Redefining child abuse: Why the Bible calls for expanding child abuse definitions

Many parents think that the Bible has no answers on child abuse issues. This is a common belief amongst American parents. Most American parents think that child abuse definitions should stay the same. However, the fact of the matter is that the Bible prohibits any sort of child abuse, as perceived by the child.

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 who is sorely disappointed when children don't give them what they feel they deserve. Adults are deserving of absolutely nothing from children just for existing. Any adult anger at a child was deemed parental entitlement in biblical times, and was prohibited as such. When children took offense to this sense of entitlement in adults, 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 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.

Any anger towards children was seen as a sign of an abusive home in biblical times. Most parents were warm and gentle towards their children in biblical times. The definition of child abuse in biblical times was defined using the understanding of entitlement leading to offense. Any sort of punishment towards a child was banned in biblical times, including the Early Church.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document, with the writers of all 88 of the books of the Bible were anti-spanking, and opposed any sort of punishment of a child in their secular writings. However, God's Law takes it further, and prohibits anything that merely would offend 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!