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

Many parents think that the Bible calls for punitive measures towards children. This is a common attitude amongst American parents. Most American parents don't understand that the Bible prohibits all forms of child abuse, with child abuse being defined as whatever is perceived by the child victim as abusive. 

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 consists of a parent who is 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. Whenever parent anger was directed towards a child, it was seen as parental entitlement. Whenever this sense of entitlement in parents was perceived by the 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 their 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 deacon.

The Greek root word translated "they be discouraged" is αθυμέω (Latin: athumeo) and refers here to long-term damages, namely trauma. The ancients had a concept of trauma. Whenever a child grew up to be atheist, it was seen as a sign of trauma, as opposed to simply an adult rebelling against God. 

Whenever parents punished their children in biblical times, the wheels of justice started with the children shunning their abusive parents. From there, word spread far and wide of a case of abusive parents, until word finally reached the council. The council of 3 elders then decided the fate of the abusive parents.

The Bible is an anti-spanking document. All 88 books of the Bible were written by Jews, and the Jews never supported anything punitive towards a child, with the Jewish parenting command instead being to parent as comes naturally. Even King Solomon recommended attachment parenting for younger children, with the rod mentioned in the Bible being the 40 minus 1 lashes, meaning a form of judicial corporal punishment that was only allowed in a courtroom. 

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!