Redefining child abuse: Using Scripture as a guide for redefining child abuse

Many parents think that child abuse is a modern concept, and that the Bible has no wisdom for that issue when understood in context. However, God's Law is above the law of the land, and His Law is a clear guide for how to define child abuse.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement, and cross-referencing the Tenth Commandment, is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. When children perceived this imposition of want from adults, it became 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 as a deacon. Indeed, Greco-Roman fathers got out the scourge of cords in order to punish their children, but NOT the Christians among them - the Early Christians were persecuted largely for being "too soft" on their children.

Sweden was the first country in modern times to ban all punitive parenting, including any corporal punishment. However, ancient societies dating long before the Swedish parliament banned all forms of child punishment. Ancient Israel, as well as the Early Church, prohibited all forms of punishments and reprimands towards a child. This included even sexual correction, which was legal in most ancient cultures.

Israel has banned corporal punishment, and any form of punitive parenting, since 2000. Even long before then, Jewish family courts could order the collection of children in Jewish homes. However, this protection didn't extend to children in Muslim or Christian homes. A court ruling from the Supreme Court of Israel set the law down, and authorized the police to unilaterally make raid houses and collect children even in Muslim and Christian homes that were non-cooperative with the law. There was never any legal defense under Israeli law that allowed for punishing a child, and most Jewish parents in Israel didn't punish their children at all. The reaction to the ban in Israel was a calm "its about time". 

The law in Israel is very clear - children have just as much protection from assault and battery as an adult would. When parents raise their voices or yell in Israel, the law sees it as harassment. If the child is struck in any way, the law sees it as battery. If a child was sent to their room, the law sees it as false imprisonment. 

God chose Israel, and used the Bible to lift up Judeo-Christian values, using His only begotten Son to spread the message of Christ's peace and forgiveness. One of these Judeo-Christian values is being peaceable. You can't hold peaceable values if you are punishing your child like a viper or a monster. I don't want to hurt anyone, not even a child.

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!