Punitive parenting: Why the Bible prohibits punitive measures in parenting

Many parents think that punitive parenting is the best way to deal with a child. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. However, the fact of the matter is that punitive parenting is prohibited in the Bible, with punitive parenting being defined as child abuse under God's Law. 

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 when parents are sorely disappointed when they don't get what they feel that they deserve from children. Parents are deserving of absolutely nothing from children just for existing. Any parent anger directed towards children was seen in biblical times as parental entitlement. When this sense of entitlement was perceived by a child as offensive or damaging, 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 here 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.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers to long-term damages from child abuse, namely trauma. The ancients had an understanding of trauma, in the form of seeing who still believes in God. Atheism was not seen in biblical times as anything but a sign of child abuse, and the trauma that comes with it. The church elders then worked to investigate the child abuse, and then purge the abuse from their midst. The council of church elders operated on an inquisitorial bases, directing the investigation into why a grown adult still doesn't believe in God.

Punitive parenting was understood in the Early Church as any parenting motivated by anger. Most Christians in the Early Church saw parent anger as akin to a viper lashing out as a child. That kind of anger was something shielded from children, if it was there. Such punitive parents stood out like ragweed, and were excommunicated from the Early Christian Churches of God once called out by the church elder during an anti-spanking sermon.

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!