Expanding child abuse definitions: Why God wants broader child abuse definitions

Many parents think that the Bible has no answers when it comes to preventing and treating child abuse. However, the fact of the matter is that the Bible has a child abuse definition of its own. The fact of the matter is that the biblical definition of child abuse, in sum, is whatever the child victim perceives as offensive or abusive. The Bible is a good guide as to how to define child abuse under the secular laws, as America is a Christian nation founded on Judeo-Christian values.

The Greek root word denoting parental entitlement is πλεονέκτης (Latin: pleonektés) and is defined as, officially speaking, wanting things from children, to the point of imposition. Unofficially speaking, parental entitlement is an adult losing their cool when they don't get what they feel that they deserve from children. Most parents feel deserving of good behavior from children, and are sorely disappointed when they aren't given that deservance from children. Any adult anger imposed upon a child was seen as parental entitlement in biblical times, even when parents were calling out "sin" in children. Whenever this entitlement was perceived by a child as offensive or damaging, it was considered child abuse. See also 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, stemming from entitlement. This commandment was intended by the Apostle Paul, and was understood in 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. The 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.

Sweden was the first society in modern times to ban all punitive parenting, with the ban being passed into law in 1979. However, Swedish children's rights advocates used the Hebraic context of the Bible to point out proper parenting. Many ancient societies were attachment parenting societies, to varying degrees. Some contexts allowed for "hand-me-down-the-slate" gaslighting, but the Ancient Hebrew fathers instead masturbated to sexual thoughts of their child.

Modern Israel also passed a ban on punitive parenting in 2000, after the Israeli Supreme Court gave the secular courts the unilateral authority to hear child abuse cases. Before that court ruling, child abuse cases were heard by family courts, which were sectarian in terms of orientation. However, Jewish courts dissolved abusive families long before 2000, with there never being a legal defense for "reasonable" assault and battery of a child. Even today, when a Jew abuses a child in Israel, it makes national news. Child abuse is rare in the Holy Land, meaning almost non-existent. Most Jews oppose punishing children, whereas many Christian denominations allow it or even mandate it.

Child abuse can be understood as whatever the child perceives as abuse. There are many ways that a child can show offense. Usually, children cry when they are offended by the treatment that they get from parents. But, the slightest of offense counts, meaning even if the child simply flinched from being given entitled demands, it was seen as child abuse. However, even parental entitlement, in and of itself, was seen as unlawful. When you lose that last level of entitlement, the rest goes along with it.

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!