Expanding child abuse definitions: Why the Bible calls for more laws protecting children from abuse

Many parents think that the Bible is silent on issues relating to child abuse. This is a common belief amongst American parents. Most American parents follow the secular law in abusing children, with most parents abusing their children. However, God's Law is not silent on child abuse. All forms of punitive parenting are banned in the Bible.

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 a parent or parent in loco parents being sorely disappointed when children don't give them what they feel that they deserve. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing from children just for existing. All parents in biblical times were seen as parent entitled when they as much as got angry towards a child. When this sense of entitlement was perceived as offensive or damaging by a child, it was deemed 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, 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. 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 even took in a few orphaned children during his time as a deacon.

Parent anger, in most cases, was seen by parents as something to shield a child from. Lashing out at children was seen as akin to a viper striking out at a child. Most parenting in the Early Church was motivated not by anger, but by worry or concern for the child.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. The writers of all 88 books of the Bible advised parents towards attachment-based solutions in their secular writings, as opposed to punitive measures. Even King Solomon advised parents against punitive measures towards minor children, with the rod verses instead referring to the 40 minus 1 lashes meted out as a sentence for crime (with minor children never being whipped). For the first 6 years, children were in constant closeness with mothers, with the latter years of childhood being full of wet and messy play.

Punitive parenting is defined in this post as anything fear-based in parenting. Children should not have to fear their parents. Instead, children should be close to their parents. 

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!