are very low in Israel, due to the humane way of life that the Jewish faith prescribes. The Christian faith is rooted in the Jewish, and I myself put my trust in the Hebraic context of the Bible.

Child abuse should be redefined to match up with what the Bible says is child abuse. It is a myth that the ancients had no concept of child abuse. The fact of the matter is that the Early Christians, and their Jewish predecessors, did have a concept of child abuse, and it was, in fact, much broader in terms of scope and definition, than the modern definitions that we have in the United States. I, in fact, propose a parent ban, as most abusers of children use the glorified label of "parent" as an excuse for abuse. Same with any adult who uses the glorified label "adult" as an excuse for child abuse. Once parents stop touting their parental rights, using the "parent" label as an excuse, then we can focus on banning corporal punishment. There is no need to use the word "parent" in first-person except to excuse child abuse. A parent, by my profiling definition, is a parent figure that imposes entitlement onto their child, usually through punishments or reprimands.

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