Father's Day: Understanding the biblical duties of fathers

It is Father's Day here in America. This Father's Day, we should focus not only for gifts for dad, but what dads have to do for their children. The Early Christian context was an attachment parenting context, but with there being clear roles between mothers and fathers. Think more like separate pews for men and women. Fathers were mainly in charge of nurturing their wives, but they did also nurture their children to some degree.

The duties of fathers are spelled out in Ephesians 6:4 KJV:

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 "provoke...to wrath" is παροργίζο (Latin: parorgizo) 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 was 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 was lifting up the Law in order to convict a group of Greek Christian parents in the parish at Ephesus 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.

The Greek root word translated "nurture" is παιδεία (Latin: paideia) and refers to here, in this context, modeling and encouraging Christian discipline in children. The Christian standard of discipline is deserving of absolutely nothing, therefore grateful for absolutely everything, coming from a sinful nature, leading to a chastened up example for children to follow. Christian parents in the Early Church centered their entitlement in view of their children, with children following in their parents' footsteps. Children in biblical times were caught being good, as opposed to being caught being bad. Whenever children were caught showing good traits - such as sharing, being patient, or showing self-control - they were given lavish praise and encouragement by fathers with statements such as "keep headed down the straight path". Boys were given manly praise by fathers when caught being good, whereas girls were given a kiss on the forehead by fathers when caught being good. Children also need religious instruction. The Greek root word translated "admonition" is νουθεσία (Latin: nouthesia) and refers to the instruction of the Lord. This religious instruction started out by a father leaving out an Aramaic copy of the Hebrew Bible for children to discover and explore. When children were caught by fathers reading the Bible, they were given lavish praise and encouragement with statements such as "that book is good for you". From there, religious instruction came in question and answer format, based off of what children saw in the text. Children were eager to learn the facts of life, with fathers giving pointers on the context. Religious development is a part of child development, as religion is a human need for adults and children alike. In young children - past age 6 - children developed simplistic beliefs non-conforming to any religious denomination or sect. However, as children got older, they started to conform to a specific religious denomination or sect. It may not be the religion you want for them, but at least they have values. If you want to narrow their options to Christian options, only leave out a Christian Bible.

Fathers do nurture, but from afar. Fathers nurture their children in a teaching way that praises or encourages good behavior, stepping in rarely, and leaving the close nurturing of children to mothers. Fathers kept their distance because they had a sexual attachment to their children. That sexual attachment was especially felt for daughters, with the attraction between fathers and daughters being mutually unrequited. However, even then, fathers were not allowed their "icing on the cake", and instead followed their parent attraction to the end using righteous masturbation. Righteous masturbation is solo masturbation without pornography, in order to stay out of trouble. The Greek root word denoting sexual entitlement is έπιθυμέω (Latin: epithumeo) and is defined as, officially speaking, sexual want, to the point of sexually motivated approach. If your intent in approaching your daughter is to do the deed with her, including flirtation or propositioning, don't approach her, and keep your two feet flat on the ground. You can look the look, and think the think later, but you cannot approach the approach or do the deed. Whenever you flirt or proposition a child, or touch them anywhere on their body with sexual intent, you are doing the deed. But, the moment you approach your daughter, meaning take the first steps to do the deed, it is the same as doing the deed in and of itself. The only way out is to masturbate to sexual thoughts of your child, in order to stay out of trouble. When you masturbate to sexual thoughts of your child, you become more comfortable around them, and are warmer and gentler as a father.

The depraved and entitled parents who provoke their children to wrath 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!